There are three types of tourist visas available for temporary travel to the Philippines. You can get a tourist visa for health reasons (e.g., to recuperate), for travel as an ordinary visitor (recreational) or for business-related travel. U.S. citizens can obtain a tourist visa to enter the Philippines and stay for 59 days -- though no visa is needed for trips less than 21 days.
Basics
Regardless of the trip's duration, you must obtain a valid passport in order to travel overseas. U.S. citizens can apply for a passport at a local post office (usps.com) or State Department passport agency (travel.state.gov/passport). If you currently have a passport, then check to see whether it has blank pages. Add pages to your passport if you have less than two blank pages. Your passport also must be valid for at least six months beyond when you expect to depart. For example, if you plan to leave in June, then your passport must expire no earlier than after December. To bring a pet to the Philippines, you must get a certified health certificate in the U.S. from a licensed veterinarian and a permit. Apply either before traveling with the Bureau of Animal Industry or upon arrival.
Steps
There are two main ways to obtain a tourist visa for the Philippines: Apply either in the U.S. before your departure or upon your arrival. If you mail an application to the Embassy of the Philippines in Washington D.C., you should enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.
The tourist or nonimmigrant visa application asks general questions, such as your name, U.S. address, occupation, marital status, criminal history and information about relatives who live in the Philippines. You also need to describe the reason for the trip and select the appropriate tourist visa -- health, visitor or business. Attach a passport-size photograph taken within the past six months and supporting evidence demonstrating financial ability to travel, such as a copy of a checking or savings account and round-trip, rather than one-way, travel ticket.
Considerations
Most applicants successfully receive tourist visas to enter the Philippines. Tell the truth throughout the process -- both when you apply for a visa and pass through customs, because if you don't, officials have the discretion of denying entry, even if you have a visa. If you decide to stay longer than initially planned, contact the Bureau of Immigration and apply for a visa extension. There is a special retiree resident visa available for U.S. citizens over 35. The visa provides extended clearance for Americans who open bank accounts with at least six-month deposits of $75,000 (age 35 to 49) or $50,000 (50 and older).
Tags: tourist visa, Apply either, Apply either before, apply visa, blank pages
