Philippines to launch e-visa pilot for Chinese visitors

Authorities in the Philippines are to launch an e-visa pilot programme next month.

The Philippines.- A pilot programme for an electronic visa system for visitors to the Philippines will begin next month. It will initially be available to facilitate visa processing for Chinese visitors from August 24 via the site https://visa.e.gov.ph.

According to the Philippine News Agency, the e-visa system will enable foreign nationals entering the country for tourism or business purposes to apply for temporary visitors’ visas online, streamlining the visa acquisition process.

Applicants will be able to fill out the visa application form online, pay the visa fee, and submit the required documents via courier or personal appearance. The e-visa will be sent to the applicant by email once processed.

Undersecretary Jesus Domingo from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated: “The e-Visa system is part of the DFA’s strategic goal of optimizing its consular services and is aligned with the President’s emphasis to embrace digitalization in government’s transactions in his State of the Nation Address last Monday.”

DFA Assistant secretary Henry Bensurto Jr. clarified that some people might still be subject to a face-to-face interview at the embassy or consulate based on the discretion of the visa officer. The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) will conduct background checks to decide if an interview is necessary.

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With the e-Visa system in place, the DFA anticipates a significant increase in visa processing capacity, particularly in China. Prior to the pandemic, the Philippine Embassy and Consulates in China processed an average of 250 to 300 visas daily, highlighting the importance of this new digital platform in meeting growing demand.

Looking ahead, the Department of Tourism has high hopes of restoring pre-pandemic tourism levels, especially from China, which held the position of the Philippines’ second top tourist market in 2019 with over 1.7 million Chinese nationals visiting the country. Amid the pandemic’s challenges, the Philippines recorded just over 130,000 Chinese visitors in 2023.

Authorities also stated once the e-Visa pilot is deemed successful, they plan to expand the system to include other visa-requiring nationals, including Indian visitors. Currently, Indian nationals can enjoy visa-free entry for stays of 14 to 21 days if they possess valid or unexpired visas or permanent residence permits from countries such as Japan, Australia, Canada, Schengen, Singapore, the United Kingdom, or the United States.