Returning Balikbayans or former Filipinos may enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for a period of one (1) year, provided that they have a passport valid for 6 months beyond the intended stay in the Philippines, a roundtrip ticket, and proof of former Philippine citizenship (e.g. old Philippine passport or NSO-authenticated birth certificate). Foreign spouses and children traveling with the Balikbayan will enjoy this privilege.

Canadian passport holders are allowed to enter the country without a visa for a stay of up to 21 days, provided that the nature of their trip is tourism, they hold roundtrip or outbound airline tickets, and their passports are valid for six (6) months beyond the intended stay in the Philippines.

Nationals of a number of other countries with which the Philippines maintains diplomatic relations may also avail themselves of this visa –free privilege for a stay of up to 21 days. Please contact the Consulate General for information on which countries are extended this privilege.

Canadians who wish to stay more than 21 days in the Philippines and nationals of countries who are not extended the 21-day visa-free privilege should apply for a visa before traveling to the Philippines.

You should submit the following requirements when applying for a non-immigrant visa:

A. Your passport, which should be valid for at least six (6) months beyond your intended period of stay in the Philippines;

B. Your duly-accomplished Non-Immigrant Visa Application Form (if you are unable to apply in person, your application form should also be notarized by a notary public or lawyer/barrister);

C. One (1) 2” by 2” photo that you should sign at the bottom front part;

D. The original and a photocopy of your roundtrip airline ticket;

E. If the purpose of your visit is business, you should also submit a letter from the firm sponsoring your trip (the letter should clearly state the purpose of the trip and your means of financial support during your stay in the Philippines); and

F. The visa processing fee.

If all the documents you submitted are in order, your visa will be released the following working day.

For mailed-in applications, please allow a reasonable amount of time for your mailed application to reach the Consulate General and for your passport to be mailed back to you.

In this regard, the Consulate General advises all applicants to submit their completed applications and all related documents well in advance of their intended dates of travel.

Your visa will allow you to stay in the Philippines for a period of up to fifty-nine (59) days.

Non-Canadians and applicants for other visa categories (e.g. immigrant, student and crew-list visas) may be required to submit other documents in addition to those listed above. Please contact the Philippine Consulate General for further information.

Quicklinks to topics:

The different visa categories are:
A. Non-Immigrant Visas
1. Temporary Visitors Visa (for pleasure)
2. Temporary Visitors Visa (for business)
3. Minors 15 to 18 years of age not accompanied by parents
4. Minors below 15 years of age traveling unaccompanied or not joining a parent in the Philippines
5. Balikbayan Program
6. Student Visa
7. Special Investors’ Resident Visa (SIRV)
8. Special Retirees’ Resident Visa (SRRV)
B. Immigrant Visas

I. NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS

TEMPORARY VISITOR’S VISA (FOR PLEASURE OR BUSINESS) FOR A STAY OF UP TO FIFTY NINE (59) DAYS

A. Requirements for Temporary Visitor’s Visa (For Pleasure)

(for tourism, visit of relatives/friends, recreation or amusement purposes)

1. Passport with validity period of six (6) months beyond the intended period of stay in the Philippines and a photocopy of the passport page with name and photograph of applicant.

2. Application for visa FA-FORM NO. 2-A (see downloadable forms) duly accomplished, and submitted by the applicant in person.

(An applicant who cannot apply in person may apply by mail provided his/her duly accomplished application is NOTARIZED by a notary public. If application is done by mail, please SUBMIT A SELF-ADDRESSED RETURN ENVELOPE WITH SUFFICIENT POSTAGE (METERED POSTAGE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE) to send back your passport by registered mail.

3. One (1) 2” by 2” photo of the applicant signed at the bottom front.

4. Roundtrip airline ticket and a photocopy thereof.

5. Proof of means of financial income or support i.e., employment certificate/ID; business registration; proof of pension; etc.

6. Visa fee for single entry valid for three months is C$45.60; multiple entry valid for six months is C$91.20; multiple entry valid for one year is C$136.80/applicant. Payment should be in cash, postal money order or bank-certified cheques. If application is sent by mail money order should be payable to the Philippine Consulate General. Do not send cash by mail.

7. Other documents may be required by the Consular Officer.

B. Requirements for Temporary Visitor’s Visa (For Business) (Aliens attending international conferences or conventions in the Philippines, business meetings or bona fide businessman).

1. Requirements 1 to 6 under item A

2. A letter from the company indicating the purpose of the trip and guaranteeing support while in the Philippines or letter of invitation to an international convention or business meetings in the Philippines.

NOTE:

i. MINORS accompanied by one parent only should submit notarized letter of consent from the other parent or a court order stating that only one parent has legal custody of the minor.

ii. NON-CANADIAN PASSPORT HOLDERS should contact the Visa Section of the Philippine Consulate General for other requirements.

