To enter the Philippines as a foreign tourist, you need four things: the right visa status for your nationality, a passport with enough validity, a return or onward ticket, and a free eTravel registration. Most visitors enter visa-free, but how long you can stay depends on your passport. This guide covers each rule, plus extensions, overstay fines, what children need, carrying cash, and leaving the country. It uses official pages from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), eTravel, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and TIEZA.
Last checked: October 2026. Immigration rules and fees change. Always confirm on the linked official page before you fly.
Quick answer: what you need at the airport
| Requirement | Who it applies to | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Visa, or visa-free status | Every foreign national; the rule depends on nationality | BI, DFA eVisa |
| Passport valid at least six months beyond your stay | All visitors (the DFA states it explicitly for the Chinese visa-free arrangement; airlines apply it widely) | DFA, your airline |
| Return or onward ticket | Visa-free visitors | Your airline at check-in |
| eTravel registration (free) | All arriving passengers and crew, Filipino or foreign | eTravel FAQ |
| Currencies Declaration Form | Only if you carry more than US$10,000 in foreign currency, or more than ₱50,000 in pesos | BSP FAQ |
Do you need a visa?
Under Executive Order 408, citizens of non-visa-required countries get an initial visa-free stay as temporary visitors. Everyone else must apply for a visa before flying. A few nationalities have special arrangements with their own limits.
| Traveler | Entry rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Non-visa-required nationals (EO 408) | Visa-free, initial 30 days, extendable | BI |
| Chinese nationals, from January 16, 2026 | Visa-free up to 14 days, tourism or business only, no extension | DFA PR-011-2026 |
| Visa-required nationals | Apply for a visa before travel | DFA, eVisa |
| Former Filipinos and qualifying family (balikbayan) | Up to one year visa-free | RA 9174 |
The DFA has also announced a separate visa-free arrangement for Indian nationals, with its own conditions. Lists change, so check your nationality with a Philippine embassy or consulate before you book anything non-refundable.
The 14-day rule for Chinese nationals
According to DFA press release PR-011-2026, from January 16, 2026, Chinese nationals traveling strictly for tourism or business may enter visa-free for up to 14 days. The stay cannot be extended or converted to any other visa. The privilege applies only to arrivals at NAIA in Metro Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport. On arrival, travelers must show a passport valid at least six months beyond the stay, a confirmed hotel booking, and a return or onward ticket. The DFA says the arrangement runs for one year and will be reviewed before it expires.
Applying for a visa
If you need a visa, apply through evisa.gov.ph where it covers your country, or through a Philippine embassy or consulate. Third-party “visa service” sites often charge extra for the same forms.
Passport and ticket checks
Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your planned stay. Before you book, also check these:
- At least one blank page for the arrival stamp.
- The name on your ticket matches your passport exactly, including middle names, if your airline uses them.
- A photo of your passport data page saved offline.
Visa-free visitors must show a ticket out of the Philippines dated within their allowed stay. Airlines usually check this at check-in, so travelers without one can be stopped at their home airport before boarding. If your plans are open, a refundable or changeable ticket solves this. Keep the booking on your phone and a printed copy in your bag.
eTravel: who registers, when, and what the QR code means
eTravel is the government’s free arrival and departure registration. The eTravel FAQ sets out the rules below.
| Question | Official answer |
|---|---|
| Who must register? | All arriving passengers and crew, plus departing Filipinos |
| Who is exempt? | Diplomats and their dependents, visiting dignitaries, 9(e) visa holders, and holders of diplomatic or official passports |
| When? | Within 72 hours before your arrival (or departure, for Filipinos leaving) |
| Cost | Free. The only official site is etravel.gov.ph (the eGovPH app also works) |
| Family travel | Each traveler needs their own registration and QR code |
| Green QR | Proceed to immigration |
| Red QR | An extra Bureau of Quarantine check. It can be triggered by incomplete or wrong details, or by illness or exposure in the past 30 days |
| Lost QR | Retrieve it through the search page on etravel.gov.ph. Repeat travelers update their existing record |
If a site asks you to pay for eTravel, it is not the official system. The eTravel FAQ says such sites can be reported to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC). For screen-by-screen help and fixes for common errors, see our eTravel registration guide.
