Pursuant to IATF Resolution No. 160-B as amended by Resolution No. 164-A, and relevant guidelines issued by the IATF, fully-vaccinated nationals of non-visa required countries under EO 408 may be allowed visa-free entry to the Philippines for tourism and business purposes from 10 February 2022.

1.  Who are covered?
   • Former Filipino citizens with Balikbayan privilege under RA 9174, including their spouse and/or children who are not balikbayan in their own right and are traveling with them to the Philippines; provided they are not restricted nationals; OR
   • Fully-vaccinated nationals of non-visa required countries under EO 408, including Japan. For the full list of eligible foreign nationals, kindly refer to this link:https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2022/02feb/20220203-RESO-160B-RRD.pdf
   • Holders of Hongkong Special Administrative Region or Macau SAR passports entitled to stay for a period not exceeding fourteen (14) days.
2. What are the requirements?Qualified foreign nationals from non-visa required countries shall:
    
   • Be fully-vaccinated as defined by Section A(2) of IATF Resolution No. 160-B (see link above), except for minor children below twelve (12) years of age traveling with their fully-vaccinated foreign parent/s;
    
   • Carry/possess an acceptable proof of vaccination recognized under existing IATF regulations:
   • WHO International Certificates of Vaccination and Prophylaxis;
   • VaxCertPH; or
   • National/state digital certificate of the foreign government which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF. (Note: Vaccination certificates issued by the Japanese government are recognized/accepted.)

   • Present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours, or a negative laboratory-based Antigen Test taken within twenty-four (24) hours, prior to the date and time of departure from country of origin/first port of embarkation in a continuous travel to the Philippines, excluding lay-overs; provided, that, traveler has not left the airport premises or has not been admitted into another country during such lay-over

   • Have valid tickets for their return journey to the port of origin or next port of destination not later than thirty (30) days from date of arrival in the Philippines (Note: Not applicable to those availing of Balikbayan privilege);

   • Have passports valid for a period of at least six (6) months at the time of arrival to the Philippines; AND

   • Obtain, prior to arrival, a travel insurance for COVID-19 treatment costs from reputed insurers, with a minimum coverage of USD 35,000.00 for the duration of their stay in the Philippines.

   Visa-free foreign nationals who fail to fully comply with the conditions and requisites above shall be denied admission into the country and shall be subject to the appropriate exclusion proceedings.

3. Do I need to submit requirements to the Embassy to avail of visa-free entry?

   • No. You will directly submit your requirements to airlines and immigration authorities at the time of your travel. For any concerns regarding visa-free entry, you may directly contact the Bureau of Immigration. (See no. 11)

4. What are the arrival protocols?

   • For the latest arrival protocols, kindly refer to this link:
   https://tokyo.philembassy.net/01announcements/advisory-testing-and-quarantine-protocols/

5. If I stay beyond the visa-free period of 30 days, do I need to obtain a 9a visa prior to departure from the Philippines?

   • You have two options:
    
   Option 1: Enter visa-free as long as you comply with all the requirements above, and then apply for extension of your stay directly with the Bureau of Immigration while in the Philippines. You are advised to directly contact the Bureau of Immigration on the extension procedures and requirements. (See no. 11)
    
   Option 2: Secure an entry exemption document (EED) from the DFA prior to your visa application if you are entering for business purposes or purposes other than tourism/leisure. Foreign nationals who are spouses or minor children of Filipino nationals are exempt from the EED requirement for their visa application. (See no. 8)

6. Can I enter visa-free and covert to other visa categories while in the Philippines?
    
   • Yes. You may apply directly with the Bureau of Immigration while in the Philippines.You are advised to directly contact the Bureau of Immigration on the conversion procedures and requirements. (See no. 11)
7. I am not a national of a non-visa required country. Do I need to apply for a visa?
    
   • Yes, you will need to apply for a visa prior to departure from Japan, provided that you are qualified to be issued a visa and subject to the submission of requirements. (See no. 8)
8. What are the visa application requirements and procedures?
    
   • For those applying for 9a, 9e, 9c, 9g and 47a2 visas, kindly refer to this link for the requirements and procedure:https://tokyo.philembassy.net/01announcements/advisory-visa-requirements-for-foreign-nationals-allowed-to-enter-the-philippines-while-under-community-quarantine/
9. I am not fully-vaccinated. Can I enter the Philippines?
    
   • Starting 10 February, foreign nationals who are unvaccinated shall no longer be allowed entry to the Philippines. Exceptions to the requirement that all passengers to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane/vessel to the Philippines are absolutely limited to the following groups:
   • Children below twelve (12) years of age;
   • Foreign diplomats and their qualified dependents/9(e) visa holders.
10. What travel insurance is acceptable?
     
    • Any travel insurance with a least USD 35,000 coverage for COVID-19 related treatments is acceptable, including travel insurance secured online. Proof of travel insurance should be in English or accompanied with English translation. For further questions regarding acceptable travel insurance, you may directly contact the Bureau of Immigration. (See no. 11)
11. For other immigration-related inquiries, you may directly contact the Bureau of Immigration (BOI):
     
    Telephone Numbers – (02) 8465-2400 / (02) 8524-3769
    Website – immigration.gov.ph
    Facebook – immigration.helpline.ph / officialbureauofimmigration
    Twitter – immigrationPh
    Instagram – immigPh
    Email – immigPH@gmail.com
    xinfo@immigration.gov.ph
    binoc_immigration@hotmail.ph
    immigration.helpline.ph@gmail.com
12. For inquiries related to PCR testing and vaccination certificates, you may directly contact the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ):
     
    Department of Health (DOH) Call Center
    Department of Health Central Office
    Bldg. 9 San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila
    Telephone Number: (02) 8651-7800 local 5003-5005 or (02) 5318-7500
    DOH Call Center text: 0918-8888364
    Email Address: callcenter@doh.gov.ph OR boq.opcen@gmail.com

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