C. MINORS 15 TO 18 YEARS OLD NOT ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT

MINORS 15 to 18 years old not accompanied by a parent should submit:

1. Requirements 1-6 under item A.

2. A notarized letter of consent from both parents.

D. MINORS BELOW 15 YEARS OLD TRAVELLING UNACCOMPANIED OR NOT JOINING A PARENT IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. Affidavit of request and consent by either parent or legally appointed guardian of the child, naming therein the person who will be accompanying the child to the Philippines and with whom the child will reside in the country. The said Affidavit must be duly notarized by a local notary public or the Consular Officer at the Philippine Consulate General;

2. Clear photocopy of the data page of the child’s passport;

3. Clear photocopy of the data page of the passport of the accompanying adult or guardian; and

4. Payment of immigration fees (P3,120 per child, as of July 2004) at the port of entry in the Philippines.

NOTE:

i. Minor applicants who are going to stay beyond 21 days must apply for an appropriate visa at the Philippine Consulate General.

ii. Non-Canadian passport holders should contact the Visa Section of the Philippine Consulate General for other requirements.

E. BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM OR VISA-FREE ENTRY INTO THE PHILIPPINES

Returning “balikbayans” or former Filipinos may enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for a period of one(1) year provided they have a passport valid for 6 months beyond intended stay in the Philippines, a roundtrip ticket and can present proof of former Philippine citizenship (e.g. old passport, birth certificate). Foreign spouses and children who are traveling with the Balikbayan are included in the privilege. Nationals of countries which have diplomatic relations with the Philippines are generally allowed entry into the country without a visa for a stay of 21 days or less, provided the nature of the trip is for tourism, they are holders of round trip or outbound airline ticket and their passports are valid for six (6) months beyond the intended stay in the Philippines. U.S. and Canadian passport holders are covered by this rule. (For other nationalities, please check with the Philippine Consulate General.)

F. STUDENT VISA

Procedure in the Processing of Student Visa Applications

In no case must consular officers accept applications for enrollment in Philippine schools for transmittal to Manila.

The foreign students shall communicate directly with the school and comply with the school’s institutional requirements, which shall include the submission of the following documents:

a) Five (5) copies of the Student’s Personal History Statement (PHS) duly signed by him, both in English and in national alphabet accompanied by his personal seal, if any, and containing, among others his left and right thumbprints and a 2X2 inch photograph on plain white background taken not more than six months prior to submission.

b) A notarized affidavit of support including bank statements or notarized notice of grant for institutional scholars to cover expenses for the students accommodation and subsistence, as well as school dues and other incidental expenses.

c) Transcript of Records/Scholastic Records duly authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post located in the student applicant’s country of origin or legal residence.

d) Photocopy of data page of the student’s passport showing date and place of birth, and birth certificate or its equivalent by the Philippine Foreign Service Post (embassy/consulate).

The school, satisfied with the student’s compliance with its requirements, shall issue a Notice of Acceptance (NOA) to the student and submit a duplicate copy thereof tot the DFA, together with a certified true copy of the CHED’s Certificate of Eligibility of Admission, when necessary, and the above-cited document-requirements. These documents shall be handcarried to the DFA by the School’s designated liaison officer under a cover letter of the school’s official stationery signed by the school registrar and stamped with the school’s dry seal requesting that a student visa be issued to the person named therein.

The DFA shall indorse the documents to the Philippine Foreign Service Post located in the student’s country of origin or legal residence, regardless of where they are at the time of application.

The Philippine Foreign Service Post shall notify in writing the student of the receipt of the documents and require him to appear in person before a Consular Officer for interview and compliance with consular requirements. In addition to the documents transmitted to the post of the DFA, the following requirements shall be submitted by the student to the Consular Office:

a) Original copy of the school’s Notice of Admission (NOA) containing a clear impression of the school’s dry seal;

b) Original copy of the CEA (Certificate of Admission of Eligibility) issued by the CHED if enrolled in courses or programs where restriction may exist due to shortage of facilities as in Medicine or Dentistry;

c) Police clearance issued by the national police authorities in the student’s country of origin or legal residence, authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post having consular jurisdiction over the place; and

d) Medical health certificate issued by an authorized physician including but not limited to standard-size chest x-ray, Hepatitis B clearance. The consular office shall not assume the task of determining the student’s scholastic fitness for the program applied for and shall issue the student visa as soon as all the requirements are accomplished. A notice of visa issuance shall be furnished by the DFA to the school, the CHED, BI and NBI and the NICA as soon as it receives report to this effect from the issuing post.

Other links:

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) http://www.ched.gov.ph

Bureau of Immigration (BI) http://www.immigration.gov.ph

G. SPECIAL INVESTOR’S RESIDENT VISA (SIRV)

under Executive Order 226 (Otherwise known as the Omnibus Investments Code of 1987) and Executive Order 63

Requirements for Admission

An alien may qualify for a Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV), if he is willing and able to invest the amount of at least US$ 75,000.00 in the Philippines. For purposes of compliance with this particular condition, the applicant should prove that he has remitted such amount in acceptable foreign currency to the Philippines, which is to be certified by the President of the banking institution and confirmed by the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The spouse and unmarried children under twenty-one (21) years of age of the applicant may also be issued the same visa, if accompanying or if following to join him after his admission into the Philippines as a special investor resident.

