Beijing: The Philippine government is set to resume its e-Visa program for Chinese nationals in China next month, the Philippine Embassy in Beijing announced on Wednesday. The e-Visa system allows visa applications to be made online, making the process more convenient for those visiting the Philippines for a non-extendible period of 14 days.
According to Philippines News Agency, once the system is rolled out, Chinese applicants who will visit the Philippines for tourism or business purposes can apply for the e-Visa, provided they are entering through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila or the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The embassy said it will soon provide more details about the system, including the relevant websites and procedures for the submission of requirements.
Philippine Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz stated that the embassy, as well as the Philippine Consulates in Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, and Xiamen, will all serve as issuing posts of e-Visa for qualified applicants residing in mainland China and its Special Administrative Regions. The embassy highlighted that this upcoming launch forms part of its ‘continuing efforts to strengthen people-to-people exchange and facilitate trade and tourism’ with China.
The implementation of the e-Visa is described as timely by FlorCruz, who noted the leadership of Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro in facilitating discussions with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Joint Consular Consultations in July 2025. These discussions emphasized the importance of people-to-people exchange, coinciding with the Philippine Embassy’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations this year.
The e-Visa program will collaborate with VFS Global in China and will utilize the system designed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in 2023. Initially launched and tested in Manila in 2023, the e-Visa is anticipated to enhance the efficiency of daily consular operations and improve the delivery of services to the public.
In addition, the embassy mentioned that Chinese travelers who wish to stay in the Philippines for more than 14 days, as well as other eligible nationals living in China, may still apply for the conventional visa through the nearest Visa Application Centers in cities such as Beijing, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.
Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Angelica Escalona previously expressed that the Philippines is prepared to handle an increase in tourist visa applications from China. Prior to the pandemic, China was the Philippines’ second-largest source market with 1.7 million visitors in 2019, following South Korea with 1.9 million.