Thevisa policy of thePhilippines is governed byCommonwealth Act No. 613, also known as thePhilippine Immigration Act, and by subsequent legislation amending it.
The Act is jointly enforced by theDepartment of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and theBureau of Immigration (BI). Visitors from 157 countries are permitted visa-free entry for periods ranging from 14 to 59 days.
Generally, foreign nationals who wish to enter the Philippines require a visa unless the visitor is:

The Philippine visa waiver program is governed by Executive Order No. 408,[1] signed by PresidentCarlos P. Garcia on November 9, 1960, and by subsequent executive issuances amending it. While visas are issued by the Bureau of Immigration, the program itself is administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which maintains a list of countries eligible to participate in the program.
In principle, nationals of countries which maintain diplomatic relations with the Philippines and whose nationals are not classified as restricted nationals by the DFA are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa.
On July 1, 2013, the Bureau of Immigration began implementing an extended visa waiver for covered nationals from 21 to 30 days, which the Philippine government hoped would boost tourism[2]
In March 2015, it was proposed to extend the visa exemption to citizens ofChina andIndia.[3]
On May 19, 2025, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced the Philippines' new visa exemption policies for Indian nationals, which will grant 14 days visa-free entry for all Indian tourists and an enhanced 30 days conditional visa-free entry for Indian tourists with valid visas or permanent residencies from select countries. The new visa exemption rules took effect on June 8, 2025, following the official announcement from the Philippine Embassy in India on June 7, 2025.[4]
On July 1, 2025, the Philippines introduced visa exemption policy for Taiwanese nationals traveling to the country for a short term touristic visit, following the announcement fromManila Economic and Cultural Office on June 19, 2025.[5][6]
Eligible nationals availing of visa-free entry must possess passports valid for at least six months beyond their contemplated period of stay.[7][8]
Visa-exempt foreign nationals may extend their stay two months per extension but not exceeding the maximum period of 2 years.[8] Foreign nationals who require a visa may extend their stay one month per extension but not exceeding the maximum period of six months and must have a ticket valid for onward travel.[7]
Citizens of the following countries and territories do not require a visa for the Philippines:[9]
T - For tourism purposes only. Extension of visa-free stay is not possible.
1 - Except citizens of Timor-Leste.
2 - For passports issued to permanent residents of Macau only.
3 - Temporary policy until June 30, 2026.
4 - ForBritish Nationals (Overseas) only.
| Date of visa changes | ||
|---|---|---|
Cancelled:
|
Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of the following countries enjoy an extended length of stay when compared to ordinary passports:
1 - 3 months
2 - 90 days
3 - 2 months
4 - 59 days
Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of the following countries may enter without a visa while ordinary passport holders require one:
|
|
D - diplomatic passports
O - official passports
S - service passports
Nationals ofChina traveling as tourists and holding a valid visa issued byAustralia,Canada,Japan,Schengen countries,Singapore orUnited States may enter and stay without a visa for up to 7 days.[32]
Nationals ofIndia traveling as tourists and holding a valid tourist, business or resident visa issued byAustralia,Canada,Japan,Schengen countries,Singapore,United Kingdom orUnited States may enter and stay without a visa for up to 30 days. They may enter from any port of entry.[33]
Citizens ofTaiwan may apply for Electronic Travel Authorizations issued byManila Economic and Cultural Office by paying 1500NTD online. The validity of this multiple entry ETA allows visitors to stay in Philippines for no more than 30 days.[34]
Citizens ofChina residing inMainland,Hong Kong andMacao may obtain tourist and business eVisas good for single entry viaVFS Global website by paying 380CNY application fee along with 98 CNY service fee since November 3, 2025. Visitors with valid eVisas may enter viaNinoy Aquino International Airport (in Manila) orMactan–Cebu International Airport (in Cebu) and may stay in the Philippines for a maximum of 14 days.[35][36]
Citizens of the following countries may obtain eVisas good for single entry (with 3 months validity) or multiple entry (with 6 months or 1 year validity) through the official Philippine eVisa website. The cost of eVisa (inclusive of application and service fees) may vary, depending on the applicant's nationality and preferred eVisa type. Holders of valid eVisas from these countries may stay in the Philippines for up to 59 days per visit.[37][38]
Citizens of the following countriesmust obtain a visa from embassies or consulates of the Philippines, prior to travel:[9]
1 - May obtain a single-entry tourist or business visa online.
