Philippines tourist visa and visa-free entry

Executive Order No. 408 and later issuances list the countries whose nationals may enter visa-free for an initial 30 days; the list covers most European, American and many African and Asian states. Conditions: a passport valid at least six months beyond the planned stay and a return ticket to the country of origin or an onward ticket. Brazil and Israel have 59-day visa-free agreements. Indian nationals may enter for 14 days for tourism and business, or 30 days if they hold certain visas or residence permits of Western countries, and Chinese nationals for 14 days through NAIA in Manila or Mactan-Cebu only.

The 9(a) temporary visitor visa covers sightseeing, recreation, sports, family visits and similar non-immigrant purposes. For EO 408 nationals it is needed only when the stay will exceed 30 days from the start; for visa-required nationals it is needed for any visit. Every 9(a) visa allows a maximum of 59 days per stay, so holders of a multiple-entry visa must leave and re-enter after 59 days. Visitors who travel to the Philippines two or more times a year may ask for a multiple-entry visa valid six or twelve months, which needs approval from Manila and therefore takes longer.

Fees for sticker 9(a) visas follow the DFA fee schedule and are collected by the Philippine embassy or consulate where you apply, with different rates for single-entry visas and multiple-entry visas valid six or twelve months; check the post's own fee table. e-Visa fees depend on your citizenship, are shown on the portal before you pay, are paid by direct bank transfer and are not refunded if the visa is denied. Visitors who enter visa-free pay nothing before travel, but BI extensions carry their own fees.

Philippine visas are issued by the embassies and consulates of the DFA (Foreign Service Posts) and, where available, through the DFA e-Visa portal. Apply at the post in your country of origin or legal residence, which publishes its own document list, submission method and processing time, or file online on evisa.gov.ph; the visa officer may ask for original documents or an interview. An e-Visa cannot be extended or converted in the Philippines, so if you plan to change to another visa after arrival, obtain a sticker visa from a post instead. Supporting documents not in English need a translation.

Register on eTravel at least 72 hours before departure. At the airport the BI officer decides on admission; a visa is not a guarantee of entry. Tourists and 9(a) holders may not study, practise a profession or work without a Special Study Permit or a Special Work Permit from the BI. Children under 15 travelling without a parent need a Waiver of Exclusion Ground.

Visa-free visitors first apply for a visa waiver, which adds 29 days to the initial 30; after that, extensions of one, two or six months are possible. Apply at least a week before your stay expires, at the BI Main Office in Manila or an authorised field office, or through the BI e-services portal for tourist visa extensions. Under Memorandum Circular SBM-2013-003, nationals of visa-free countries may extend up to 36 months and visa-required nationals up to 24 months, counted from the latest arrival. The published 2014 tables show PHP 3,030 for the visa waiver and PHP 4,400 for a one-month extension for an adult, plus USD 50 for the ACR I-Card that anyone staying beyond 59 days needs. Overstaying costs PHP 500 per month. If you have stayed six months or more, you need an Emigration Clearance Certificate before leaving.