Questions at immigration
Immigration officers may ask questions to confirm you are a genuine visitor. Keep these on your phone:
- your hotel booking, or the address where you will stay;
- a rough itinerary;
- proof you can fund your stay, such as a bank or credit card, or a recent statement;
- a local contact, if you have one.
The BI does not publish a fixed “show money” amount for tourists. Bring enough evidence to make your plans believable, and answer briefly and truthfully. False information on eTravel can itself lead to a foreigner being refused entry.
Carrying cash into or out of the Philippines
The BSP’s cross-border rules (Circular No. 1146, explained in the BSP FAQ) apply on both arrival and departure:
| What you carry | Free limit | Above the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign currency and bearer instruments (e.g., traveler’s checks) | Up to US$10,000 or equivalent | Declare the whole amount on the Currencies Declaration Form. No prior approval is needed |
| Philippine pesos | Up to ₱50,000 | Needs prior written BSP authorization, which the BSP grants only for narrow purposes such as currency collecting. Declare the whole amount |
The declaration form is free. You can get it at the customs area or complete it through eTravel’s customs section within 72 hours of travel. In practice, a tourist should not plan to carry more than ₱50,000 in cash across the border.
Extending your stay beyond 30 days
Non-visa-required tourists extend at the BI. The first step is a 29-day visa waiver, which brings the total stay to 59 days. These are the fees on the BI visa waiver page:
| Stage | Total stay | Published BI fee |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival, visa-free | 30 days | None |
| Initial visa waiver (29 days) | 59 days | ₱3,030 total (waiver ₱500, application ₱1,000, certification ₱500, legal research fee ₱30, express ₱1,000) |
| Extension past 59 days, adult, 1 month | Month by month | ₱4,400, plus US$50 for the ACR I-Card and ₱500 I-Card express fee |
| Extension past 59 days, adult, 2 months | Two months at a time | ₱4,900, plus the ACR I-Card fees |
| Long-stay visitor visa extension (up to 6 months) | Six months at a time | ₱11,500 (non-visa-required nationals) |
| Maximum stay | 36 months (non-visa-required); 24 months (visa-required) | Further extensions needed |
Children have lower rates; the BI page lists ₱3,150 and ₱3,650 for the one- and two-month extensions for minors. Certain restricted nationalities follow a separate fee table. The BI says these fees date from March 6, 2014 and may change without notice, so confirm the total at the office.
How to apply
- Get the application form from the BI website or the Public Information and Assistance Unit.
- Submit it with your passport to the frontline officer at the BI main office or an authorized BI office.
- Wait for a BI clearance, which is issued if you have no derogatory record.
- Pay at the cashier and keep the official receipt.
- Submit the receipt and claim your passport with the new stamp.
Apply before your current stay expires. Visitors on the Chinese 14-day arrangement cannot extend at all.
What overstaying costs
According to the BI visa waiver page, overstaying adds a fine of ₱500 per month of overstay. A motion for reconsideration (₱500 plus a ₱10 legal research fee) is required if you overstay past the maximum allowed stay or by more than six months. An administrative fine of ₱5,000 also applies for each year of overstay, with 18 months counted as two years. Balikbayans are exempt from the yearly fine. Settle any overstay at a BI office before your departure date, not at the airport.
Children traveling to the Philippines
Foreign children follow the same visa and passport rules as adults, and each child needs their own eTravel registration. The BI also requires a Waiver of Exclusion Ground (WEG) for a foreign child under 15 who is not accompanied by a parent or not coming to join one. The BI lists the WEG total as ₱3,120 (application ₱2,000, WEG ₱600, express ₱500, legal research fee ₱20). Get the BI checklist early, since it includes documents such as a parental consent affidavit, and bring the child’s birth certificate.
Filipino minors leaving the country alone, or with someone other than a parent, follow separate DSWD travel clearance rules at departure.
Balikbayans, dual citizens and OFWs
- Former Filipinos (balikbayan privilege): under RA 9174, former Filipino citizens may stay visa-free for up to one year. A foreign spouse and children traveling with them can also qualify. Ask at the immigration counter and bring proof, such as an old Philippine passport, a birth certificate or a marriage certificate.
