Chinese tourists, business visitors to get 14-day visa-free entry

MANILA, January 19 ------ The Philippines will allow Chinese nationals to enter the country visa-free for up to 14 days, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced.

The DFA said the move is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to facilitate trade, investments, and tourism, and to strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and China. Under the new policy, Chinese nationals traveling to the Philippines for tourism or business purposes may avail of the visa-free entry privilege.

The 14-day stay is non-extendable and cannot be converted to any other Philippine visa category. The visa-free entry will be valid only for arrivals through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in Cebu. Chinese travelers are required upon arrival to present a passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended stay, confirmed hotel accommodation or booking, and a return or onward ticket to the next country of destination.

The DFA said checks on derogatory records will continue to apply to ensure security and public order. The visa-free entry arrangement will be in effect for one year and will be reviewed before its expiration, the DFA said. China is among the top sources of tourists to the Philippines despite a decline in arrivals from there in 2025. Most visitors to the Philippines last year were from South Korea, the US, or Japan. Filipinos traveling to China generally need to apply for visas to go there.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com