The leniency of obtaining a visa depends on the country you are planning to go to. So there is no surefire way to get approved. But if you are not looking for too much hassle when you are planning to go abroad for a vacation, then you can go ahead and visit countries that are Visa-Free or offer Visa-on-Arrival or eVisa.
Here we're going to explain the difference between the types of visas you can obtain and which countries Filipinos can visit without a visa. Read on to learn more.
What is a Visa?
A visa is your pass into a country. This allows you to enjoy what the country has to offer, from its many tourist destinations to its humble and exciting cultures. A visa also contains information like:
- When you can visit a country – When you get approved for a visa, this does not mean that you should pack up your things and go immediately. When your visa is approved, you need to wait a little bit longer until they inform you about the right time to enter their country.
- When you must leave – Visas have an expiry date as most countries do not wish for you to stay there for an extended period of time. So on your visa the date is also indicated so you know when to pack your things and leave.
- How long you can stay – This is to ensure that you do not delay or overstay your welcome.
- The number of permitted visits – They also give you a number of how many times you can visit.
- Work rights – This is the information that sets the difference between a working visa and a traveling visa. A working visa would give you the leeway to go to that particular country and look for a job, while a traveling visa restricts you from doing so. Because of this, the working visa is the most complicated visa to apply for while the traveling visa is something you should acquire when you simply plan to visit on vacation.
Types of Tourist Visas
VISA-FREE
A visa-free country means that you can enter this particular country without worrying about obtaining a visa. This also means that you can come and go as well as you please. You only need to have your return tickets booked as well as a hotel and pocket money for immigration. You might also need your passport to be valid for six months or longer, and you should be good to go. Make sure you apply for a passport in advance if you need one.
VISA-ON-ARRIVAL
Visa-on-arrival or VOA is a visa granted to you by the immigration officer when you enter the country. This means that you no longer have to do a pre-application unless it is stated in their requirements. If followed without a hitch, the visa will soon be presented to you after all the fees are settled and paid.
VISA-REQUIRED
This means you have to seek and apply for a visa at the embassy. This requires you to complete a certain set of requirements that will make or break your application. These requirements might include documents that show your financial stability as well as your ability, medical conditions, travel history and more, depending on the country you choose to visit.
e-VISA
An e-Visa simply means that your visa application can be completed with the help of the internet. With this kind of visa, there is no label, sticker or even stamp before travel. Your e-Visa is linked to your passport number on a computer, so it's easier to track all your travels and make it possible to apply for future visas.
How powerful is the Philippine passport in 2019?
Well, the Filipino passport is fairly powerful, that is because Filipinos can enter 39 countries visa-free, 32 countries with VOA (Visa on Arrival) and 10 countries with an eVisa. Some countries may accept 2 different types of visas depending on where you're going and what you plan to do there. In total, there 79 countries Filipinos can visit without having to apply for a visa at the embassy in advance.
Among the top countries with the strongest passport is Japan which can enter about 190 countries Visa-Free. But, enough about that. We Filipinos can enter 79 countries without much hassle to explore and create amazing memories!
Here are the 79 countries that you can visit without a pre-approved visa from the embassy if you're a Filipino.
Visa-free Countries for Filipinos
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Brunei
- cambodia
- Cape Verde Islands Â
- China (Hainan)
- Colombia
- Comoros Islands Â
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Dominica
- EcuadorÂ
- Haiti
- Hong Kong (SAR China)
- Indonesia
- Iran Â
- IsraelÂ
- Kosovo Â
- Laos
- Macao (SAR China)
- MalaysiaÂ
- Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Nauru Â
- Niue
- Palestinian TerritoryÂ
- Peru Â
- Seychelles Â
- Singapore
- South Korea (Jeju Island)Â
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
VOA Countries for Filipinos
- Armenia
- Benin
- China (Shenzen)
- Djibouti
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- maldives
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Papua New Guinea
- Palau
- Saint Lucia
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Somalia
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Zambia
eVisa Countries for Filipinos
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Georgia
- India
- Lesotho
- Sri Lanka
- Turkey
- Zimbabwe
Tips to Get Approved for a Visa Faster
Here are some ways you can get approved faster when you do need to apply for a visa.
Be Honest
This will help immigration officers assess whether you are trustworthy or not; regardless this helps in more ways than one. After all, honesty is the best policy.
Proof of financial capacity
Being able to prove that you can afford to stay in the country is a nice way to start.
Proof that you do not wish to overstay
This might be the hardest thing to prove for travelers. But owning a business, enrolling in university, renting or owning a home or having immediate family in your country might help you with that.
Bring all the paperwork
Well, you should always go prepared. It should be as simple as that. If you are really down for it, you can go ahead and bring all the documents that might help you get accepted.
With these 79 visa-free, VOA and eVisa countries Filipinos can visit nowadays, almost half the world is open for you to explore. So which countries are on your bucket list? Are they visa-free?
