HOW TO FILE
Visa applicants should fill out an application form, prepare the necessary support documents based on the category of entry visa being applied for, and personally submit their application documents at the Consular Section of the Philippine Consulate General in Manado within the scheduled time for accepting visa transactions. The application form for non-immigrant and immigrant visas can be downloaded from this website.
Visa application forms are to be fully and legibly completed by the applicant in English, and his/her signature must be affixed in the form where required. Only properly filled-out visa applications with complete supporting documents will be accepted together with valid passports bearing the signature of the visa applicant.
WHEN TO FILE
Under regular conditions, foreign travelers who need entry visas to travel to the Philippines should file their applications at least two weeks before their intended departure from their country of origin.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE
As a general rule, visa applicants are required to appear in person at the Consular Section of the Philippine Consulate for interview, evaluation, and assessment of their visa applications. Visa applicants below eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the application may have their parent/legal guardian sign the application form and submit the pertinent supporting documents on their behalf. The minor applicant, not an infant in arms, may be required to appear and be interviewed by the visa officer, along with the parent/legal guardian.
Applicants who are sixty (60) years old and above including individuals with disabilities may have their applications submitted by a relative or travelling companion.
REMINDER:
Foreign minor children below fifteen years of age traveling to the Philippines unaccompanied by, or not joining a parent, will not be allowed entry to the Philippines unless a Waiver of Exclusion Ground (WEG) is issued by Philippine immigration authorities in favor of the minor child. Please see the corresponding details about the entry of foreign minors and the WEG in the appropriate subsection in this website.
Applicants who are unable to lodge their visa application in person at the Consular Section of the Philippine Consulate, especially those residing in provinces and cities outside Manado, can request a representative to submit their application documents and claim their passport after the processing period. The representative must be able to present a valid ID and a written letter signed by the visa applicant authorizing him/her to transact with the Consular Section regarding the applicant's visa application. As the visa applicant will not be able to appear in person before the consular officer at the Philippine Consulate General, the visa application, duly filled out and signed by the visa applicant, together with all the support documents, must be notarized before a local notary public before it can be submitted by the authorized representative to the Consular Section.
PROCESSING PERIOD
Temporary Visitor visas (single-entry) are normally ready for release after five (5) working days from the date of acceptance and payment of applicable fees, except for other visa applications requiring clearance and approval from Manila which needs a waiting period of at least 10-20 working days.
PROCESSING FEES
Applicable fees for visa application evaluation and processing are non-refundable and vary per category of visa being applied for, pursuant to existing bilateral and/or multilateral agreements between various countries and the Philippines, and in accordance with regulations of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Acceptance of fees does not guarantee visa issuance.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM OTHER DOCUMENTS
The visa officer may require additional supporting documents not listed herein on a case-to-case basis, refuse a visa application, or deny its issuance as warranted in accordance with existing rules and regulations, consistent with Philippine law.
