PH rolls out e-Visa for travelers from Denmark, Greenland

MANILA, July 9 ------ The Philippines has officially launched its e-Visa or electronic Visa program for eligible travelers from Denmark, Faroe Islands and Greenland.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said applicants who plan to make a temporary visit to the Philippines beyond 30 days may now apply for an e-Visa through evisa.gov.ph and pay the corresponding e-Visa fees via direct bank transfer. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Analyn Ratonel clarified that Danish nationals and travelers from the Faroe Islands and Greenland who hold Danish passports are still entitled to 30 days of visa-free entry to the Philippines. "Said foreign nationals who intend to stay beyond thirty (30) days, however, are required to obtain a Philippine 9(a) Temporary Visitor's Visa prior to travel," she said.

According to the DFA website, a Philippine e-Visa is granted to foreigners traveling to the country for the purpose of business, leisure, medical treatment, training, attendance in conferences and meetings and workshops/seminars. Through the e-Visa system, an applicant may access his/her e-Visa remotely through computers, laptops, and mobile devices, which may then be presented in either digital or printed format. The e-Visa will no longer be affixed to passports.

A traveler may then accomplish the online Philippine e-Travel registration form (https://etravel.gov.ph) after his/her e-Visa has been issued by the Philippine Embassy in Copenhagen, within 72 hours prior to departure. The e-Visa launch for Denmark, Ratonel said, is part of the DFA's continuing digitalization efforts to make visa application "more efficient, secure, and accessible through an online platform."

The Philippine Embassy in Denmark, meanwhile, noted that an e-Visa cannot be converted to other types of visas, and the authorized period of stay is not extendable. Travelers who intend to stay in the Philippines for studies, employment, or other non-tourism purposes, or who are holders of Danish-issued convention (travel document for refugees) or alien passports, would still need to book an appointment through its online portal and apply for a regular visa sticker.

Source: pna.gov.ph