Visa policy of the Philippines

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The visa policy of the Philippines is governed by Commonwealth Act No. 613, also known as the Philippine Immigration Act, and by subsequent legislation amending it. The Act is jointly enforced by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI). Visitors from 157 countries are permitted visa-free entry for periods ranging from 14 to 59 days.

Generally, foreign nationals who wish to enter the Philippines require a visa unless:

• He/she is a citizen of a member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
• He/she is a citizen of a non-ASEAN member state whose nationals are allowed to enter the Philippines visa-free.
• He/she is a balikbayan and is only returning to the Philippines temporarily.

Visa policy map[]

Visa waiver program[]

The Philippine visa waiver program is governed by Executive Order No. 408,^[1] signed by President Carlos P. Garcia on November 9, 1960, and by subsequent executive issuances amending it. While visas are issued by the BI, the program itself is administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which maintains a list of countries eligible to participate in the program. In principle, nationals of countries which maintain diplomatic relations with the Philippines and whose nationals are not classified as restricted nationals by the DFA are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa. Eligible nationals availing of visa-free entry must possess passports valid for at least six months beyond their contemplated period of stay.^[2][3]

On July 1, 2013, the Bureau of Immigration began implementing an extended visa waiver for covered nationals from 21 to 30 days, which the Philippine government hopes will boost tourism^[4]

Visa-exempt foreign nationals may extend their stay two months per extension but not exceeding the maximum period of two years.^[3] Foreign nationals who require a visa may extend their stay one month per extension but not exceeding the maximum period of six months and must have a ticket valid for onward travel.^[2]

In March 2015, it was proposed to extend the visa exemption to citizens of China and India.^[5]

Date of visa changes

This list is incomplete; you can help by . (June 2017) 30 August 1962: Malaysia (as Federation of Malaya) and Thailand[6] 1 February 1963: Bolivia[7] 1 January 1966: Sweden[8] 1 January 1967: Denmark and Norway[9] 1 January 1970: Israel[10] 1 July 1970: France[11] 1 April 1971: Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands[12] 22 August 1972: Brazil (replaced by another agreement from 25 October 1973)[13][14][15] 1 January 1975: Iceland[16] 1 January 1978: Austria[17] 13 May 1994: Mongolia[18] 22 June 1994: Macau[19] 12 July 2005: Laos[20] 19 September 2007: Russia 15 April 2014: Belize, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan[21] Cancelled: 15 April 2014: Somalia[22]

Holders of passports of the following jurisdictions do not require a visa for Philippines:^[23][24]

59 days (2 countries)[]  Brazil  Israel 30 days (152 countries)[] All ASEAN nationals All European Union citizens  Andorra  Angola  Antigua and Barbuda  Argentina  Australia  Bahamas  Bahrain  Barbados  Belize  Benin  Bhutan  Bolivia  Botswana  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cameroon  Canada  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Chile  Colombia  Comoros  Republic of the Congo  Costa Rica  Cote d'Ivoire  DR Congo  Djibouti  Dominica  Dominican Republic  Ecuador  El Salvador  Equatorial Guinea  Eritrea  Eswatini  Ethiopia  Fiji  Gabon  Gambia  Ghana  Grenada  Guatemala  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Guyana  Haiti  Honduras  Iceland  Jamaica  Japan  Kazakhstan  Kenya  Kiribati  Kuwait  Kyrgyzstan  Lesotho  Liberia  Liechtenstein  Madagascar  Malawi  Maldives  Mali  Marshall Islands  Mauritania  Mauritius  Mexico  Micronesia  Monaco  Mongolia  Morocco  Mozambique  Namibia    Nepal  New Zealand  Nicaragua  Niger  Norway  Oman  Palau  Panama  Papua New Guinea  Paraguay  Peru  Qatar  Russia  Rwanda  Saint Kitts and Nevis  Saint Lucia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  Samoa  San Marino  Sao Tome and Principe  Saudi Arabia  Senegal  Seychelles  Solomon Islands  South Africa  South Korea  Suriname   Switzerland  Tajikistan  Tanzania  Togo  Trinidad and Tobago  Tunisia  Turkey  Turkmenistan  Tuvalu  Uganda  United Arab Emirates  United Kingdom  United States of America  Uruguay  Uzbekistan  Vanuatu   Vatican City  Venezuela  Zambia  Zimbabwe 14 days (3 countries)[]  Hong Kong[25][26]  Macau[25]  Portugal (for passports issued to permanent residents of Macau only)

Replacement visas[]

Nationals of  China traveling as tourists and holding a valid visa issued by Australia, Canada, Japan, United States or a Schengen Area state may enter and stay without a visa for up to 7 days.