2 - May obtain a single or multiple-entry visa online.
Holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess anAPEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing the "PHL" code on the reverse that it is valid for travel to Philippines can enter visa-free for business trips for up to 59 days.[9]
ABTCs are issued to nationals of:[39]
The Philippine Immigration Act prescribes fourteen different visas grouped into two broad categories:
Some visas have been introduced by subsequent legislation or proclamation of thePresident which are not classified by the Philippine Immigration Act as either being a Section 9 or Section 13 visa. These visas are calledspecial visas and are issued to groups such as retirees, investors and entrepreneurs.
| Type | Visa | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Non-immigrant[40] | 9(a) | Pleasure, business or health |
| 9(b) | Transit | |
| 9(c) | Seaman on a ship docking in a port of entry in the Philippines | |
| 9(d) | Alien businessman | |
| 9(e) | Foreign government officials and their dependents, assistants and employees | |
| 9(f) | Students | |
| 9(g) | Pre-arranged employees and their dependents | |
| Immigrant[40] | 13 | Quota immigrants, of which no more than fifty of any one nationality or without nationality may be admitted within one calendar year. Immigrants who are issued Section 13 visas belonging to one of the seven listed sub-categories under CA 613 are considered non-quota immigrants, and may be admitted despite the quota. |
| 13(a) | The spouse or unmarried child (below 21) of a Filipino citizen. | |
| 13(b) | Children born during a temporary visit abroad to mothers granted permanent residence in the Philippines. | |
| 13(c) | Children born after the issuance of the visa of the accompanying parents. | |
| 13(d) | Women who lost Filipino citizenship by virtue of marriage to a foreign spouse, and her unmarried children (below 21).[a] | |
| 13(e) | Permanent residents returning to the Philippines from a temporary visit abroad to resume permanent residence. | |
| 13(f) | The spouse and/or unmarried children (below 21) of an alien admitted to the Philippines for permanent residence prior to the approval of the Philippine Immigration Act.[b] | |
| 13(g) | Natural-born Filipinos and their dependents who have naturalized in a foreign country and wish to permanently reside in the Philippines. This visa was provided for under Republic Act No. 4376, passed in 1965.[c] | |
| Special | 47(a)(2)[43] | Special Non-Immigrant Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to several categories of foreign nationals:
|
| SIRV[44] | Special Investor's Resident Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who have shareholdings in Philippine corporations engaged in the manufacturing or services sectors, involved in projects listed under the Investment Priority Plan, or are listed on thePhilippine Stock Exchange. This visa is issued by the BI in coordination with the Board of Investments. | |
| SVEG[45] | Special Visa for Employment Generation. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who employ at least ten Filipinos in a lawful enterprise or business venture. | |
| SRRV[46] | Special Resident Retiree's Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who wish to retire in the Philippines. This visa is issued by the BI in coordination with thePhilippine Retirement Authority. | |