- Dual citizens (RA 9225): if you reacquired Philippine citizenship, you are a Filipino citizen. Enter on your Philippine passport, or carry your Identification Certificate with your foreign passport. Note that departing Filipinos must also register on eTravel.
- OFWs: OFWs are exempt from travel tax. TIEZA accepts the original Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) as the exemption certificate when you fly to your worksite.
For balikbayan boxes and personal shipments, the duty-free allowances and documentation are set by the Bureau of Customs. Check the BOC’s current rules before you pack, rather than relying on figures passed around online.
Leaving the Philippines: travel tax and clearances
Under PD 1183, TIEZA travel tax applies to Filipino citizens, permanent-resident foreigners, and foreigners who have stayed in the Philippines for more than one year. Foreign tourists staying less than one year are exempt under TIEZA’s exemption list. Many airline tickets already include the tax; check your fare breakdown.
| Rate | Economy | First class |
|---|---|---|
| Full travel tax | ₱1,620 | ₱2,700 |
| Standard reduced rate | ₱810 | ₱1,350 |
| Privileged reduced rate (qualified OFW dependents) | ₱300 | ₱400 |
Others exempt under the TIEZA exemption list include OFWs, Filipino permanent residents abroad staying less than one year, balikbayans who have been out of the country for at least a year, and infants two years old and below. Exempt Filipinos may need a Travel Tax Exemption Certificate. Apply online at least one day before the flight, or at a TIEZA counter.
Foreigners who hold an ACR I-Card, or who have stayed a long time, may need an Emigration Clearance Certificate from the BI before leaving. Ask when you file your last extension.
Worked example: a five-week visit
A visitor from a non-visa-required country plans a 35-day trip. Thirty days will not cover it, so in week three she applies for the 29-day visa waiver at a BI office and pays ₱3,030. That takes her to 59 days. She registers on eTravel within 72 hours before landing, keeps her onward ticket on her phone, and carries about US$800 in cash, well under the declaration threshold. She owes no travel tax when she leaves, because she stayed less than a year. A Chinese friend joining for the whole trip would need a regular visa instead, because the 14-day arrangement cannot be extended.
Checklist before you fly
- Visa status checked for your nationality with the BI, DFA or an embassy.
- Passport valid six months beyond your stay, with a blank page.
- Return or onward ticket dated within your allowed stay.
- eTravel completed within 72 hours of arrival, with one QR per traveler.
- Hotel booking, itinerary and proof of funds saved offline.
- Cash under US$10,000 and ₱50,000, or a declaration form ready.
- WEG arranged for any foreign child under 15 not traveling with a parent.
- An extension planned before day 30 if you are staying longer.
Planning the rest of the trip? See our first-time visitor guide and our two-week budget breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I stay in the Philippines without a visa?
Non-visa-required nationals get 30 days on arrival, extendable to 59 days and then month by month. Chinese nationals get up to 14 days, which cannot be extended.
Does eTravel cost anything?
No. eTravel is free. Any site charging a fee is not the official one.
How much is the first visa extension?
The BI lists ₱3,030 in total for the initial 29-day visa waiver.
Do foreign tourists pay travel tax when leaving?
Not if they stayed less than one year. Travel tax mainly applies to Filipinos and to foreigners who have lived in the country for a year or more.
How much cash can I bring?
Up to US$10,000 (or equivalent) in foreign currency without a declaration, and up to ₱50,000 in pesos.
Limitations
This guide is general travel information, not legal or immigration advice. The BI, DFA, BSP, TIEZA and the Bureau of Customs can change requirements and fees without notice, and immigration officers decide admission at the port of entry. If your situation is unusual, contact the BI or the nearest Philippine embassy before you travel. Examples include a previous overstay, a pending case, or a non-standard visa.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- Bureau of Immigration, Visa Waiver (extension and overstay fees)
- Bureau of Immigration, Waiver for Exclusion Ground
- DFA press release PR-011-2026, visa-free entry for Chinese nationals (January 15, 2026)
- Philippine eVisa
- eTravel Frequently Asked Questions
- BSP, FAQs on Cross-Border Transfer of Local and Foreign Currencies (Circular No. 1146)
- TIEZA, Travel Tax and Travel Tax Exemption
- Republic Act 9174 (Balikbayan Act) and Republic Act 9225 (Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act)
