Extending a Tourist Visa -- 2026 Edition

expats 24-01-2026

US passport holders can typically enter the Philippines for 30-days, visa-free on arrival. From a practical perspective, you are issued a 30-day tourist visa with minimal requirements (see below).

The tourist visa extensions are fairly straightforward. This part, many people opt to do themselves, but our firm can assist with it as well if you are more comfortable with that approach.

Entry Requirements for US Citizens (Tourist Entry)

I’m providing this information for completeness.

1. Valid US Passport

Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your date of arrival
At least one blank page (two is safer)

No exceptions. If you’re short, you’ll be denied boarding before you even get on the plane.

2. Visa-Free Entry (30 Days)

US citizens receive 30 days visa-free on arrival
No embassy visit, no paperwork in advance

If you want to stay longer, you extend inside the Philippines at an immigration office.

3. Onward or Return Ticket

You must show proof of onward travel within 30 days

This can be:

A return ticket to the US
A ticket to any third country
A legit onward booking (budget airline is fine)

Airlines enforce this more aggressively than Philippine immigration.

I often book round-trip tickets between Manila and the US west coast. On the return flight, they want to see a ticket for leaving the Philippines within 30-days of entry.

4. eTravel Registration (Required)

You must complete the Philippines eTravel online form.

Typically done within 72 hours before arrival.

You’ll receive a QR code (screenshot it).

This replaces old paper arrival cards.

5. No Visa, No Fees on Arrival

For tourist entry: no visa fee.
No arrival tax paid at immigration.
Airport terminal fees are usually baked into your airline ticket

Health & COVID Requirements (As of Now)

No COVID test or vaccination proof required for US travelers
No quarantine
No health declaration beyond eTravel

(These rules can change fast—but they’ve been stable for a while.)

What You’re Not Allowed to Do

Entering visa-free does not allow you to:

Work for a Philippine employer
Run a local business
Perform paid services locally

Plenty of people ignore this—but immigration law doesn’t.

Staying Longer Than 30 Days

You can:

Extend your stay in increments (usually 29 days, then longer)
Stay up to 12 months total on tourist extensions (for US citizens)
No exit required between extensions
Many long-term expats do exactly this.

Common Reasons People Get Denied Boarding

Passport validity under 6 months
No onward ticket
Name mismatch between ticket and passport
Overconfidence + airline check-in staff

Immigration isn’t usually the problem—the airline is.

Bottom Line

For a US passport holder, entering the Philippines is easy if you have:

✔ 6-month-valid passport
✔ Onward ticket within 30 days
✔ eTravel QR code

Miss one, and your trip dies at the airport.

Visa Extension Process

The initial tourist visa will be 30-days.
- You will need to have onward ticket showing that you have a way to leave PH within those 30 days when you arrive at the airport in Manila or else.
- Most airlines will require that you show them an onward ticket within 30 days as well.
- You will also need the QR code from the eTravel customs declaration website.
- Most airlines will require that you show them this QR code as well.
You can extend the 30-day tourist visa to 59 days online with a visa waiver request.
- Usually approved within a couple of days.
Beyond 59-days, you will need to apply for a visa extension (90 day increments).
- For the first time applicant, this would need to be done at the Bureau of Immigration.
  - Bring
    - Application form filled out and signed.
    - Passport with tourist visa stamp.
    - Receipt for the 29 day visa waiver (if applicable).
- For visitors who have received an ACR, this can be done online.

See the Bureau of Immigration eServices website if you want to do this yourself. Many do this with little hassle.

I recently did a visa extension at the main BI office in Manila—I was out within forty minutes. It had never happened that quickly before. Arrive early in the morning for the best results. They can get busy as the day goes on.

Technically, you are supposed to wait until you are within two weeks of your tourist visa expiring before you can go into a BI office to extend your tourist visa. I’ve successfully extended tourist visas at the main BI office a couple of days after arrival in the Philippines at the main office several times. I’ve been denied the extension and told to come back two weeks prior to expiration at the extension offices. No guarantees with that detail.

Our firm can assist with Step #2 and Step #3. Book a consultation

Thinking of Moving to the Philippines? Get Reliable Guidance

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