| SNIV[47] | Special Non-Immigrant Visa. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who are employed by the regional, area and/or regional operating headquarters of multinational corporations. | |
| SEVOBU[48] | Special Employment Visa for Offshore Banking Unit. This is a non-immigrant visa granted to foreign nationals and their dependents who are employed by the Philippine offshore units of foreign banks. |
| Rank | Country | October 2025[49] | 2024[50] | 2023[51] | 2022[52] | 2021[53] | 2020[54] | 2019[55] | 2018[56] | 2017[57] | 2016[58] | 2015[59] | 2014[60] | 2013[61] | 2012[62] | 2011[63] | 2010[64] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,045,953 | 1,569,071 | 1,439,336 | 428,014 | 6,456 | 338,877 | 1,989,322 | 1,587,959 | 1,607,821 | 1,475,081 | 1,339,678 | 1,175,472 | 1,165,789 | 1,031,155 | 925,204 | 740,622 | |
| 2 | 815,745 | 1,076,663 | 903,299 | 505,089 | 39,326 | 211,816 | 1,064,440 | 1,034,396 | 957,813 | 869,463 | 779,217 | 722,750 | 674,564 | 652,626 | 624,527 | 600,165 | |
| 3 | 373,790 | 388,316 | 305,580 | 99,557 | 15,024 | 136,664 | 682,788 | 631,801 | 884,180 | 635,238 | 495,662 | 463,744 | 433,705 | 412,474 | 375,496 | 358,744 | |
| 4 | 243,423 | 272,215 | 266,551 | 137,974 | 2,184 | 55,330 | 286,170 | 279,821 | 259,433 | 251,098 | 241,187 | 224,784 | 213,023 | 191,150 | 170,736 | 147,649 | |
| 5 | 228,151 | 312,222 | 263,836 | 39,627 | 9,674 | 170,432 | 1,743,309 | 1,255,258 | 968,447 | 675,663 | 490,841 | 394,951 | 426,352 | 250,883 | 243,137 | 187,446 | |
| 6 | 207,161 | 223,944 | 221,920 | 121,413 | 6,781 | 55,273 | 238,850 | 226,429 | 200,640 | 175,631 | 153,363 | 143,899 | 131,381 | 123,699 | 117,423 | 106,345 | |
| 7 | 168,092 | 208,736 | 194,851 | 23,604 | 1,619 | 48,644 | 327,273 | 240,842 | 236,777 | 229,303 | 177,670 | 142,973 | 139,099 | 216,511 | 181,738 | 142,455 | |
| 8 | 138,074 | 160,296 | 154,698 | 101,034 | 4,348 | 39,980 | 209,206 | 201,039 | 182,708 | 173,229 | 154,189 | 133,665 | 122,759 | 113,282 | 104,466 | 96,925 | |
| 9 | 127,690 | 157,264 | 149,230 | 53,448 | 653 | 19,998 | 158,595 | 171,795 | 168,637 | 176,057 | 181,176 | 179,099 | 175,034 | 148,215 | 137,802 | 121,083 | |
| 10 | 78,775 | 95,713 | 97,639 | 46,805 | 1,620 | 23,359 | 139,882 | 145,242 | 143,566 | 139,133 | 155,814 | 139,245 | 109,437 | 114,513 | 91,752 | 79,694 | |
| 11 | 74,941 | 78,995 | 70,286 | 51,542 | 7,202 | 29,014 | 134,963 | 121,124 | 107,278 | 90,816 | 74,824 | 61,152 | 52,206 | 46,395 | 42,844 | 34,581 | |
| 12 | 64,780 | 79,886 | 74,731 | 39,013 | 2,037 | 25,893 | 103,756 | 92,098 | 85,431 | 86,363 | 75,348 | 72,801 | 70,949 | 67,023 | 61,193 | 58,725 | |
| 13 | 64,011 | 79,276 | 80,512 | 8,589 | 354 | 12,444 | 91,653 | 117,992 | 111,135 | 116,328 | 122,180 | 114,100 | 126,008 | 118,666 | 112,106 | 133,746 | |
| 14 | 57,954 | 60,743 | 51,601 | 23,949 | 1,425 | 24,530 | 88,577 | 74,400 | 64,777 | 55,384 | 45,505 | 38,946 | 39,042 | 33,709 | 29,591 | 27,302 | |
| 15 | 39,074 | 46,146 | 34,063 | 19,194 | 1,220 | 9,621 | 49,748 | 44,133 | 36,954 | 32,097 | 24,144 | 19,353 | 17,126 | 15,895 | 14,648 | 12,759 | |
| 16 | 39,567 | 45,896 | 40,952 | 16,300 | 1,464 | 9,788 | 61,292 | 59,793 | 48,727 | 47,913 | 44,038 | 45,943 | 47,874 | 40,987 | 37,862 | 36,713 | |
