Temporary suspension of the issuance of e-visas for tourists in the Philippines

Chinese travelers have been temporarily denied an online visa for the Philippines. The electronic visa or e-Visa system has been suspended until further notice. The Philippine e-Visa was introduced in the summer of 2023 as part of a beta test and was only accessible to Chinese citizens. After a three-month trial period, the online visa application service was suspended to make improvements. There is currently no information on the reintroduction of the e-Visa service. Chinese passport holders must contact Philippine embassies and consulates to plan a trip to the island nation.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday, December 1, 2023, that the service has been temporarily suspended to make improvements. The office said it is currently conducting a "re-evaluation" of the e-Visa platform to improve future operations. Particular attention is being paid to the e-Visa service's payment processing systems. Once these improvements have been made, the online visa is expected to be available to Chinese citizens again.

Holders of a Chinese passport can still obtain a tourist visa for the Philippines. However, due to the temporary suspension of the electronic visa system, visas must be applied for in the traditional manner. The Philippine authorities recommend that Chinese applicants visit the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate to apply for a visa. This can be done via the official government website or in person.

The Philippines has been planning the introduction of the new e-visa system for several years. Philippine President Marcos advised government authorities to focus on key markets in developing the new e-visa after meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) tourism industry group. This group includes China, India, Japan and South Korea. Chinese visitors are one of the largest groups of tourists visiting the Philippines. On August 24, 2023, the Philippines launched the beta test of the e-Visa in China. The first region where the e-Visa was available was Shanghai, where the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) handled visa issuance. The system was then extended to other regions of the country. The original plan was to extend the e-Visa to citizens of other countries by the end of the year. A date for the resumption of the e-visa in China or its extension to other countries has not yet been set.