79 Visa-Free Countries (+eVisa & VOA) for Filipinos

Last Updated on – Jun 21, 2023 @ 9:04 am

With the number of countries offering visa-free access to Pinoys reaching 66 this year, there’s no better time than now to travel.

The Philippines’ is ranked #70 in the list of the world’s strongest passport.

This is based on the Henley Passport Index that looks into the “Travel freedom of countries based on an authoritative database of the travel information”.

Neighboring country Singapore is at second place, while Japan is the current champ with visa-free access to 189 countries.

Related: Become a Digital Nomad – 20 High Paying Remote Online Jobs

What is Visa?

It’s an official endorsement that the passport holder is allowed to enter a particular country. It’s used to determine the following:

• The duration of your stay
• Date when you should leave
• Dates when you can enter the country
• How many times you’re allowed to visit a country
• Details of your work rights and/or other labor-related information

Related: How to Get a Philippine Passport: DFA Online Appointments, Requirements, and Renewals

Types of Tourist Visas

1. VISA-FREE

Visa-free allows you to enter a country without the need for a visa. You are given a specific amount of time for your stay.

2. VISA-ON-ARRIVAL

Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) is granted upon entry at the airport of the country you’re visiting. There is no application required beforehand. You will be assisted by the immigration officials who will be the ones issuing your visa after all required paperwork and fees have been taken care of.

3. VISA-REQUIRED

Visa-required needs you to apply for a visa in the embassy or consulate before traveling into the country you plan to visit (for business or tourist visas). You’ll be asked to provide supporting documents proving your medical status, financial capacity, prior travel history, and others.

4. e-VISA

eVisa is convenient as it allows you to apply via the internet. The actual visa is stored in the immigration’s database and a corresponding passport number will be linked to it for verification.

Related Guide: How to Get a Golden Visa

Complete List of Visa-Free Countries for Philippine Passport Holders [+eVisa & VOA]

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ASEAN Countries

Very popular with globetrotting backpackers and tourists, thanks to its amazing beaches, exotic cuisine, and cheap prices.

Pros:

• Budget-friendly
• Terrific geographical views
• Rich cultural heritage (arts and music)
• Lots of beaches
• Exotic foods
• Easily cross borders by sea or land trip.

Cons:

• Tourist traps and exploitation can be rampant

Find the Cheapest Flights and Hotel deals for your trip to Southeast Asia:

Asia

The experience you’ll get out of traveling to the rest of Asia varies wildly.

From the modern countries like South Korea, Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong, to the cultural haven that is India, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, including a few countries in Central Asia, there’s a lot in store for the wandering traveler.

Pros:

• Plenty of interesting places and ancient culture
• Majestic sights and landscapes

Cons:

• Some regions might be unstable and unsafe during certain times

Find the Cheapest Flights and Hotel deals for your trip to Asia:

Africa

If you want to view some of the world’s most fascinating wildlife creatures, Africa is the place to be. The beautiful, sweeping, landscapes and dramatic scenery provides travelers with a unique travel experience rich in life and culture.

Pros:

• Safari and wildlife
• Vast deserts and picturesque landscapes

Cons:

• Safety is not guaranteed at all times

Find the Cheapest Flights and Hotel deals for your trip to Africa:

Americas (Central, Caribbean, South)

An amazing travel destination thanks to the variety of culture, people, activities, and places it offers.

Lots of beaches, rich language, fascinating culture, and people make traveling to these places a rich and vibrant experience.

Pros:

• Colonial and native history produced some of this area’s great culture and cuisine, weather is amazing

Cons:

• Travel costs can be expensive

Find the Cheapest Flights and Hotel deals for your trip to Caribbean, South, and Central America:

Europe

As of the moment, we only have 3 Europe-based countries on our list above.

Georgia offers a remarkable mix of landscapes and climates, Turkey has breathtaking mountains and seas (as well as their incredible shopping spots), while Kosovo has beautiful churches and monasteries.  

Pros:

• A taste of European people and culture that’s very different from our own

Cons:

• Travel costs can be expensive, not much to experience in terms of depth and variety compared to other areas on our list

Find the Cheapest Flights and Hotel deals for your trip to Europe:

Oceania & Pacific Islands

Home to some of the world’s amazing white beaches, stunning coral reefs, and majestic volcanic islands.

