Philippines entry requirements and arrival paperwork

Passport holders from a long list of countries enter visa-free for 30 days at no cost. Eligibility depends on your specific nationality and on your passport having enough validity left, so check your own rule against the Bureau of Immigration rather than against a friend's experience. Most travellers are also asked to show a return or onward ticket at check-in, and airlines enforce that more consistently than immigration does.

Everyone needs the eTravel registration. It is free, it is filed online within 72 hours of arrival, and it produces a QR code you show on landing. There is no legitimate paid version of this form; sites charging a service fee for it are reselling something the government gives away.

Staying longer means an extension at an immigration office. The Bureau of Immigration publishes a total of ₱3,030 for the first 29-day extension, and it warns on its own fee page that the schedule can change, so treat that as a planning figure and confirm it when you go. Extensions are routine and can be done in most cities, but they take a morning.

A local SIM is worth having, and registration is now mandatory. It is free, but you need your passport, a Philippine address or your accommodation details, and a return or onward ticket. A tourist SIM stays valid for 30 days unless you extend it alongside your visa, which is a detail worth remembering if you plan a longer stay built around a working data connection.