The Philippine embassy in Beijing confirmed in a statement issued on October 15 that Chinese citizens – including those from Hong Kong and Macau – would again be able to apply for short-stay e-visas online for up to 14 days of travel for tourism or business purposes, starting in November.
Entry will initially be restricted to two international airports: Manila’s Ninoy Aquino and Mactan–Cebu in Cebu.
The restart comes nearly two years after the system was suspended in December 2023, only months after its pilot launch. At the time, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the e-visa platform for Chinese applicants was “undergoing a period of reassessment with the aim of improving future operations”. As a result, applications had to once again be channelled through embassies and consulates instead.
Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco welcomed the restart, describing the initiative as “necessary and overdue”, but warned that results would not be immediate.
“With the e-visa being resumed only in November, it’s really a lot of market preparation to rebuild what has been lost,” she told reporters during a briefing in Makati on Tuesday, as quoted by the Philippine News Agency.
