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Philippines

Philippines eTravel Card

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Since 15 April 2023, paper immigration forms have been definitively phased out in the Philippines in favour of a single digital gateway: the <strong>eTravel</strong>. This free electronic arrival card is mandatory for all international travellers crossing the country's borders, regardless of nationality. It is completed entirely online, within the 72 hours before arrival, and produces a QR code to present at border checks. Note: the eTravel is neither a visa nor an ETA — it is an arrival declaration. Here is everything you need to know to handle it with confidence.

01 · The essentials

The eTravel: a digital arrival card, not a visa

Mandatory since 15/04/2023

The eTravel replaced paper immigration forms. It applies to all international travellers entering the Philippines, whatever their nationality.

100% online and free

Registration is done entirely on the government platform etravel.gov.ph, with no embassy visit. The card carries no consular fee.

Passport valid 6 months

Your passport must remain valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival. A return or onward ticket may be required at boarding and on arrival.

Home page of the official Philippines eTravel portal (etravel.gov.ph)
The official government portal etravel.gov.ph, which states that registration is free.

Registration is done on the official government portal etravel.gov.ph, which clearly displays the "eTravel is FREE" notice. The platform lets you create a traveller profile, submit your declaration and retrieve the QR code, and is also accessible via the eGovPH mobile app.

To avoid the 72-hour filing window and last-minute stress, Visamundi handles this process on the official portal on your behalf and sends you your QR code by email.

Document type
Digital arrival card (eTravel)
Mandatory since
15 April 2023
Consular fee
None (free registration)
Filing window
Within the 72 hours before arrival
Proof issued
Unique QR code received by email
Validity
Per entry (one registration per traveller, per trip)
Entry modes
By air or by sea
Accepted reasons
Tourism, Business, Transit, Study, Medical, Family, Religious, Event
eTravel ≠ visa: two separate formalities

The eTravel is an arrival declaration, not to be confused with a visa. Depending on your nationality, you may benefit from a visa exemption for a short tourist stay (often up to 30 days): an entry stamp is then issued on arrival by the immigration authorities (Executive Order 408), with an extension possible on site at the Bureau of Immigration. Other nationalities must obtain a visa beforehand.

In all cases, the eTravel remains mandatory, including for visa-exempt travellers. It does not replace the visa where one is required, and vice versa. Check the regime that applies to your nationality before departure.

02 · Eligibility

Who is concerned by the Philippines eTravel?

Registration on the eTravel platform is a regulatory obligation that applies to all international travellers crossing the borders of the Philippines, regardless of nationality. Whether for a temporary stay, a long-term move or a return home, the digital formality concerns foreigners and Filipinos alike.

Tourists and temporary visitors

Foreign tourists on short stays (all nationalities), business travellers, conference attendees, holders of a tourist visa or a visa on arrival.

Long-term residents

International students and holders of a long-stay visa (work, investment, etc.) entering or returning to the Philippines.

Permanent residents

Foreign nationals holding permanent resident status and returning to the Philippines.

Every traveller, no age exception

The requirement applies individually: each child or infant must have a separate eTravel registration, completed by their parents or guardians.

Good to know — the eTravel also applies to Filipinos

The eTravel card is not reserved for foreigners. Filipino nationals must also register: citizens returning home from abroad, OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers), and Balikbayan travellers (Filipinos who have lived abroad and return under the Balikbayan programme, without a visa).

03 · Exemptions

Exempt profiles — and profiles never exempt

The Philippine government requires registration on the eTravel platform for the vast majority of travellers. A strict exemption is nonetheless granted to certain categories, based on their diplomatic or official status.

Foreign diplomats
As well as their dependents
Foreign dignitaries
And all members of their delegation
9(e) visa holders
Diplomatic / official status
Diplomatic passports
Official and service passports
Profiles that benefit from no exemption

Conversely, the registration requirement always applies to the following profiles:

  • Crew members, Filipino and foreign, on arrival.
  • Travellers (tourists and residents), Filipino and foreign, on arrival.
  • Departing Filipino travellers.

04 · The process

How does eTravel registration work?

The journey on the eTravel platform is split into two phases: creating the traveller profile, then entering the trip-specific information. Once the profile is created, identity data does not need to be re-entered on subsequent trips.

  1. 1
    Create the traveller profile

    Initial registration with a valid email address, the only reference required at this stage.

  2. 2
    Enter your identity

    Surname, first name and contact details, taken from your passport. Have your travel document to hand.

  3. 3
    Upload an ID photo

    A digital ID photo (Photo ID) is required to authenticate and finalise the account.

  4. 4
    Enter the travel information

    Purpose of the stay, full details of outbound and return flights and any layovers (by air) or cruise / ferry details (by sea).

  5. 5
    Declare accommodation and baggage

    Exact accommodation address in the Philippines, number of checked and cabin bags, then the health questionnaire.

  6. 6
    Receive the QR code

    Once the application is validated, a confirmation email contains a unique QR code: the official proof to save or print, scanned at the border.

Our support — get ahead of the 72-hour window

Registration can only be submitted within the 72 hours before arrival: the system technically blocks any earlier entry. To avoid departure stress, entrust the process to Visamundi as soon as your tickets are booked. We gather your information in advance and submit the file automatically as soon as the window opens, then send you your QR code by email.

"Using the eTravel is quick and easy" — official video from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration.

05 · Arrival

Arrival by air or by sea

The platform identifies two modes of entry into Philippine territory: by air or by sea. The system covers all of the country's air entry points; when filling in the form, you select your exact airport of landing.

Manila
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) — the system does not differentiate terminals T1 to T4
Cebu
Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB)
Clark
Clark International Airport (CRK)
Regional hubs
Davao (DVO), Kalibo (KLO, for Boracay), Iloilo (ILO), Bohol-Panglao (TAG)

Arrival by air: you provide the purpose of the stay, full details of outbound and return flights and any layovers, your accommodation address and the number of checked and cabin bags. Prepare your flight tickets or bookings and your hotel confirmation.

Arrival by sea (cruise or ferry): you specify whether your arrival in the Philippines marks your disembarkation from the vessel, the date of the port call and the port, as well as the vessel name, the country and date of embarkation, and the ports of call (countries / ports and dates). Have the itinerary of your cruise or ferry journey to hand.

Health questionnaire — common to every mode of arrival

Whatever the mode of arrival, the traveller answers a health questionnaire covering their movements over the last 30 days and their current state of health: no symptoms, no contact or history of exposure to a person with an infectious or transmissible condition. The aim is to ensure the absence of any health risk.

06 · Before you go

Your Philippines eTravel checklist

Documents and information to prepare
  • Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival
  • Digital ID photo (Photo ID)
  • Return flight tickets or proof of onward travel
  • Exact address and contact details of your accommodation in the Philippines
  • Baggage details (number of checked and cabin bags)
  • For sea arrival: cruise / ferry itinerary and vessel details
  • eTravel QR code saved on your smartphone or printed
Key takeaways

The eTravel is a free, mandatory digital arrival card for all travellers entering the Philippines, to be completed within the 72 hours before arrival and materialised by a QR code. It is separate from the visa: many nationalities can stay without a visa for a short trip (often up to 30 days) but must still register, while nationalities subject to a visa must obtain one in addition. To avoid the last-minute constraint, Visamundi handles the process as soon as your tickets are booked and submits your file the moment the window opens.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

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