Visa & other requirements to travel to Philippines

Who needs a VISA to enter Philippines?

Visa requirements for Philippines depends on the traveler’s nationality.

 

Free to enter the Philippines without Visa

As of 2026, regular passport holders from 154 countries visiting Philippines for tourism purposes Do Not require a visa and will be granted permission for short-term stay on arrival.

Nationals from the following countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for an initial stay of thirty (30) days:

Andorra, Angol, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas. Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo , Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritre, Estonia, 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, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 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, Republic of Korea, 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, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries that are allowed to enter the Philippines visa-free for a stay of fifty-nine (59) days based on existing agreements.

  1. Brazil
  2. Israel

Visa Policy for Indian Nationals

In pursuit of its objective of enhancing tourism arrivals from India, the Philippine Government announced the following visa policies applicable to Indian nationals since June 2025:

  • Indian nationals may enter the Philippines without a visa for a non-extendible and non-convertible period of 14 days for tourism and business purposes, upon presenting a passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the contemplated stay, confirmed hotel accommodation / booking, proof of financial capacity, and return or onward ticket to the next country of destination.
  • Indian nationals holding valid and current American, Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Schengen, Singapore or United Kingdom (AJACSSUK) visas or residence permits may enter the Philippines without a visa for a non-extendible period of 30 days for tourism, upon presenting a passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the contemplated stay, and return or onward ticket to the next country of destination.

These updated visa-free privileges for Indian nationals may be availed of at any Philippine port of entry, and are not convertible to a visa-based stay or other admission status categories. Indian nationals must also not have any derogatory record with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in order to be admitted into the country without a visa.

Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Nationals

Effective 16 January 2026

The Government of the Philippines announces that Chinese nationals may enter the Philippines without a visa for a non-extendible and non-convertible period of 14 days for tourism and business purposes, subject to the following conditions:

  1. Presentation of a passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the intended stay;
  2. Confirmed hotel accommodation or booking; and
  3. A return or onward ticket to the next country of destination.

Entry under this visa-free privilege shall be allowed only through the following designated ports of entry:

  • Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Metro Manila
  • Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Cebu

All Chinese nationals availing of the visa-free privilege must have no derogatory records with the Bureau of Immigration.

Under FSC No. 112-11, the following may enter the Philippines without a visa for an initial stay not exceeding seven (7) days provided that they possess a return or onward ticket:

1) Holders of Hong Kong British passports; and

2) Mainland Chinese for tourism with a valid or unexpired Australian, Japanese, Canadian, Schengen or US visa.

The 7-day visa-free entry may be extended by an additional fourteen (14) days to complete a maximum twenty-one (21) days.

Hng Kong SAR passport holders may enter the Philippines visa-free for an initial stay of fourteen (14) days.

Under FSC No. 122-11, Macau SAR passport holders may enter the Philippines without a visa for an initial stay of fourteen (14) days, provided, that they possess a return or onward ticket.

Under Operations Order No. SBM-2015-018, MECO ETA holders may enter the Philippines visa-free for an initial stay of thirty (30) days.

Visa required 

Passport holders of countries not included in above list like Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka, require a visa in advance to enter to the Philippines.

The process and requirements are largely the same, with applications submitted to a Philippine embassy/consulate;

  • Apply for a 9A Temporary Visitor Visa (tourism, business meetings, short visits).
  • Required documents:
    • Passport: Valid for at least 6 months beyond stay
    • Completed visa application form
    • Passport photos (usually 2 copies, white background)
    • Travel itinerary: Flight reservation (return/onward ticket required)
    • Proof of accommodation: Hotel booking
    • Proof of financial capacity: Bank statements (often last 3–6 months)
    • Supporting documents (if applicable)
      • Employment letter / business documents
      • Invitation letter from a host in the Philippines
  • Submit application at the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate. In some cases, apply through the official Philippine eVisa portal (availability depends on nationality and current policy).
  • Pay Visa fee, typically around USD 30–40 (varies by location and nationality)
  • Some applicants may be called for a short interview or asked for additional documents.
  • Processing time: usually a few working days to a couple of weeks, depending on the embassy.

Entry Requirements

  1. Passport: To enter the Philippines, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported.
  2. Return/Onward Ticket: Proof of return to the country of origin or travel to the next destination. Immigration officials and airlines may ask for this.
  3. eTravel Registration: You must have a QR code to show that you have registered on the e-travel system within the 72 hours before your arrival in the Philippines. Some airlines will not allow you to board your flight to the Philippines if you cannot show the QR code. The e-travel registration is free of charge.

 

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Note that it is always best to check the latest entry requirements for your country before traveling.

Useful sites:

https://immigration.gov.ph/

https://embassies.net/philippines-visa-exemption