Nationals of  India holding a valid tourist, business or resident visa issued by Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States or a Schengen Area state may enter and stay without a visa for up to 14 days. They may enter from any port of entry.^[27]

Electronic Travel Authorization[]

Citizens of  Taiwan may apply for an entry permit through the Electronic Travel Authorization system on the website of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office.^[28]

Visa required[]

Holders of passports issued by any country except the following may obtain a visa (for a fee) valid for 59 days on arrival:^[24]

Afghanistan  Albania  Algeria  Armenia  Azerbaijan  Bangladesh  Belarus  Bosnia and Herzegovina  China  Cuba

Egypt  Georgia  India  Iran  Iraq  Jordan  Kosovo  Lebanon  Libya  Moldova

Montenegro  Nauru  Nigeria  North Korea  North Macedonia  Pakistan  Palestine  Sierra Leone  Serbia  Somalia

South Sudan  Sri Lanka  Sudan  Syria  Taiwan  Timor-Leste  Tonga  Ukraine  Yemen

Non-ordinary passports[]

Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of the following countries enjoy an extended length of stay when compared to ordinary passports:

Argentina 60 days  Austria 59 days  Brazil 6 months  Chile 3 months  Croatia 90 days  Cuba 90 days  Denmark 59 days  Estonia 90 days  Finland 59 days  Germany 3 months  Hungary 90 days  Italy 59 days  Mexico 90 days

Morocco 90 days  Norway 59 days  Panama 90 days  Peru 90 days  Poland 90 days  Romania 90 days  Russia 90 days  Slovakia 59 days  Slovenia 90 days  Spain 59 days  Sweden 59 days  Tunisia 2 months  Venezuela 3 months

Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of the following countries may enter without a visa while ordinary passport holders require one:

Armenia D  Bangladesh D O  China D O S  Egypt D

India D O S  Iran D S  Pakistan D

_{D — diplomatic passports
O — official passports
S — service passports}

APEC Business Travel Card[]

Holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing the "PHL" code on the reverse that it is valid for travel to Philippines can enter visa-free for business trips for up to 59 days.^[24]

ABTCs are issued to nationals of:^[29]

Australia  Brunei  Chile  China  Hong Kong  Indonesia  Japan  South Korea  Malaysia

Mexico  New Zealand  Papua New Guinea  Peru  Russia  Singapore  Taiwan  Thailand  Vietnam

Types of visas[]

The Philippine Immigration Act prescribes fourteen different visas grouped into two broad categories:

• Section 9 visas (non-immigrant visas), for temporary visits such as those for tourism, business, transit, study or employment
• Section 13 visas (immigrant visas), for foreign nationals who wish to become permanent residents in the Philippines

Some visas have been introduced by subsequent legislation or proclamation of the President which are not classified by the Philippine Immigration Act as either being a Section 9 or Section 13 visa. These visas are called special visas and are issued to groups such as retirees, investors and entrepreneurs.

List of visas[]

Visas in the Philippines

Type	Visa	Description
Non-immigrant[30]	9(a)	Pleasure, business or health
	9(b)	Transit
	9(c)	Seaman on a ship docking in a port of entry in the Philippines
	9(d)	Alien businessman
	9(e)	Foreign government officials and their dependents, assistants and employees
	9(f)	Students
	9(g)	Pre-arranged employees and their dependents
Immigrant[30]	13	Quota immigrants, of which no more than fifty of any one nationality or without nationality may be admitted within one calendar year. Immigrants who are issued Section 13 visas belonging to one of the seven listed sub-categories under CA 613 are considered non-quota immigrants, and may be admitted despite the quota.
	13(a)	The spouse or unmarried child (below 21) of a Filipino citizen.
	13(b)	Children born during a temporary visit abroad to mothers granted permanent residence in the Philippines.
	13(c)	Children born after the issuance of the visa of the accompanying parents.
	13(d)	Women who lost Filipino citizenship by virtue of marriage to a foreign spouse, and her unmarried children (below 21).[a]
	13(e)	Permanent residents returning to the Philippines from a temporary visit abroad to resume permanent residence.
	13(f)	The spouse and/or unmarried children (below 21) of an alien admitted to the Philippines for permanent residence prior to the approval of the Philippine Immigration Act.[b]
	13(g)	Natural-born Filipinos and their dependents who have naturalized in a foreign country and wish to permanently reside in the Philippines. This visa was provided for under Republic Act No. 4376, passed in 1965.[c]
Special	47(a)(2)[33]	Special Non-Immigrant Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to several categories of foreign nationals: Those employed as executives, supervisors, specialists, consultants, contractors or personal staff at enterprises registered with special economic zones, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the (BOI), or the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) Those employed in enterprises that have existing agreement/s with the Philippine government or any of subdivisions and instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations, for the completion of a project Exchange professors, scholars, trainees, participants, students, fellows and social workers under sponsorship of locally or internationally recognized educational, scientific, cultural, relief and charitable organizations, institutions, agencies or foundations, including representatives of non-recognized foreign governments to those organizations Volunteers registered with the (PNVSCA), including foreign personnel of international rescue/aid organizations providing assistance on occasion of natural disasters and major emergencies Dependents of any foreign national covered under the previous categories
	SIRV[34]	Special Investor's Resident Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who have shareholdings in Philippine corporations engaged in the manufacturing or services sectors, involved in projects listed under the Investment Priority Plan, or are listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange. This visa is issued by the BI in coordination with the Board of Investments.
	SVEG[35]	Special Visa for Employment Generation. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who employ at least ten Filipinos in a lawful enterprise or business venture.
	SRRV[36]	Special Resident Retiree's Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who wish to retire in the Philippines. This visa is issued by the BI in coordination with the .
	SNIV[37]	Special Non-Immigrant Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who are employed by the regional, area and/or regional operating headquarters of multinational corporations.
	SEVOBU[38]	Special Employment Visa for Offshore Banking Unit. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who are employed by the Philippine offshore units of foreign banks.

Foreign travel statistics[]

See also[]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Philippines.

• Visa requirements for Philippine citizens
• Philippine passport
• Immigration to the Philippines

References and Notes[]

External links[]

• The Bureau of Immigration
• Visa information from the Bureau of Immigration