I struggled to find good information online about what you should do about your visa if you’re backpacking in the Philippines but you want to stay longer than the normal 30 day visa free period.
I thought maybe this meant I had to apply for a visa before I went.
The answer is actually very simple.
Most people still don’t need to apply for a visa if they’re staying longer than the 30 day visa free period. You can still go to the Philippines on the initial 30 day visa free allowance and then extend your stay without having to apply for a visa before you go.
How Does it Work?
People from most countries can go to the Philippines as a tourist for 30 days without needing to apply for a visa.
You can go to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration to find out if that applies to you.
What can be slightly confusing then is what to do if you want to stay longer than the 30 day visa free period? Do you need to get a visa in this case?
Well… What most people do is arrive as normal under the 30 day visa free rules like everyone else. Then they extend their stay when they’re in the country.
The first extension (for 29 days) can be done online. I paid $55. Go to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration. It should be pretty straightforward.
eServices | Bureau of Immigration PH
You need to do this in good time. I only did this just less than a week before my visa ran out, and I ended up having to go to an immigration office because the online option was closed. I’m not sure what the online window is, but I think it’s one week. Best thing is to do the extension quickly after you arrive.
After you extend online for the first 29 days, you can continue extending your stay. However, you need to go to an immigration office to do it in person. I’m not sure exactly how it works, but that’s months away isn’t it. So no worries.
Check the Rules for Yourself and Your Own Country
I’ve just written this post up real fast because I couldn’t find any good information for myself. Make sure you check how things are for you in case the rules are different for any reason.
You may also need to prove that you have onward travel booked within the first month you arrive. That’s another thing to think about.
Another thing is that there may be other ways of navigating the whole situation. This is really just to explain what most backpackers who are going for a short (but longer than one month) trip do.
