Filipinos travel overseas for different reasons. Others work or study while others do business or go abroad for tourism purposes. Overseas Filipino workers have to obtain valid visas to secure work permits. Meanwhile, those who want to study abroad must have student visas. Visa applications require money and time. Others who just love to visit for a few days may find it a waste of time to apply for tourist visas.

This page is all about various destinations outside the Philippines that do not require ordinary Philippine passport holders to apply tourist visas for a certain length of time given that they have valid travel documents and they have onward plane tickets. It means that if they cannot find their preferred destination here and they are ordinary Philippine passport holders (not dual citizens too), they need to go to the nearest consulate or embassy of that particular country and apply for a tourist visa.

The things written here are based on my personal experience as well as information obtained from relevant sources. There might be changes later so it is still better to contact the nearest consulate or embassy.

1. Do ordinary Philippine passport holders need a tourist visa to visit countries in Southeast Asia?

No. The Philippines is part of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Filipinos who have valid Philippine passports (at least six months of validity when traveling overseas) do not need a visa to visit all the member states of ASEAN such as Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The length of stay may vary so it is better to check each country’s immigration rules. 

2. Do ordinary Philippine passport holders need a tourist visa to visit China, Japan and South Korea?

Yes. Filipino tourists need a tourist visa to visit each country except in the following areas:

a. Jeju Island, South Korea: Filipino tourists are allowed to stay up to 30 days.

b. Hong Kong, China: Filipino tourists are allowed to stay up to 14 days.

c. Macau, China:  Filipino tourists are allowed to stay up to 30 days.

d. Hainan, China: Filipino tourists do not need a tourist visa to visit Hainan. However, I have no idea on the length of stay allowed. 

3. What countries in the Middle East do not require tourist visas for ordinary Philippine passport holders?

Israel is the only country that does not require a tourist visa.  Filipino tourists are allowed to stay up to 90 days. Meanwhile, an eVisa is needed to enter Qatar. Iran can issue visa on arrival, but I am not so sure about this. It is better to contact an Iranian embassy or consulate. Visa on arrival may be obtained by Filipinos residing in a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States who want to enter Bahrain.

4. Do ordinary Philippine passport holders need a tourist visa to visit Maldives, India,  Nepal and Mongolia?

No, but Filipino tourists need visa on arrival in Maldives and Nepal and need an eVisa to enter India. Meanwhile, Filipino tourists have 21 days visa-free access to Mongolia.

5. Do ordinary Philippine passport holders need a tourist visa to visit Brazil?

No. Filipino tourists are allowed to stay in Brazil up to 90 days. Other countries in South America that have visa-free access are Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Suriname, and Ecuador. The length of stay may vary so it is better to check each country’s immigration rules. Guatemala is visa-free for holders of valid USA, Canadian, and Schengen visa. 

6. What other countries do not require ordinary Philippine passport holders to apply for tourist visas and no visa on arrival?

a. Costa Rica, Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ivory Coast, Fiji, Micronesia, Morocco, Senegal, Rwanda, Barbados, Dominica, and Vanuatu.

b. Mexico is also visa-free for holders of valid USA visa entering Mexico through the USA.

c. The Holy See (Vatican) is visa-free for Filipinos who are already in Italy. A Schengen visa is required to enter Italy.

d. *Taiwan is visa-free (30 days) to Filipinos who have never been a blue collar worker there and are currently holding valid visas or permanent resident cards of USA, Canada, Japan, UK, Schengen, Australia, and New Zealand.

7. What other countries do not require ordinary Philippine passport holders to apply for tourist visas but with visa on arrival?

Armenia (also eVisa), Cape Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau (also eVisa), Kenya (also eVisa), Kyrgyztan (also eVisa), Madagascar (also eVisa), Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nicaragua, (also eVisa), Palau, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Somalia, Sri Lanka (also eVisa), Tanzania (also eVisa), Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, and Uganda (also eVisa).

8. What other countries do not require ordinary Philippine passport holders to apply for tourist visas but with eVisa, entry permit or clearance and electronic travel authorization?

Antigua and Barbuda (electronic entry visa), Djibouti (eVisa), Ethiopia (eVisa), Gabon (eVisa), Georgia (eVisa), India (eVisa), Lesotho (eVisa), Pakistan (online visa), Qatar (eVisa), Saint Kitts and Nevis (eVisa), Samoa (entry permit on arrival), Sao Tome and Principe (eVisa), Sychelles (visitor’s permit on arrival), Tajikistan (eVisa), Uzbekistan (eVisa), Zambia (eVisa), and Zimbabwe (eVisa).

Please contact embassies or consulates in case of changes.

*Taiwan is visa-free to Filipino tourists until July 31, 2023.

A former Philippine ambassador once said, “we’re all ambassadors of our country.” We must remember that.