Philippines launches e-Visa system for Chinese tourists in Shanghai

The Philippines e-Visa system aims to make it easier for Chinese tourists to visit the country.

The Philippines.- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines has introduced the preliminary phase of the Philippine e-Visa system. Henry Bensurto Jr, DFA assistant secretary for Consular Affairs, said beta testing of the e-visa system will begin at the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Shanghai as it seeks to optimise the implementation process.

The e-visa system is expected to be rolled out to other visa-required nationalities, including Indian passport holders, by the end of 2023.

Bensurto said: “We want to proceed gradually, particularly considering it’s our inaugural endeavour into this domain. As it’s uncharted territory for us, prudence guides us to adopt a methodical approach.”

Prior to the pandemic, the Philippine Embassy and Consulates in China processed an average of 250 to 300 visas daily. The Department of Tourism hopes to return to pre-pandemic levels. China was the Philippines’ second biggest inbound tourist market in 2019 with over 1.7 million visitors.

Philippine tourism is forecast to generate PHP2.24bn (US$39.4m) in earnings in 2023 and employ 5.3 million Filipinos. By the end of the year, authorities also expect 4.8 million foreign tourists and 85.1 million domestic travellers.

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