* Updated on January 25th, 2026 *
What are the requirements to travel to the Philippines in 2026 What do you need? Do I need a visa? You might be a bit confused with so much information online, but don’t worry, as addicts to this archipelago since 2010, we’re going to tell you everything here, getting straight to the point so you don’t go crazy. What we can already tell you is that there aren’t any very special documents, but you do need a few things to travel to the Philippines.
Keep reading and discover more about the documents to travel to the Philippines now.
Can you travel to the Philippines now?
Yes, you can travel to the Philippines now and everything is perfectly normal. In fact, as you’ll see, there aren’t many entry requirements.
The only thing is that, as you’ll see below, you do need to fill out a form. This no longer has anything to do with covid, but it is mandatory to do it to enter the country. Don’t worry, it’s easy to complete and free.
If you’re wondering what the situation in the Philippines is like, you should know it’s favorable and calm. Inter-island mobility has been fully restored. In short, you’re not going to experience anything that reminds you of past times and, in fact, there are many more hotels, planes, and boats so you can explore the archipelago at your leisure.
What will I find when traveling around the Philippines right now?
Transportation is as it was before and all tourist attractions and accommodations are open. We can tell you that many more accommodations, ferries, and air connections have sprung up. Tourism is increasing and it’s been a long time since there were restrictions on moving between islands, so you don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary.
Of course, the face mask is no longer mandatory anywhere. You will see Filipinos wearing it in big cities, but, like many Asians, they already did so before, either because of pollution or as a precaution.
Travel insurance for the Philippines
Something to keep in mind is the vital importance of having Philippines travel insurance, not only as common sense, but for a long list of reasons including our own experiences. The Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de España (MAEC) itself insists on the crucial importance of traveling protected with one from start to finish of your adventure, since Spain and the Philippines do not have any agreement in healthcare matters and, if something were to happen to you, everything would have to come out of your pocket.
In our case, we’ve had to use it on many occasions, saving as much as 22.000 euros when spending 3 weeks admitted to a hospital in Manila or, in 2022, 900€ for contracting dengue in Bohol. In addition to the strong medical coverage of the one we use, it adds coverages for cases such as theft, baggage issues, flight cancellations, accidents while practicing adventure sports (snorkeling, diving, etc.), repatriation and even early return due to the hospitalization or death of a family member. In this article we talk about what for us is the: Best travel insurance for the Philippines.
And by clicking here you can get yours with a 5% discount on the insurance for coming from us:
Who can travel to the Philippines now as a tourist?
Anyone! Obviously, you must meet certain documentation requirements, which we’ll tell you about below, but rest assured because it’s very easy.
Requirements to travel to the Philippines in 2026 and what you need
At this time, these are the requirements to travel to the Philippines:
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- A valid passport with at least 6 months of validity from the moment you plan to leave. In other words, check the expiration date carefully, otherwise you’ll be stuck on the ground.
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- Onward/outbound ticket to another country or to your country of origin within 30 days after entry. How can you solve this if you don’t know when you’re coming back? By buying a cheap ticket to a nearby country and not using it or by using platforms like Onward Ticket. The latter rents you a real ticket as we explain in How to travel without a return ticket.
- Fill out the eTravel before going through immigration (note that some airlines ask for it at check-in, so it never hurts to have done it beforehand). It is mandatory to do the eTravel within the 72 hours prior to arrival in the Philippines and this is regardless of how long you plan to stay. When you complete it, you will receive a QR (it’s important to take a screenshot because sometimes the emails don’t arrive). Do the eTravel registration only from the official website (it fails less than the app), it’s free, and, to avoid problems (it fails quite a bit), don’t translate the page from English to Spanish; leave it in English. There are pages that charge; it’s a scam. You have a step-by-step guide in our Guide to the eTravel.
- The Ministerio de Asuntos exteriores insists and recommends taking out a travel insurance policy with coverage for your entire stay, including repatriation. Here we tell you about the: best travel insurance for the Philippines and you get a 5% discount.
It’s advisable (not mandatory) to carry all your documentation printed, as well as in digital format.
All this information is strictly taken from official sources and, besides constantly entering and leaving the country ourselves, we are constantly keeping up to date. Even so, before you set off, we encourage you to ask the nearest embassy/consulate to make sure and avoid problems.
As for other vaccines, none are mandatory (except yellow fever if you’re coming from a country where it’s endemic, which is not the case for Spain), but some are recommended (usually hepatitis A, dengue, and typhoid). We recommend reading our article Vaccines for the Philippines and, above all, seeing a doctor to get personalized information.
What are the requirements if you travel to the Philippines with children now?
They have the same requirements as adults. Just keep in mind that you need documented permission from both parents/guardians when traveling with minors. To see the exact documentation you need, it’s best to write to the consulate: con.manila@maec.es.
Visa for traveling to the Philippines
Many travelers, including Spaniards and most citizens of Spanish-speaking countries, can stay in the Philippines for 30 days without needing to process a visa. If you plan to stay longer, you have several options:
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- Extend your visa while already in the Philippines. You can do this for up to 3 consecutive years and it can even be done online. It’s explained here: Extension of the Philippine visa.
- Leaving the country before those 30 days are up and re-entering.
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- Applying for a visa at the Philippine embassy or consulate closest to you. There are 59-day tourist visas or multiple-entry ones. This alternative is convenient if you live nearby and want to save a few euros (not many), although the truth is that more paperwork is being requested and it can be a bit tedious. We detail it here: Visa for the Philippines (soon).
Remember that, if you haven’t obtained a visa beforehand, you need an onward ticket out of the Philippines. It’s very likely that you’ll be asked for it at check-in and, if you don’t have it, you could be denied boarding. You can solve the problem by renting an onward ticket.
As of today, this is all that is needed to travel to the Philippines.
Frequently asked questions about the requirements to travel to the Philippines
To summarize even more everything we’ve been telling you, here we answer the typical questions travelers usually have about the requirements to travel to the Philippines:
Can you travel to the Philippines now?
Yes! Completely normally from anywhere in the world.
Do I need a visa to travel to the Philippines?
If you are going to stay less than 30 days as a tourist in the Philippines, you will not need a visa among the mandatory travel documents. Citizens of many countries don’t require it.
Do I need any vaccines to go to the Philippines?
Unless you are coming from a country where yellow fever is endemic, there are no mandatory vaccines, although it’s always better to consult a doctor about the recommended vaccines.
What do you need to enter the Philippines?
In addition to your passport and onward ticket, you will need to fill out a form called eTravel. It is 100% recommended to take out travel insurance.
Is a form required to enter the Philippines?
Yes, you need to complete the eTravel within the 72 hours prior to your arrival. It is totally free.
Do I need an onward ticket to travel to the Philippines?
Yes, and unless you have previously processed a visa, it must be dated before the 30 days following your arrival. It’s most likely you’ll be asked for it at the departure airport when checking in.
We hope we’ve helped you resolve your doubts about the documents to travel to the Philippines now. As you can see, they are much simpler than in other countries that require more paperwork.
If these travel requirements for the Philippines change, we will update this detailed guide and you’ll be among the first to know. If you have any questions, we’ll be more than happy to answer them in the comments. Remember that it’s extremely important to have travel insurance that covers you when you need it most. From this link you can get it, with a 5% discount, the one we use on our trips, and also be covered for accidents while doing adventure sports, theft, baggage issues, or repatriation. It has saved us on more than one occasion and we confidently recommend it:
