ENTRY REGULATIONS AND OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

UPDATE:

All passengers arriving in the Philippines are required to register through the e-Travel website (https://etravel.gov.ph) not earlier than 72 hours from their intended date of arrival.

Registration on the eTravel platform is free. The public is warned against transacting with any entities or websites soliciting payments and fees of any kind as these are in no way related to the official eTravel platform of the Philippine Government.

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Starting August 1, 2013, nationals from 151 countries may enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for a maximum of thirty (30) days*, provided they are holders of a passport valid at least six (6) months beyond the period of stay in the Philippines, and present a return or outward bound ticket to their country of origin or to a next country of destination.

Pursuant to the Bureau of Immigration’s Memorandum Circular No. RADJR-2013-006.

For the list of 151 countries, please click here.

Chinese Nationals, including citizens for Hong Kong and Taiwan, will need a special permit.

* For Brazilians and Israelis, the maximum period of stay without a Visa is of 59 days.

FOR INDIAN NATIONALS

Starting May 1, 2012, Indian nationals with a valid U.S., Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Schengen, Singapore, OR United Kingdom visa will be granted a 14-day visa free entry which may be extended for an additional 7 days for a maximum stay of 21 days for business or tourism purposes not convertible to another visa type.

*BI Memorandum Circular No. RADJR-12-008.

The policy only applies to Indian Nationals arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA 1-3) who have the following: (1) National Passport valid at least 6 months, beyond the contemplated stay (2) Return or Onward ticket (3) No derogatory record in BI, NICA, or INTERPOL.

For trips more than 21 days, Indian nationals are required to apply for a tourist visa in New Delhi or any Foreign Service Post where they’re valid residents.

HEALTH REGULATIONS

The Philippines is fortunate to be free from epidemics. The country remains safe from bird flu and foot-and-mouth diseases.

If you’re coming from an area where yellow fever has been reported, you’ll need a certificate of vaccination.

For more information, visit http://www.doh.gov.ph/

CUSTOMS

The e-Travel website (https://etravel.gov.ph/) or the eGovPH application now features electronic Customs Baggage Declaration Form (e-CBDF) and electronic Currencies Declaration Form (e-CDF) which can be filled-out within 72 hours prior to arrival or departure from the Philippines. A QR-code will be generated after a successful eTravel registration.

Arriving and departing passengers are reminded to show their passports to the Immigration Officer for e-Travel registration confirmation and present the QR code to the Customs Officer for clearance.

Paper forms of the CBDF and CDF shall still be made available at the Customs Area for passengers who have failed to access the e-Travel website before arrival into or departure from the Philippines.

The following items are allowed duty-free:

A reasonable quantity of personal clothes, jewelry, and toiletries
Two cartons of cigarettes or two tins of pipe tobacco
Up to two (2) liters of alcohol

The following items are prohibited:

Firearms
Dangerous drugs
Narcotics
Pornographic materials

The following items are regulated:

Transceivers
DVDs and VCDs
Controlled chemicals/substances/precursors

The following items are restricted and require prior import permits and health, sanitary or phytosanitary certificates:

Foreign agricultural products, such as animals, plants, wildlife
Their products and by-products, such as meat, eggs, fruit
Endangered species

“Balikbayans” have separate rules and should check with the Embassy or Consulate in their current residence.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE REGULATIONS

The Bureau of Customs reiterates its strict implementation of the following rules on cross-border transfer of currencies:

a. Any person who brings or takes out of the Philippines, foreign currency in excess of USD10,000 or its equivalent, is required to declare the whole amount brought into or taken out of the Philippines in the e-CDF.

b. For Philippine currency, a person may bring into or take out of the Philippines an amount not exceeding PHP 50,000. Amounts in excess of the limit shall require: (a) prior written authorization from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP); and (b) declaration of the whole amount brought into or taken out of the Philippines in the e-CDF.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), however, allows cross-border transfer of local currency in excess of the limit only for the following purposes: (a) Testing/calibration/configuration of money counting/sorting machines; (b) numismatics (collection of currency); and (c) currency awareness.

False declaration or Non-Declaration of Philippine or foreign currencies and monetary instruments shall result in confiscation by Customs authorities.

For more information, please visit the official website of the Bureau of Customs (https://customs.gov.ph) and Bureau of Immigration (https://immigration.gov.ph).

DRIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Tourists who hold a driver license issued by the road authority of their home country are allowed to use that license to drive in the Philippines for a period of until 90 days after their arrival in the Philippines. If their driver license is not written in English, it should always be accompanied by an official English translation issued by their respective country’s embassy in the Philippines.

Refer to information provided by the Land Transportation Office of the Philippines.

BRINGING PETS TO THE PHILIPPINES

For the transport of pets to the Philippines:

Import permit issued by the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), which can be obtained from https://www.intercommerce.com.ph/registrationbai.asp
Health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in the country of origin, dated within 30 days of arrival in the Philippines.
Mandatory identification of pet dog or cat with ISO compliant microchip/RFID (radio-frequency identification)

Failure to present these requirements may result in pet/s being quarantined upon arrival in the Philippines.

Effective June 01, 2018, dogs and cats imported without the required identification will be declined entry and returned to its origin. All costs incurred will be shouldered by the importer.

For updated information on importation of pets, animals and household plants, kindly refer to the website of the Philippine Bureau of Customs at https://customs.gov.ph/pet-animals-and-household-plants/

The Process and Requirements for Issuance of One-Time / Pet Owner Import permit for Dogs and Cats can be accessed at Bureau of Animal Industry website https://www.bai.gov.ph/oci-faq

Alternatively, you can reach the Bureau of Animal Industry in the following email addresses:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PASSPORT EXPIRES SOON? FIND OUT IF YOU COULD STILL ENJOY A MORE FUN VACATION!

Because we want the world to experience what More Fun in the Philippines feels like, we’ve officially opened our doors (and our shores!) to a few of our friends with well-worn passports.

Are you one of the lucky travelers that get to take on a Philippine adventure just before your passport retires? Check out the full list of qualified countries and book your tickets to paradise before it’s too late!

Click here to see the list.

ENTRY REGULATIONS AND OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

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