VISA
A Philippine Visa is an endorsement made on a travel document by a consular officer at a Philippine Embassy or Consulate abroad denoting that the visa application has been properly examined and that the bearer is permitted to proceed to the Philippines and request permission from the Philippine Immigration authorities at the ports of entries to enter the country.
Please note that issuance of a visa is not a guarantee that the holder will be automatically admitted to the country. The admission of foreign nationals into the Philippines is a function of the immigration authorities at the the port of entry. Philippine immigration authorities will not allow entry into Philippine airports and seaports of the following foreign nationals:
- Those holding non-machine readable passports (e.g. hand scripted passports); or
- Those previously deported from the Philippines or included in the “blacklist order” of the Department of Foreign Affairs or Bureau of Immigration; or
- Those with incomplete documentation; or
- Those with circumstances that would render them inadmissible for entry, even with a valid passport and visa issued by a Philippine Embassy or Consulate.
VISIT: http://philippine-embassy.de/visa-application-and-requirements for more information on the application process.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
- Submission of visa application is strongly advised at least a month before the expected date of travel to the Philippines.
- Processing of the visa takes five (5) to ten (10) working days, depending on the visa applied for and the applicant ‘s nationality. Some applications may require a longer period for evaluation and must wait for approval from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.
- Visa applicants are strongly advised to finalize their flight booking only after the visa is granted. The Embassy will not expedite the visa processing to accommodate the applicant’s flight schedule.
- Please note that NO REFUND of the visa application fee can be made for whatever reason.
For further information on entry visas, you may visit the Philippine Bureau of Immigration’s website immigration.gov.ph or its Official Facebook Page.
All travellers to the Philippines are required to register at https://etravel.gov.ph at least 72 hours before their arrival. Travelers need to present their eTravel QR code prior to flight boarding. Registration is FREE OF CHARGE.
For the latest information on entry, testing and quarantine protocols please check the IATF website or the eTravel website.
As of 22 July 2023, no COVID-19 test or vaccination requirement when traveling to the Philippines.
REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Documentary requirements vary depending on the type of visa. Check which visa type applies to your travel. Note that the Visa Officer has the right to ask for any additional documents that may be deemed necessary.
NON-IMMIGRANT
- 9(A) – Temporary Visitors – According to Visa Types
- 9(C) – Seafarers and Crew List
- 9(E) – Foreign Government Officials
SPECIAL NON-IMMIGRANT
- 47(A)(2) with Authority from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) by Virtue of Endorsement from DOJ or PNVSCA
IMMIGRANT
- 13(A) – For spouses of Filipino national
- 13(G) – For natural-born Filipino who has been naturalized in a foreign country
- SRRV – Special Resident Retiree Visa
VISIT: http://philippine-embassy.de/visa-categories for more information on each Visa category.
Downloadable Forms
- FA Form No. 2 – Application Form for Non-Immigrant Visa (except 9(a) visa)
- FA form No. 3 – Application for Immigrant Visa
- FA form No. 11 – Medical Examination form
- FA form No. 61 – Crew List Visa Form
- IPC Press Accreditation Form
- Affidavit of Support and Consent for WEG
- Affidavit of Support (For Visa Application to the Philippines ONLY)
VISA-FREE ENTRY
Citizens of 157 countries can enter the Philippines visa-free for tourism/business purposes. Check the full list of visa-free-countries and a maximum length of stay for your nationality. All travelers to the Philippines, including those who may enter visa-free, must comply with applicable entry protocols.
If you are a German passport-holder and wish to travel to the Philippines for tourism/business, you are eligible for the visa-free privilege provided that your stay in the Philippines does not exceed thirty (30) days.
Citizens of countries not mentioned in the list must apply for a visa.
IMPORTANT!
If you are eligible for visa-free entry, you must still be able to present, at the Philippine borders, the following documents:
- Your passport valid for at least six (6) months after the applicant’s date of departure from the Philippines; and
- An outbound flight ticket within the thirty (30) day period from date of arrival.
If you are eligible for visa-free entry into the Philippines but wish to stay longer than 30 days, you must apply for a Temporary Visitors’ Visa from the Embassy prior to your flight.
Minors under fifteen (15) years old traveling without his/her parent must secure a Waiver of Exclusion Ground (WEG). Please click here for more information on WEG and travel of minor non-Filipino children to the Philippines.
VISIT: http://philippine-embassy.de/visa-free-entry for more information on Visa-Free entry.
BALIKBAYAN PRIVILEGE
The Balikbayan Program as instituted by Republic Act 6768 (amended by Republic Act 9174) was launched by the Philippine Government to attract and encourage overseas Filipinos to come and visit their motherland. The following are considered balikbayans:
- Filipino citizens who have been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year;
- Filipino overseas workers;
- Former Filipino citizens who had been naturalized in one of the listed countries, and who comes or returns to the Philippines. If the country of citizenship is not listed, the balikbayan must apply for a Philippine visa.
Accompanying foreign spouse and children may avail of the Balikbayan Program, provided they are citizens of the listed countries and traveling with the former-Filipino balikbayan. If the country of citizenship is not listed, the foreign spouse and children must apply for a Philippine visa.
VISIT: http://philippine-embassy.de/balikbayan-privilege for more information on the Balikabayan Program.
Other Visa Categories and Extension of Stay
Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV)
The Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV) entitles the holder to reside in the Philippines for an indefinite period as long as the required qualifications and investments are maintained.
Interested parties can seek the assistance of the Philippine Trade and Investment Office in Germany or read the FAQs available on the website of the Philippine Board of Investments.
Special Retiree Resident Visa (SRRV)
The Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) is issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Republic of the Philippines under the Retirement Program of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA). It entitles the holder to multiple-entry privileges with the right to stay permanently/indefinitely in the Philippines.
Interested parties can read more details from the website of the Philippine Retirement Authority.
Extension of Authorized Period of Stay in the Philippines
In case a temporary visitor visa holder’s stay in the Philippines will exceed the authorized period of stay, he/she must secure an extension of stay from the Bureau of Immigration and pay the corresponding immigration fees.
As of 10 June 2013, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) launched the Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE) program. Tourists may now avail of visa extensions for a maximum of six months under a single transaction with the BI. The LSVVE allows temporary visitors to prolong their stay in the Philippines without the need to frequently visit the Bureau of Immigration to process their documents.
No LSVVE shall be issued to non-visa foreign nationals whose stay exceeds 36 months, and visa-required nationals whose stay exceeds 24 months. Conversion to other visa category is also allowed. The implementation of the Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension program is limited to the BI Main Office in Intramuros, Manila until further notice.
Please request details on the procedure and fees from the BI through their contact details.