New entry requirements for the Philippines: All travelers need to complete the eTravel One-Stop Electronic Travel Declaration System (originally the One Health Pass) to enter the Philippines. You can apply here.
When visiting the Philippines, it is essential to meet the country’s visa requirements.
Whether or not a foreign citizen needs a visa for the Philippines depends on a variety of factors, the main ones being:
- The country that issued the visitor’s passport
- The traveler’s reason(s) to visit the Philippines
- The intended length of stay
A number of nationalities can enter the Philippines visa-free for short-term stays that do not involve carrying out remunerated activities. Others can obtain a travel permit online, while some may have to request a traditional visa through an embassy or travel agency.
Entry Requirements for Travel to the Philippines
When traveling to the Philippines, it is extremely important to meet all the entry requirements established by the government.
Depending on the traveler’s nationality, they may need one of the following travel permits:
-
Philippines eTA
This entry permit can only be applied for by Taiwan citizens by filling out a form
-
Philippines visa
Citizens of many countries are required to apply for a visa to travel to the Philippines
New: All travelers need to complete the One-Stop electronic Travel Declaration system
All foreigners must make sure to check the policies and requirements relevant to the visa of their choice before applying for a permit and departing for the Philippines.
A visitor visa to the country can be obtained through an Embassy or Consulate. Citizens of Taiwan need to complete an online form with a valid passport in order to obtain their eTA for the Philippines.
Travel visa and documents required to enter the Philippines
The Philippines has visa exemption agreements with several countries around the world.
Therefore, a great number of nationals are not required to apply for a visa. However, all foreigners who wish to enter the Philippines must meet the following requirements:
- Passport valid for 6 months past the expected stay
- Roundtrip flight itinerary
- Hotel or accommodation reservations
- Cash, debit or credit card
Upon arrival in the Philippines, incoming passengers must go through border control.
All travelers should keep the following in mind regarding Philippine customs regulations:
- Firearms are forbidden
- Certain items like alcohol and tobacco can be imported duty-free in small amounts only
- Foreign currency of more than US$10,000 and local currency of more than P10,000 must be declared upon entry or exit
Before heading to the country, non-Philippine nationals should be prepared to show the airline at the point of departure to the Philippines a ticket for onward travel. Otherwise, most airlines will make them buy one on the spot or refuse them entry into the aircraft.
These are some of the visa requirements for the Philippines:
- Valid passport or equivalent travel document — this must continue to be valid for a minimum of six (6) months after leaving the Philippines
- Completed visa application form with the required information
- Photos of the applicant (passport style, 2 copies)
- Proof of traveling for tourism or business
- Return or onward tickets as proof of intention to leave the Philippines
- Method of payment for the visa fees
Another important entry requirement for the Philippines to keep in mind is that all travelers must bring proof of financial means. This can be provided by showing a sufficient amount of cash or a debit or credit card.
Do I Need a Philippines eTA or a Visa?
Citizens of Taiwan will need to have a printed copy of their electronic visa waiver (eTA), as well as all the other entry requirements.
For some travelers, the Philippines visitor visa is necessary in order to enter the country. In this case, specific supporting documentation requirements apply.
Applications for a temporary visitor’s visa must be made in person at an embassy or consulate. Philippines visa requirements for tourist permits include, among others, having a valid passport.
In the case of a minor (under 18 years of age), the application must be made by their parent or guardian.
Who does not need a Philippines visa?
The following nationals can enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 59 days:
- Brazil
- Israel
The below list includes countries whose citizens can enjoy a trip to the Philippines for up to 30 days without a visa:
- Andorra
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- 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
- Indonesia
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- 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
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Suriname
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
And the European Union citizens:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
Travelers from the below nations can remain in the Philippines for up to 14 days without a visa:
- Hong Kong
- Macau
- Portugal
Visitors from all of the above countries who plan to stay longer than indicated or travel for reasons that are not covered by the visa-free agreement must obtain a valid visa or travel permit before entering the Philippines.
Those who are not on the aforementioned lists must also hold a visa in order to cross the border.
Regardless of their nationality, all foreign visitors must make sure to abide by the visa requirements and conditions not only when applying but also during the entirety of their stay in the Philippines.
Philippines eTA requirements
At this time, only citizens of Taiwan are eligible to obtain an online visa waiver for the Philippines. Visa requirements for the Philippines electronic authorizations include:
- A valid Taiwanese passport
- A current email address to receive important notifications about the eTA application
- A debit or credit card to pay for the visa fee.
All fields in the online form must be accurately filled out in English unless otherwise stated.
The information provided on the online application must match the details on the applicant’s passport.
An approved travel authorization should be printed on a clean A4 sheet. The Philippine electronic visa waiver is granted to individuals, not groups, therefore each applicant’s authorization must be printed on a separate sheet of paper.
The approved travel authorization will include information regarding its validity and the amount of time that the eTA holder is allowed to stay in the country.