Starting from today, January 16th, Chinese nationals visiting the Philippines for tourism or business can benefit from 14-day visa-free entry.
The new program only applies to entries via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in Cebu.
The visa-free entry program is effective for one year.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) made the announcement on Thursday, noting that the initiative is ‘in line with the President’s directive to facilitate trade, investments, and tourism, as well as strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and China’.
Chinese nationals entering the country via the two ports only need to present their passport (valid for at least six months beyond the stay period), a confirmed hotel or accommodation booking, and a return ticket or ticket for their next destinations outside of the Philippines.
China was the second-largest foreign tourist/business tourist market for the Philippines before the pandemic, with some 1.7 million visitors, second only to Korea.
As of December of 2025, China had fallen to sixth in the ranking of inbound arrivals, totaling just 262,144.
