Expats in the UAE who have plans of visiting the Philippines but may need to secure a visa beforehand, below is a step by step guide on how to get a tourist visa to the Philippines as shared by one of our contributors.
Before anything else you will need to check if your country passport is included in this list of countries who do NOT need to apply for a visa to enter the Philippines. If your country is not on the list, then please see the procedure below.
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If you’re a Kabayan reading this blog, you probably have someone special in mind to bring home to meet your family – or else, you’re a Kabayan’s special someone.
In both cases, you’ve made a great (and cheap) holiday choice.
Applying for a Philippine Visa is not rocket science, but as with other visa applications, it mainly requires 2 Ps: patience and papers (lots of them).
A UAE Expat’s Guide to Applying for a Philippine Visa
Note: I’m sharing my husband’s experience as a first-time Philippine Visa applicant. He is an Egyptian national. Please check the list of visa-exempted countries on the Philippine Department of Affairs website, as you may not need a visa to enter the Philippines.
Step 1: Prepare all the required documents.
- Accomplished computerized Visa Application Forms (2 copies). Available on both the Dubai Consulate and Abu Dhabi Embassy
- Recent ID photos(2 copies). Not older than 6 months.
- Original Passport with UAE Residence Visa. Valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of departure from the Philippines
- Passport Data Page (2 copies)
- UAE Visa Stamp (2 copies)
- If employed, a No Objection Letter from your employer stating the following:
- Your job position
- Period of employment
- Gross monthly salary
- Additional Note: The No Objection Letter should be printed on a company letterhead, signed by an authorized personnel and sealed with the company stamp.
- If self-employed (i.e. company owner), your Company Trade License (2 copies)
- Proof of financial capacity. Either your most recent Bank Statements (past 3 months) or your Salary Certificate (printed on a company letterhead, signed by an authorized personnel and sealed with the company stamp)
- Flight Booking
- Hotel Booking or Invitation Letter from a Philippine sponsor with a copy of his/her passport or any valid identification card
- Additional requirements. Because my husband is married to a Philippine citizen, he also presented:
- Our Original Report of Marriage (attested by the Philippine Embassy of Abu Dhabi)
- My Passport Data Page (2 copies)
You can get the full list of requirements on both the Philippine Consulate of Dubai website and the Philippine Embassy of Abu Dhabi website.
The main difference between the two is that the Embassy requires a Police Clearance issued by the UAE Ministry of Interior, applicable for all visa applicants aged 18 and above. You can order your Police Clearance here.
Step 2: Bring all your requirements to the Embassy or Consulate.
Dubai visa holders can apply at the Philippine Consulate in Dubai, while Abu Dhabi visa holders can apply at the Philippine in Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
If you are a Dubai visa holder assigned in Abu Dhabi, submit a written proof of your job assignment, so that you can apply in Abu Dhabi (this can be mentioned as a single sentence on your NOC letter).
First-time Philippine Visa applicants need to make a personal appearance in either the Dubai Consulate or Abu Dhabi Embassy between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. from Sundays to Thursdays (Ramadan hours may change).
When you enter the gate, proceed to the information desk and ask for a priority number for the Visa Section.
The Visa Officer will not keep your passport on your first visit. Instead, he/she will advise you to come back on a specific day (usually after 10 working days), which is when he/she will collect your passport for stamping.
Also, you will only pay AED 100 on your first visit.
The remaining AED 160 is payable on the assigned date of stamping.
Step 3: Return to the Consulate/Embassy on the appointed date between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. with your original passport and the remaining visa fee.
Alternatively, you may now ask a representative to submit your passport for you, since you had already made your personal appearance 10 working days before.
Step 4: Collect your visa between 3:00-5:00 p.m. of the same day.
Yes, you need to wait for at least another 3 hours for your passport and visa to be released.
Step 5: Enjoy your holiday!
It’s always more fun in the Philippines!
In case you’d like to learn more information about this post, you may also check out my blog article about here – A UAE Expat’s Guide to Applying for a Philippine Visa by The Grammar Fuhrerin
About the Author: Nicholette
Nicholette retired from teaching hormonal teenagers at the tender age of twenty-two to pursue a career in adulting in Dubai. From an early age, she has struggled with an incurable case of sarcasm, which she now channels through her writing. She reads fiction voraciously, eats anything edible heartily, and travels every chance she gets. She is less of a writer and more of a collector of stories penning her travels, thoughts, and things in between in her inappropriately-titled blog: http://thegrammarfuhrerin.wordpress.com
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