| 17 | 38,548 | 57,085 | 53,707 | 24,596 | 1,888 | 13,734 | 70,819 | 76,652 | 62,923 | 44,348 | 48,178 | 46,757 | 45,582 | 36,627 | 34,542 | 31,997 | |
| 18 | 30,637 | 34,726 | 31,956 | 19,306 | 1,510 | 8,961 | 41,313 | 37,051 | 33,821 | 31,876 | 28,632 | 25,236 | 22,595 | 22,195 | 21,029 | 19,227 | |
| 19 | 29,902 | 40,026 | 33,769 | 2,084 | 2,733 | 2,518 | 10,192 | 15,402 | 16,399 | 17,634 | 16,881 | 17,000 | 15,155 | 12,684 | 13,404 | 12,734 | |
| 20 | 28,058 | 58,098 | 67,661 | 38,605 | 1,785 | 11,406 | 66,698 | 52,334 | 39,951 | 33,895 | 31,579 | 29,800 | 26,599 | 20,817 | 17,781 | 17,311 | |
| 21 | 27,220 | 29,943 | 22,496 | 12,933 | 1,212 | 8,976 | 38,951 | 35,182 | 30,437 | 25,945 | 21,620 | 19,865 | 17,668 | 16,740 | 15,798 | 16,350 | |
| 22 | 23,690 | 28,193 | 29,272 | 17,503 | 345 | 6,883 | 37,872 | 33,341 | 28,983 | 23,431 | 20,579 | 17,704 | 15,783 | 14,100 | 12,782 | 11,323 | |
| 23 | 22,602 | 27,602 | 23,104 | 8,040 | 1,027 | 12,643 | 36,111 | 29,967 | 33,279 | 28,210 | 25,278 | 32,087 | 35,404 | 28,270 | 20,185 | 14,642 | |
| 24 | 21,045 | 27,050 | 24,048 | 11,092 | 598 | 7,094 | 29,966 | 31,075 | 29,837 | 29,420 | 27,200 | 25,548 | 24,907 | 23,557 | 22,335 | 21,224 | |
| 25 | 19,915 | 15,537 | 13,334 | 9,711 | 452 | 4,745 | 22,851 | 20,343 | 17,446 | 16,725 | 11,756 | 8,776 | 7,675 | 5,895 | 4,990 | 4,525 | |
| 26 | 18,237 | 22,429 | 19,311 | 10,414 | 2,252 | 7,014 | 43,748 | 46,967 | 54,716 | 56,081 | 50,884 | 43,483 | 38,969 | 30,040 | 27,945 | 22,214 | |
| 27 | 16,538 | 19,100 | 20,000 | 12,004 | 508 | 4,365 | 23,464 | 23,571 | 21,890 | 21,606 | 20,968 | 20,846 | 20,625 | 19,572 | 17,959 | 16,742 | |
| 28 | 15,289 | 15,294 | 9,923 | 4,222 | 520 | 5,429 | 15,816 | 12,568 | 10,786 | 8,893 | 8,030 | 5,911 | 5,653 | 4,187 | 3,263 | 2,917 | |
| 29 | 14,041 | 18,144 | 16,789 | 9,389 | 508 | 6,996 | 27,892 | 28,085 | 27,703 | 26,062 | 23,206 | 21,861 | 22,957 | 21,807 | 17,973 | 15,510 | |
| 30 | 4,267 | 6,011 | 6,639 | 1,884 | 37 | 1,037 | 8,126 | 9,533 | 8,679 | 8,211 | 9,015 | 9,677 | 8,297 | 5,992 | 5,247 | 4,072 | |
| 31 | 3,299 | 9,143 | 6,395 | 4,255 | 271 | 2,877 | 13,978 | 9,630 | 9,571 | 7,442 | 7,033 | 6,633 | 4,948 | 4,290 | 3,246 | 3,983 | |
| 32 | 2,976 | 4,010 | 3,999 | 1,454 | 40 | 942 | 5,988 | 4,154 | 4,712 | 3,526 | 3,503 | 3,276 | 3,228 | 2,661 | 2,469 | 2,244 | |
| 33 | 805 | 1,111 | 988 | 495 | 15 | 203 | 1,454 | 1,183 | 1,580 | 1,173 | 1,231 | 1,056 | 1,062 | 1,088 | 971 | 1,079 | |
| All Countries | 4,767,513 | 5,949,350 | 5,450,557 | 2,653,858 | 163,879 | 1,482,535 | 8,260,913 | 7,168,467 | 6,620,908 | 5,967,005 | 5,360,682 | 4,833,368 | 4,681,307 | 4,272,811 | 3,917,454 | 3,520,471 |
* Country inASEAN
In accordance with Department of Foreign Affairs Service Circular 125-10 dated 17 December 2010, holders of Hong Kong SAR passport do not need a visa for a stay not exceeding fourteen (14) days provided that they possess a return or onward airline ticket.
In accordance with Presidential Directive No. PBBM-2025-1539 dated April 3, 2025, Taiwanese nationals would be allowed visa-free entry to the Philippines for a period of up to 14 days, from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has removed the 30-day visa-free access of Somali nationals.
To check the list of eVisa eligible nationalities and the eVisa fees, look forHow much is the e-Visa? at the bottom part of the page.