The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs has decided to halt the acceptance of e-visa applications for China temporarily. This decision follows a three-month trial period and will remain in effect until further notice.
The suspension of e-visa operations in China by the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs was reported without an explicit reason. Visa applicants in China are requested to reach out to the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate through the government website to submit their applications and seek additional information.
Since August 24, Chinese nationals visiting the Philippines have had the option to apply for an electronic visa through the website visa.e.gov.ph or by using a downloadable app. In September, a 38-year-old woman and her three-year-old daughter from China were reported as the initial foreigners to enter the Philippines using this new electronic visa (e-visa) system.
In 2019, China ranked as the Philippines’ second-largest tourism market, with 1.7 million Chinese nationals visiting. However, the total number of Chinese visitors to the Philippines has been just over 130,000 so far.
