Are Foreigners Allowed To Enter The Philippines?

The Philippines is one of the most foreigner-friendly countries in Southeast Asia. With over 7,000 islands to choose from, there is something for everyone in the Philippines. Whether you’re looking for pristine beaches, adventurous activities, or ancient ruins, the Philippines has it all. Travelers often ask if foreigners are allowed to enter the Philippines.

The Philippines has always been open to Filipinos, especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and a limited number of foreigners but with strict conditions and quarantine restrictions. But, beginning February 1, 2022, fully vaccinated arriving Filipinos and eligible foreigners, regardless of country of origin, shall no longer be required to observe mandatory facility-based quarantine upon arrival.

However, the tourist or returning Filipinos have to self-monitor for any sign or symptom of covid for 7 days, with the first day being the day of arrival; and shall be required to report to the local government unit of destination should any symptoms manifest.

Can I travel to the Philippines right now?

Check out the updated Philippine Travel COVID Requirements

Foreigners who have been vaccinated will be permitted to visit the Philippines again.

The Philippines, in order to jumpstart the tourism industry, will reopen to fully vaccinated tourists from most nations on February 10 and lift quarantine requirements nearly two years after shutting its borders to control the coronavirus. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) released this announcement last January 28, 2022.

A decline in international visitors and restrictions on domestic travel has wreaked havoc on the island nation’s tourism businesses, which rely heavily on foreign tourists.

“The travel sector can now rebound and contribute significantly to employment, livelihoods, and national economic growth,” presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing.
After the presence of the hyper-contagious Omicron variant that has ravaged through the Philippines, authorities in the Philippines have postponed a previous plan to welcome back tourists on December 1.

On January 28, 2022, the announcement enables nationals from the 157 countries that had previously been allowed free entry to the Philippines before the epidemic began to enter visa-free for brief periods.

Travelers who are completely vaccinated against the viruses on the list will be required to test negative for Covid-19 before flying to the Philippines and not quarantined upon arrival.
Except for China, Taiwan, and India, the list includes the Philippines’ fastest-growing tourist destinations.

Manila’s remaining top-10 tourism sources, include the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Britain.

“I don’t see sense in restricting international visitors when our Covid-19 transmission rates in the Philippines are perhaps even higher than those in certain countries,” said Rosario Vergeire, Department of Health Undersecretary.

Nograles stated that foreign visitors who have not been vaccinated would be prohibited from entering the country beginning February 16.

The country’s tourism sector is a significant player in the economy, accounting for around 13% of GDP in 2019 when more than eight million visitors arrived.

This figure dropped to 5.4 percent in 2020 as the number of tourists arriving in the country plummeted 82 percent to 1.48 million.

As a result, the government has restricted access to Omicron across the national capital region and other regions in recent weeks, as Omicron drove a record increase in infections.