The Philippines is extending a warmer welcome to citizens of 151 countries by allowing them to stay in the country visa-free longer.
Starting Aug. 1, 2013, nationals from countries with visa-free privilege may stay for 30 days in the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.
The visa-free stay is an extension of the previous period of only 21 days.
The new policy is in line with government goals of boosting tourism and attracting more foreign investments in various areas in the Philippines.
Under the new scheme, qualified foreign nationals only need to present a passport valid for at least six months beyond their planned stay and an outbound ticket.
“This move will hopefully encourage more tourists and investors to visit and stay in the Philippines by removing the need for them to report to immigration offices for a stay of up to a month,” Assistant Secretary of Consular Affairs Jaime Victor Ledda said.
“It will also give them more flexibility in planning and managing their schedules,” he added.
The new rule will apply to the following citizens of the following countries:
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Bahrain
Barbados
Belgium
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Costa Rica
Cote d’Ivoire
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Monaco
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Norway
Oman
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of Korea
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Republic of Tanzania
United States of America
Uruguay
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Meanwhile, Brazil and Israel nationals may still stay in the country 59-day visa-free given bilateral agreements with the Philippines.
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