In a surprise move aimed at reviving two-way trade and tourism, Manila’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on 15 January that ordinary Chinese passport-holders will no longer need a visa for short visits to the Philippines. The privilege takes effect on 16 January 2026 and will run for an initial one-year trial period.
Under the scheme, Chinese travellers arriving for tourism or business may stay up to 14 days but the stay is strictly non-extendable and the status is non-convertible to any other Philippine visa category. Entry is limited to the country’s two largest international gateways—Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). Visitors must present a passport valid for six months beyond the intended stay, confirmed hotel bookings and return or onward tickets. Routine derogatory-record checks will still be conducted at immigration counters.
The initiative follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to "facilitate trade, investments and tourism while strengthening people-to-people exchanges with China." Prior to the pandemic, China ranked second only to South Korea as the Philippines’ inbound market, with 1.75 million Chinese arrivals recorded in 2019. Numbers collapsed during the health crisis and have recovered only partially; industry groups have been lobbying for easier entry conditions to regain lost market share.
![Philippines Grants 14-Day Visa-Free Entry to Chinese Nationals Starting 16 January]()
For Chinese corporates, the waiver removes the need to schedule consular appointments weeks in advance—often a stumbling block for engineers and executives shuttling between construction sites and manufacturing plants. Philippine chambers of commerce also expect an uptick in Chinese buyers for February’s Manila FAME lifestyle fair and renewed interest in real-estate roadshows targeting Guangdong-based SMEs.
Those who eventually find that the 14-day waiver is too restrictive need not scramble: VisaHQ’s China desk (https://www.visahq.com/china/) can facilitate applications for standard Philippine visas as well as paperwork for onward destinations, providing door-to-door document handling and real-time status updates for both individual tourists and corporate road-warriors.
Companies should brief travelling staff on the programme’s tight parameters. Overstays incur daily fines, and any attempt to seek work or longer-term residency will require leaving the country to apply for the appropriate visa. HR teams are advised to pre-book flights that depart within the 14-day window and to keep scanned copies of hotel vouchers and return tickets on file in case of spot checks.
Under the scheme, Chinese travellers arriving for tourism or business may stay up to 14 days but the stay is strictly non-extendable and the status is non-convertible to any other Philippine visa category. Entry is limited to the country’s two largest international gateways—Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). Visitors must present a passport valid for six months beyond the intended stay, confirmed hotel bookings and return or onward tickets. Routine derogatory-record checks will still be conducted at immigration counters.
The initiative follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to "facilitate trade, investments and tourism while strengthening people-to-people exchanges with China." Prior to the pandemic, China ranked second only to South Korea as the Philippines’ inbound market, with 1.75 million Chinese arrivals recorded in 2019. Numbers collapsed during the health crisis and have recovered only partially; industry groups have been lobbying for easier entry conditions to regain lost market share.
For Chinese corporates, the waiver removes the need to schedule consular appointments weeks in advance—often a stumbling block for engineers and executives shuttling between construction sites and manufacturing plants. Philippine chambers of commerce also expect an uptick in Chinese buyers for February’s Manila FAME lifestyle fair and renewed interest in real-estate roadshows targeting Guangdong-based SMEs.
Those who eventually find that the 14-day waiver is too restrictive need not scramble: VisaHQ’s China desk (https://www.visahq.com/china/) can facilitate applications for standard Philippine visas as well as paperwork for onward destinations, providing door-to-door document handling and real-time status updates for both individual tourists and corporate road-warriors.
Companies should brief travelling staff on the programme’s tight parameters. Overstays incur daily fines, and any attempt to seek work or longer-term residency will require leaving the country to apply for the appropriate visa. HR teams are advised to pre-book flights that depart within the 14-day window and to keep scanned copies of hotel vouchers and return tickets on file in case of spot checks.
