Visitor visa for Philippines: documents, fees and steps

Good to know

• Length of stay and visa validityConditions and details

  According to the Philippine embassy in Berlin, the maximum stay granted to all applicants of a temporary visitor visa is 59 days (59 days per trip with a multiple-entry visa). The visa validity period indicates only the deadline for entering the Philippines: within 3 months of issuance for single entry, within 6 or 12 months for multiple entries. The length of stay is set by the immigration authorities on arrival. To exceed 59 days, an ordinary visa is extended at the nearest immigration office, at least one week before the authorized stay expires.
• The electronic visa cannot be converted and cannot be extendedConditions and details

  A Philippine electronic visa is not valid for conversion to another visa type, and the authorized length of stay cannot be extended. A traveller who intends to convert their visa on arrival may obtain an ordinary visa (machine-readable sticker, with the appropriate notation) from a Philippine post in their country of origin or legal residence. If the passport registered on the electronic visa is lost, a new application must be made for the new passport.
• Application on behalf of a family memberConditions and details

  Applications by a representative are accepted for family members (spouses, minor children, parents, brothers and sisters) who cannot submit their own application, for example elderly or disabled persons. The representative uploads proof of the relationship with the applicant.
• Advice from the Philippine embassy in BerlinConditions and details

  The embassy advises submitting the application at least one month before the trip; processing takes 5 to 10 working days depending on the visa and nationality, longer when approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Manila is required. It recommends finalizing the flight ticket only after the visa is granted (a provisional itinerary obtained through a booking is accepted) and paying the fees only after the visa officer has reviewed the documents; the fees are never refunded. It does not speed up processing to accommodate a flight.
• Documents required by the Philippine embassy in BerlinConditions and details

  According to the embassy's May 2024 checklist, a 9(a-2) visa applicant provides: the printed form; a machine-readable passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended stay, with a photocopy of the data page; a flight booking or itinerary showing arrival and departure dates within the authorized number of days; a hotel booking or proof of accommodation; for a foreign national residing in Germany, the German residence permit; and proof of financial capacity (latest bank statement, payslips for the last three months, certificate of employment with compensation, proof of business income, pension statement for the last three months, or a notarized sponsor's letter of guarantee with proof of the sponsor's financial capacity and identification). The checklist states that applications from visa-required nationals and multiple-entry applications require a longer assessment and prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These requirements are specific to this post.
• General entry requirements for the PhilippinesConditions and details

  According to the Philippine embassy in Berlin, every foreigner admitted to the Philippines must have: a passport valid for at least six months on arrival; a return or onward ticket to their country of origin or the next destination; an eTravel portal registration at least 72 hours before arrival (free of charge); and a valid visa or another supporting document according to their category. Nationals of countries not listed in Executive Order No. 408, or visa-required nationals, present a 9(a) visa valid for tourism or business. The eVisaPH portal writes 'within the 72 hours preceding arrival': the exact deadline should be verified on the eTravel portal.
• No guarantee of admissionConditions and details

  An electronic visa is not a guarantee of automatic admission: the admission of foreigners to the Philippines is decided by the immigration authorities at the port of entry. Embassies and consulates may request any additional document deemed necessary.
• Extension of stay at the Bureau of ImmigrationConditions and details

  The Bureau of Immigration states that a foreigner whose stay will exceed 59 days must obtain extensions of stay from it, by applying at the head office or at another authorized immigration office, with the published checklist and form. The electronic visa cannot be extended: see the corresponding recommendation.
• Transit through the PhilippinesConditions and details

  A foreigner travelling to another country in transit through the Philippines must obtain a 9(b) transit visa; the transit period in the Philippines is limited to 72 hours, that is three days.