Pros:

• Beautiful beaches
• Great for surfing, snorkeling
• Bungee jumping

Cons:

• Not much in store for the cultural-explorer

Find the Cheapest Flights and Hotel deals for your trip to Oceania and the Pacific Islands:

Requirements for Visa Application

Each country you visit will require you to submit requirements based on their policies. So don’t be surprised if the occasional hiccup occurs.

It happens.

However, there are documents and resources that you absolutely must have and prepare in advance. Having these will save you a lot of time and help avoid any hassles.

• A passport that is valid for six months minimum
• A completely-filled out visa application form
• Previous visas
• Passport photos
• Money
• Travel and Medical Insurance
• Proof of financial capacity

These are the most common requirements you should have with you always.

Make sure to visit the country’s official immigration website for details beforehand so you’ll know exactly what you’ll need.

Related: Complete International Travel Checklist

Tips to Get Approved for Visa Faster

Here’s the thing about applying for Visas: It’s not 100% “standard” each time.

You might get approved without much fuss one time and then be rejected completely even when you submitted the same set of paperwork.

While the following tips don’t guarantee you’ll get approved automatically, they help in increasing your chances of getting approved quickly.

1. Complete and bring all paperwork and related documents

Embassy officials aren’t your teachers. You can’t simply say “Follow up ko na lang later ma’am” when you realize you forgot an important document.

They won’t accept it if it’s incomplete. Save yourself and others the hassle by being diligent in your preparation. Doing so ensures the whole process runs smoothly.

In completing forms, be thorough and accurate. During the interview, provide sufficient details but don’t go overboard.

It’s not about being “makwento” or casual to feign confidence. Just answer what they ask for in a polite yet confident manner.

2. Radical Honesty for the reason of your visit  

If Brother Bo Sanchez promotes “Radical Patience” as a secret to building wealth, you have to apply “Radical Honesty” when stating the reason for your visit.

Make sure to apply for the appropriate visa (student, visitor, are different) and be true in your intentions.

3. Proof of Financial Capacity

Here are some of the most common documents that might be required for proving your solvency/financial capacity:

Employed Person:

• COE – Certificate of Employment
• Most recent payslips
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

Self-employed:

• Copy of Business Permit
• Tax statements
• Bank Statement and Financial Reports (most recent)
• Copies of credit cards, bank certificates, or bank statements (personal)

Retirees:

• Proof financial assets
• Documents proving period of time and date of retirement
• Pension-related documents

Students/Minors

• Sponsorship letter (from guardians/parents) with corresponding documents showing proof of solvency
• Official documentation from school/university as proof of scholarship along with the complete details (duration, etc.,)

Unemployed

• Proof of investments or financial assets
• Copies of personal financial documents like bank statements and credit cards
• Sponsorship letter with corresponding documents showing proof of solvency

4. Proof showing that you won’t be overstaying

Embassies want to see proof that you have strong ties here that will urge you to go back to your mother country.

This is to prevent risks of overstaying through illegal means. These are the most common ones:

• Leave of absence or Certificate of employment
• Proof of ownership of property or business
• Documents showing proof that you’re enrolled here currently
• Leave of absence
• Letter from sponsors emphasizing reasons you won’t be overstaying

Non-Visa Requirements

1. Passport validity length

• Check the expiration date on your passport and make sure it’s still good for 6 months.

2. Fingerprinting

• Plenty of countries require that all visitors from foreign nations provide their fingerprints upon arrival. Anyone refusing to do so will not be granted entry or worse, be apprehended by authorities.

3. Blank passport pages

• A good number of countries require visitors to have the minimum number of blank pages on their visas. Note that endorsement pages are not counted.

4. Criminal record

• Some countries (e.g Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States [351]) routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record.
• There are countries who will deny visiting non-citizens who have a criminal record. US, Australia, New Zealnd, and Canada are examples.

5. Vaccination

• Almost all African nations require that visitors present an International Certificate of Vaccination prior entry. There are some countries that only require vaccination if they came from a known infected area or have visited one recently.

Traveling abroad has never been easier. Whether it’s on nearby ASEAN countries or other must-visit continents, the ability to travel visa-free is a huge perk for us Pinoys.

You get to bypass the arduous (and sometimes frustrating) step of applying for a visa, which is not really a hassle-free process here in our country.

Let’s hope more countries open their soil to Filipinos without the need for the visa, so we can get to experience and enjoy what other nations and cultures have to offer.

Related: 40+ Ways Filipinos can Save While Traveling