5 May 2022

Travelling to the Philippines? Read this first

Woodcock Notary Public provides some key pointers for your trip.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

There are different rules for Philippines visas that depend on where you are from. In the case of UK citizens, there is no requirement to obtain a visa if you plan to stay in the Philippines for less than 30 days.

If you plan to stay in the Philippines for longer than 30 days, there may be the requirement to obtain a visa. Some visas, like the two detailed here, also require your application to be notarised. This is a service we provide.

Philippines Tourist Visa

Philippines Tourist visas are issued to foreign nationals who intend to visit the Philippines for tourism-related activities. These activities include sightseeing and relaxing but not economic activities like working for yourself or someone else.

If you plan to stay in the Philippines for longer than 30 days but don’t intend to work, you must obtain a non-immigrant visa. To do so, you will need the following documents:

Your original copy of your UK passport (If the validity of your passport is less than six months, you should renew it before submitting your application)
One passport-style photograph of you taken within the last six months (you should also sign it)
proof of your UK residency status
livelihood proof (recent bank statements that show sufficient funds)
the last three months salary slip or a copy of your pension statement
A record of any criminal offences (if applicable)

Philippines Business Visa

As is mentioned above, if you are a British national and you don’t intend to stay in the Philippines for more than 30 days, you do not need to obtain a visa.

This also applies to the business visa; if your business in the Philippines is to take fewer than 30 days to complete, no visa is required for your travel.

If your business related activities involve staying in the Philippines for more than 30 days, you will need to get a business visa. To acquire one, you need to submit an application that includes all of the documentation mentioned below:

your original passport (with at least six months left on it)
a recent passport-style photograph
proof of your residence status in the UK
recent bank statements to show your financial position (along with your last three pay slips, or proof of retirement funds.
a business introduction letter issued by the traveller’s employer in the UK (the letter should detail the purpose of your visit and the nature of your business.

If you need your visa application notarising, Woodcock Notary can help. Our specialist services for notarising documents of this type and are available when and where you need them.

If you are planning on travelling to the Philippines, it’s recommended that you get the necessary documents notarised as soon as possible. This prevents any last minute delays and also allows us to go through your application with you.

If you’re unsure about whether you’d need our notarisation services, we can offer you our expert advice during a free 10 minute consultation – which are available on request.