Procedures in the SIRV Issuance for Applicants Abroad

a) This visa may be applied for and issued at the Foreign Service Post (Philippine Embassy or Consulate) in the applicant’s country of origin or place of residence or at the Board of Investments (BOI) in Manila. If there is no Foreign Service Post in his country or place of residence, the embassy or consulate nearest thereto shall process and issue the visa;

b) The Foreign Service Post shall endorse the application together with all the documentary requirements filed with the Post to the Board of Investments, Manila, for evaluation and approval; and

c) After evaluation, the BOI upon approval shall endorse to the Post concerned through the DFA the issuance of a probationary multiple entry visa valid for six (6) months.

Requirements

a) Duly accomplished visa application Form (FA Form No. 2);

b) Passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond authorized period of stay in the Philippines and subject;

c) At least two (2) passport-size photographs taken during the last six (6) months, quarter profile showing earlobes;

d) Prior approval from the DFA is required for the issuance of visa;

e) Personal appearance;

f) Must not be an excludable alien;

g) Must not be in the DFA Blacklist; and

h) Separate application for each applicant as well as separate fee although several persons may be included in passport.

H. SPECIAL RESIDENT RETIREE’S VISA (SRRV)

under Executive Order 1037 (otherwise known as Philippine Retirement Park System)

Who may apply for SRRV?

Any foreign national or former Filipino citizen who is not otherwise excludable, not classified as a restricted national, physically healthy, without any derogatory record and at least thirty five (35) years old, may participate in the retirement program of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA).

All foreign nationals below fifty (50) and at least thirty-five (35) years of age are required to deposit the amount of US$75,000.00 with any of the PRA’s shortlisted banks. Those aged fifty 50) and above are required to deposit the amount of US$50,000.00. Former Filipinos who are now holders of foreign passports are required to deposit US$1,500.00. The deposit amount of US$50,000.00 shall be required from an applicant who is at least thirty-five (35) years of age and belongs to any of the following:

a) Retired military personnel of governments recognized by the Philippine Government;

b) Former members of foreign diplomatic corps who have served at least three (3) years in their respective posts; and

c) Retired officer or employee of an international organization such as the United Nations and its specialized agencies, World Health Organization, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, International Labor Organization, and similar organizations.

Requirements

a) Duly accomplished visa application Form (FA Form No. 2);

b) Passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond authorized period of stay in the Philippines;

c) At least two (2) passport-size photographs taken during the last six (6) months, quarter profile showing earlobes;

d) Prior approval from the DFA is required for the issuance of visa;

e) Personal appearance;

f) Must not be an excludable alien;

g) Must not be in the DFA Blacklist; and

h) Separate application for each applicant as well as separate fee although several persons may be included in passport.

II. IMMIGRANT VISAS

Documentary Requirements

All applications for an immigrant visa must be made in person. In the case of a minor under fourteen (14) years of age, the application may be made for him by any person who, in the opinion of the consular officer, is responsible for his welfare. The minor, not an infant in arms, shall be required to appear at the consular office for interview, accompanied by the person applying on behalf of the minor.

The consular officer shall require applicants, whether quota or non-quota, to accomplish FA Form No. 3 in duplicate copy to be filed at the Foreign Service Post (embassy/consulate). Applicants shall submit the following documents together with their application form:

1. FA Form No. 3 (Revised 1981) duly accomplished

2. Valid passport

3. Four passport pictures (2”x2”) signed across the bottom front

4. FA Form No. 11 (attached), Medical Examination report including HIV test. The medical results shall be valid within six (6) months from the date of examination.

5. Chest X-ray plate, to be presented in the Philippine Immigration authorities at port of entry ( taken within the last six months ). The plate must be sealed by the Philippine Consulate General. The Philippine Bureau of Quarantine now accepts digital version (contained in compact discs) of X-ray results, as an alternative to the commonly used X-ray films.

6. Police Clearance from RCMP

7. Birth Certificate

8. Marriage Certificate (if available)

9. Travel document (Passport) of spouse

10. Evidence of Financial Support, i.e., letter from company sponsoring the trip, financial, assets, certificate from the bank, etc.

11. Fee of C$ 228.00 per applicant (non-refundable, cash or money order)

12. Philippine passport / original copy of birth certificate of wife or husband

13. Certificate of Canadian Citizenship

14. Personal interview of the applicant

15. Affidavit stating that applicant(s) intends to reside permanently in the Philippines with the supporting documents such as land titles and other evidence of ownership being disposed of in the country of where he/she is a citizen/resident of

16. If you are bringing a motor vehicle, please secure a license to import from the Philippine Department of Trade Office. Other requirements will apply

17. Other documents deem necessary by the Consular Officer