In the video below, I filmed at the Bureau of Immigration Philippines, to show you just how easy it is to get a visa here in the Philippines.
One of the great things about the Philippines is that it’s very tourist-friendly. For a number of countries in South East Asia (Thailand and Bali, for example), getting a visa is annoying. You have to leave the country every 30 or 60 days, just to get your visa, not to mention the cost of travel food, and accommodation doing so. You are also only allowed to do this so many times a year before they end up catching you trying to get around the system. Take Thailand for example, you can only do a “visa run” 2 times before they catch on to what you are doing. If you try and overstay your visa for any amount of time you not only have to pay a fine but you also risk jail time depending on how long you overstay your visa.
If you’re a foreigner in the Philippines, it’s very different than trying to get a visa in many other Southeast Asia countries. The Government wants you to come to the Philippines, they want you to stay here long term on a tourist visa because that means more money for the poor economy. They want to make it easy for you, and they do!
You don’t need to leave the country to renew your visa and you can keep this up for a very long time. If you’re coming to enjoy the amazing Puerto Galera activities or nightlife, you’ll be able to stay here for as long as you would like. All you have to do is get on a plane and come here. Book your trip now and come. You don’t need to apply for anything. Just turn up at the airport and they’ll let you in. When you arrive in the Philippines, the Philippine immigration officials will automatically give you a visa stamp for 21 days.
Philippine Tourist Visa
When you arrive in Manila from your country you will automatically be given a free Philippine tourist visa stamp upon arrival (for most western countries that is..) No visa application form to fill out, no immigration interview or paperwork to turn in before you arrive. Just show up at the airport, and on you go with a free Philippine tourist visa valid for 21 days. There are plenty of foreigners in the Philippines that did just that, and many have been here for years on a tourist visa as well.
How to get a visa in the Philippines renewed
In Puerto Galera, the Immigration office is in the center of town. It’s about 10 minutes from Badladz, walking. The cost of renewal depends upon what renewal it is, but it’s generally around 3000 to 4000 pesos for one or two months.
The first visa in the Philippines you get is 21 days. The next visa is 38 days. After that, you can renew for up to 2 months at a time, for up to a total of 16 months without leaving the country. Then you can request a waiver and then extend for 2 months, for up to another 6 months. So in the end, you can stay in the Philippines for up to 2 years without leaving the country. This is a much better tourist situation than in Thailand or Bali where you have to leave every month or two. You can effectively stay in the Philippines for 2 years on a simple tourist visa.
After that, you can travel to your heart’s content. Whenever you get the urge (or whenever you run out of time!) just renew your visa wherever you are. There are Immigration offices through the Philippines where you can extend your visa for a little cash.
Visa options in the Philippines
If you are planning to come to the Philippines for other reasons aside from travel or a vacation holiday you may be interested in other visa options you might qualify for. Everyone’s requirements will be different depending on your home country and what your main purpose for living in the Philippines will be. Some of the popular visa’s foreigners attain here in the Philippines other than a tourist or travel visa as a foreigner in the Philippines include applying for a student visa or a retirement visa to name a few. for more information on these visas and a full list of Philippine visa requirements for these; please check the Bureau of Immigration website for more information.
Well, I hope I was able to give you a little more incentive and ease your concern when it comes to obtaining a Philippine tourist visa here on the islands. In the video above at the Bureau of Immigration Philippines, you’ll see the place you need to go if you’re in Manila. They have places like this in most tourist towns in the Philippines so even if your plan is to only stay in Manila for a few days, no worries about finding an immigration office at your next destination.
If you would like more information on this subject, feel free to stop by and see us at BADLADZ Adventure Resorts in Puerto Galera and we would be more than happy to assist you with any concerns you may have about the Philippine visa requirements, or what it’s like living as a foreigner in the Philippines.
Cheers,
Sean
