The Philippines has a very liberal visa policy with a long list of visa-exempt nationalities. The nationalities that require a Philippines visa must apply for one at the embassy in their country of legal residence.
An e-Visa website was introduced in 2023 but it’s not currently operational. Visa extensions are permitted for all tourists and under certain circumstances can be done online.
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Visa Policy and Visa Types
The Philippines visa policy is simple enough offering visa exemption to 156 nationalities. Indian and Chinese nationals are also visa exempt if holding a substitute visa such as the US, Canada, etc.
Here is the summary of Philippines visa types for tourists.
- Visa Exemption: 156 countries can enter visa-free for 14, 30, or 59 days.
- Visa Exemption with substitute visa: India and China can enter visa-free if holding a strong third-country visa.
- Tourist Visa: 39 countries must get a tourist visa from an embassy.
- Transit Visa: A transit visa is necessary for short stays of less than 72 hours.
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Philippines Entry Requirements
Tourists traveling to the Philippines must meet the following entry requirements.
01. Passport validity: The passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the allowed period of stay in the Philippines.
If you are entering on a 30-day visa exemption, your passport must have a minimum validity of 6 months + 30 days (total of 7 months) at the time of arrival.
If you are entering on a tourist visa, your passport must have a minimum validity of 6 months + 59 days (total of 8 months) at the time of arrival.
02. Blank pages: There is no specific blank page requirement for the Philippines. Immigration requires sufficient space for 1 entry and 1 exit stamp in your passport. The airline may require you to have at least 1 blank page in your passport.
03. Onward ticket: Immigration is known to strictly enforce proof of onward ticket requirement. Airlines may enforce it strictly too, especially the low-cost ones.
04. Electronic arrival card: Philippine eTravel registration must be filled out within 72 hours (3 days) before arrival in the Philippines.
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Visa Exemption (VISA-FREE)
The following 156 countries are visa-exempt.
59 Days
- Brazil
- Israel
30 Days
- Andorra
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo, Dem. Rep. of
- Congo, Rep. of
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
14 Days
- Hong Kong SAR
- Macau SAR
NOTE: Hong Kong British passports and Macau Portuguese passports get only 7 days visa-free.
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Visa Exemption with Substitute Visa (VISA-FREE)
Indian nationals who hold a valid used/unused multiple-entry tourist, business, or resident visa or permanent residence permit from Australia, Canada, Japan, Schengen, Singapore, UK or the US can enter the Philippines VISA-FREE for 14 days. This is extendable by 7 days up to a total of 21 days.
Chinese nationals who hold a valid or unexpired tourist, business, or resident visa or permanent residence permit from Australia, Canada, Japan, Schengen, or the US can enter the Philippines VISA-FREE for up to 7 days. This is extendable by 14 days up to a total of 21 days.
The visa or residence permit must be valid for the entire duration of the stay.
The day you enter is considered Day 0.
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Philippines e-Visa
The Philippines e-Visa website was introduced in August 2023 as a pilot to facilitate simpler visa application processing. It was intended for use by Indian and Chinese passport holders.
After a brief period of operation for Chinese tourists, the e-Visa system was suspended indefinitely in November 2023.
The e-Visa was never operational for Indian tourists. Indians see a “Beta Testing” message when trying to apply.
For citizens of Taiwan, there exists an online Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) which functions like an eVisa. The ETA cost 1800 NT (~47 USD) and allows stays of up to 30 days.
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Philippines Tourist Visa (9A)
You can apply for a Philippines tourist visa only in person and only at the Philippine Embassy in your country of nationality or legal residence. If there is no embassy in your country, you must apply at the embassy in the region with jurisdiction over your country. You cannot apply in any other country or while already traveling.
Visa required countries
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Bahamas
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- China
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Cuba
- Egypt
- Georgia
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Nauru
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Pakistan
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Ukraine
- Yemen
Tourist visas can be either single-entry or multiple-entry. Multiple-entry visas may be granted only to foreign nationals affiliated with a Filipino citizen, or if you have family in the Philippines.
Single-entry visas cost 30-40 USD whereas multiple-entry visas cost 60-80 USD. They are valid for 3 months and allow stays of up to 59 days on each entry.
Some embassies will require you to book an appointment while others accept walk-in applications. Some will need you to send the documents via a courier.
For more information, such as what documents to prepare and how to apply, check this Philippines Tourist Visa Guide.
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Philippines Transit Visa (9B)
If you’re a visa-required traveler who will only briefly transit in the Philippines, you should consider a Transit visa which allows you to stay in the country for up to 72 hours.
Transit visa applications go through your nearest embassy and cost 20 USD.
You will need the following documents:
- Completed visa application FA Form No. 2-A (sample form, get an actual one from your embassy)
- Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of intended departure from the Philippines
- One recent color photo 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, showing a clear front view of your face, with a white background; no eyeglasses or sleeveless attire.
- Round trip flight itinerary to country of origin or next country of destination
- Payment of visa fee (20 USD)
For more information, check with your nearest Philippine embassy.
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Philippines Visa Extension
Standard tourist visas (9A) and the visa exemption can be extended up to a total of 36 months of stay for visa-exempt nationalities or 24 months for visa-required nationalities.
Some extensions can be done online at the eServices website. For others, you have to go to the Bureau of Immigration in Manila or other provinces. Extensions cost roughly between 25 and 75 USD per month.
Extension rules depend on how long you’ve already spent inside the Philippines and become more confusing the longer you stay. For specific and detailed information, check out this Philippines visa extension guide.
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Entry and Exit Procedure at the Border
No matter your visa status, proceed directly to Immigration upon landing. There are no visas on arrival in the Philippines, at least not for tourists.
Visa holders will receive a passport stamp for 59 days of stay whereas visa-exempt nationals will get 14, 30, or 59 depending on nationality.
The Philippine Immigration is notorious for diligently checking onward travel arrangements. Make sure you have your onward ticket prepared and ready to show.
e-Travel Registration
The e-Travel Registration is a replacement for the former eArrival Card. All arriving passengers must fill it out within 72 hours (3 days) before arrival in the Philippines.
Completing and submitting the registration is completely free of charge. You will be issued a QR code which you should show when asked.
e-Gates
Currently, the e-Gates at certain airports in the Philippines can only be used by Filipino travelers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a foreigner stay in the Philippines without a visa?
Most visa-exempt foreigners can stay in the Philippines for up to 30 days.
Can I get a visa on arrival in the Philippines?
The Philippines does not have a visa-on-arrival program for tourists. If you require one, you must procure a visa before you travel.
Can I stay in the Philippines for 6 months?
Yes, all visas and the visa-exempt status are extendable. To stay 6 months, you will have to extend at least twice, of which at least once in person at a Bureau of Immigration. Read more about extending your stay in the Philippines.
