Travel Update - Outbound Tourists from Philippines
Travel Requirements
At the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic sometime late 2020, the Philippines allowed non-essential travel for their citizens or those who are traveling abroad for the purpose of tourism.
This post COVID season, requirements have been lessened but it is still wise to prepare these documents.
Travel requirements for outbound Philippine passport holders:
Checking of requirements is
1. Passport
Your passport should have a validity of at least 6 months before its expiry date.
2. Visa (if required by your destination country)
As with traveling pre-pandemic, traveling to a developed country means you need to apply for visa ahead of your trip.
3. Roundtrip Airline Tickets
Your airline ticket should have a return flight. This may not be checked at the immigration counter. But if they do, immigration officers would like to ensure you will be returning to the Philippines within the allowed length of travel.
4. Travel insurance with COVID-19 medical cover
This 2023, having travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage is no longer required, but is recommended.
Though no longer required by the immigration, it is still worth it to have travel insurance coverage in case you need treatment for medical expenses, including COVID-19 infection, as it is very expensive to be hospitalized while traveling outside the Philippines.
Contact TRAVELINSURANCE.com.ph to see your options
If you want to see our recommended travel insurance options for your trip, provide your age, destination and duration of travel by sending us a message or chatting with us through Messenger so we can provide you a travel insurance quote appropriate for your destination.
5. Vaccination Certificate
For fully vaccinated travelers, getting a Vaccination Certificate at VAXCertPH. This is an online system is operated by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Health (DOH).
VaxCertPH shows when you were last vaccinated, where you were vaccinated as well as which brand of vaccine you got. A QR code is provided in case it needs to be scanned at the airport or establishment that requires a vaccination certificate during your trip.
Your vaccination rertificate will be checked upon your return to the Philippines. Also, because the vaccines you received are summarized in the VaxCertPH, it will help during your application for eTravel, a document needed upon arrival in the Philippines.
Requirement upon return to the Philippines:
6. eTravel
Travelers to and from the Philippines are required to register online at https://etravel.gov.ph/ within 72 hours from the scheduled departure from Philippines.
For arriving travelers, register within 72 hours prior to your scheduled arrival to the Philippines.
You will need to enter your personal and trip information to the online system. The process can take around 10 minutes until a QR code be generated.
Save or take a screenshot of your eTravel QR code to your mobile phone, where you can easily find it.
Upon your return to the Philippines, show your eTravel QR code (digital copy also accepted) when requested at airport counters.
The eTravel replaces the traditional departure and arrival cards.
Other reminders for travelers from Philippines
- Though majority of countries no longer require COVID-19 test results and other requirements, we advise you to research the documentary requirements in entering your country of destination.
- If not yet paid upon booking your airline ticket, Travel Tax needs to be settled before leaving the country
- Restrictions change from time to time. Pay attention to your airline's announcements to be updated with the constantly changing travel restrictions
What is Non-essential Travel?
According to the Philippine News Agency, in contrast, essential travels are those that involve "employment, education, medical, humanitarian and essential business".
That being said, travel is considered non-essential if it does not entail the above mentioned reasons. This indicates tourism and vacations are considered non-essential.
If you are holding a tourist visa of your destination country, your travel is assumed to be non-essential.
Filipinos who are intending to travel for leisure and tourism purposes are allowed. Lifting of non-essential outbound travels also benefit Filipinos who want to visit their foreign partners abroad.
Philippine travel restrictions constantly change
As we weave through and move forward towards the end of the pandemic, restrictions on travel are continually being adjusted. We expect that restrictions will be relaxed furher soon. More updates are constantly being posted at the Bureau of Immigration website or their Facebook page.
Do you need travel insurance with COVID-19 cover?
Contact us or send us a message through Facebook
Once you provide us your duration of travel and destination, a travel insurance advisor will be sending your travel insurance options through email.
