How To Enter The Philippines ? Quick Answers
- Do I need a visa to enter the Philippines? The majority of nationalities are visa exempt for 30 days. If you are a citizen of any of the countries NOT listed here, you require a visa.
- What are the other requirements for entering the Philippines? All visitors are required to complete an electronic travel declaration no earlier than 72 hours before arrival. Visitors travelling from a polio or yellow fever transition-risk country may be required to show a vaccination certificate.
- Do I need proof of onward travel? Yes, the Filipino authorities reserve the right to request proof of exiting the country. For more information, read about onward travel out of the Philippines here.
- Do I need travel insurance? No. Read about some of the most popular travel insurers here.
Philippines Visa Summary
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The Philippines offers visa exemption for the vast majority of passport holders for up to 30 days. This period can be extended once for an additional 29 days and then 1–6 months each time after that, up to a maximum of 36 months!
Citizens from Brazil or Israel can initially stay up to 59 days visa-free in the Philippines.
Philippines: Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements & Documents
- A passport with at least six months validity from the intended period of stay in the Philippines
- E-Travel registration
- A valid visa (if applicable)
Travel Insurance Requirements
- Insurance is not a requirement for foreigners to enter the Philippines. However, just in case of emergencies, you may want to have a policy.
Are you covered?
Members of our Southeast Asia Backpacker Community choose SafetyWing, World Nomads and TrueTraveller as their favourite travel insurers!
Vaccination Requirements
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate, if you are travelling from a transition-risk country
- Polio vaccination if arriving from a polio-affected country
Philippines: Visa Exemption
The majority of passport holders are visa exempt. If your country is listed here, you can enter the Philippines without a visa. A maximum of 30 days is permitted with the right to extend.
For citizens from Brazil and Israel, a visa-free stay of up to 59 days is allowed.
Philippines: Type of Visas
Temporary Visitor Visa (9a):
- What is a Temporary Visitor Visa? Citizens of any country NOT listed here will need to apply for a visa to enter the Philippines.
- How to apply: Visa-required nationals will need to visit their nearest Philippine embassy or consulate
- Cost: approx. 3,030PHP (approx. $54USD) (subject to change)
Good To Know!
Non-machine readable passports will not be accepted for visa applications. The responsible visa officer may ask for additional documentation if necessary.
What do you need to apply?
- A passport with at least six months validity from the intended period of stay in the Philippines
- Electronic passport photo (min. 600 x 600 pixels to max. 1,200 x 1,200-pixel size.)
- Other supporting documents
- To know your point of entry
The Philippines: Extending your Visa
Visa-Exempt Citizens (Initial 30 Days):
If you entered the country visa-free, you are allowed to extend your visit by an additional 29 days (bringing it to 59 days total). More details can be found on the official immigration website.
Cost: approx. 3,030PHP (subject to change)
Any Citizens (Beyond 59 Days):
If you want to increase your stay beyond 59 days, you can further extend by 1–6 months each time. Detailed information on the extension process and associated fees can be found here.
Travellers eligible for a visa waiver can continue to extend their stay until they reach the maximum permitted stay of 36 months! (24 months for visa-required nationals.)
Cost: Ranging from approx. 4,400PHP (approx. $78USD) for one month for visa-exempt tourists to 5,700PHP (approx. $101USD) for two months for non-visa-exempt travellers (subject to change). Find a detailed cost breakdown here.
One-Time 6 Month Visa Extension (LSVVE):
You can request a Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE) if you already know that you are planning to stay up to six months in the Philippines and want to avoid the monthly extensions. Required documents and instructions can be found here.
Cost: approx. 11,500PHP (visa-exempt travellers) and approx. 13,900PHP (travellers who require visas).
Good to Know!
The 6-month visa extensions can only be applied for at the main immigration office in Manila. All other immigration offices can only process 1 or 2 month extensions.
Border Runs from the Philippines
If your time in the Philippines is coming to an end, the above visa extension options are recommended. Of course, there is also the option to do a ‘border run’. There are several border crossings close to the Philippines. Find more information about border runs here.
How many times can you re-enter the Philippines via a border run? Currently, there is no law against border runs. You can attempt this process as often as you need.
The Philippines: Overstaying your Visa
Penalties for Overstaying in The Philippines
Overstaying a visa in any country is a serious offence. From fines to detention and a ban on future entry, it is highly advisable to leave the Philippines by the date shown on your visa.
Please note, these can change at any time. Depending on the officer that is responsible for your case, they could also vary!
- Approx. 500PHP per month that you’ve overstayed
- Detention
- Ban from future entries (in the worst-case scenario you could be banned from ever returning!)
Exit Requirements
Travellers who have stayed in the Philippines for more than 6 months on a tourist visa are required to get an emigration clearance certificate (ECC) within 72 hours before leaving the country.
Louis Wilhelm
Life on Earth has way too many facets and adventures readily available to be wasting time working in an office 50 hours a week! With this mindset, Louis eventually quit his poor work/life balance job and headed off to Southeast Asia. Passionate about languages, wildlife and the beauty of this planet, he has been on the road ever since. Taking notes on his journey to support like-minded people on similar adventures and also capturing amazing memories with his camera, has become the missing piece of the puzzle.
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