In a surprise move welcomed by travel agents and airlines on both sides of the South-China Sea, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that, effective 16 January 2026, holders of People’s Republic of China passports may enter the country visa-free for stays of up to 14 days. The unilateral waiver—initially valid for one year—applies to arrivals through Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Cebu’s Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Travellers must show a passport valid for six months beyond the trip, confirmed accommodation and an onward or return ticket. No on-arrival extensions or in-country conversions to another status will be permitted. (en.people.cn)
The Marcos administration framed the measure as a tool to “facilitate trade, investment and tourism” with its sixth-largest visitor source market. In 2019, 1.7 million mainland Chinese visited the Philippines; by 2025 arrivals were still only 262,000—barely 15 % of the pre-pandemic peak. Industry analysts say removing the visa hurdle could restore traffic on the under-performing China-Philippines air corridor, currently operating at roughly 40 % of 2019 capacity. (en.people.cn)
Chinese travellers who want additional certainty—or need help securing visas for onward journeys beyond the Philippines—can turn to VisaHQ. The company’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) provides real-time guidance on Philippine entry rules, lets users upload documents, track status and chat with specialists, streamlining paperwork for more than 200 destinations worldwide.
![Philippines Opens 14-Day Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Visitors]()
For Chinese corporates the policy offers a low-friction option for short due-diligence trips, site visits and deal closings. Philippine employers, however, must still secure separate work permits for assignees staying longer than two weeks. Compliance teams should remind travellers that the exemption is strictly non-convertible; overstays attract daily fines and possible blacklisting.
Political overtones remain. While Manila courts Chinese tourists, bilateral tensions in the South China Sea persist. Risk managers should continue to monitor security advisories and ensure travellers have comprehensive insurance that covers evacuation. Nevertheless, the two-week waiver is an unmistakable signal that Southeast Asia’s last hold-out for Chinese leisure traffic now wants a slice of the recovery pie.
For mobility managers the immediate action items are: update corporate travel policies to reflect the waiver; liaise with airlines on re-routed bookings that bypass visa processing time; and brief employees on documentary proof of onward travel—airline staff have been instructed to enforce this at check-in.
The Marcos administration framed the measure as a tool to “facilitate trade, investment and tourism” with its sixth-largest visitor source market. In 2019, 1.7 million mainland Chinese visited the Philippines; by 2025 arrivals were still only 262,000—barely 15 % of the pre-pandemic peak. Industry analysts say removing the visa hurdle could restore traffic on the under-performing China-Philippines air corridor, currently operating at roughly 40 % of 2019 capacity. (en.people.cn)
Chinese travellers who want additional certainty—or need help securing visas for onward journeys beyond the Philippines—can turn to VisaHQ. The company’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) provides real-time guidance on Philippine entry rules, lets users upload documents, track status and chat with specialists, streamlining paperwork for more than 200 destinations worldwide.
For Chinese corporates the policy offers a low-friction option for short due-diligence trips, site visits and deal closings. Philippine employers, however, must still secure separate work permits for assignees staying longer than two weeks. Compliance teams should remind travellers that the exemption is strictly non-convertible; overstays attract daily fines and possible blacklisting.
Political overtones remain. While Manila courts Chinese tourists, bilateral tensions in the South China Sea persist. Risk managers should continue to monitor security advisories and ensure travellers have comprehensive insurance that covers evacuation. Nevertheless, the two-week waiver is an unmistakable signal that Southeast Asia’s last hold-out for Chinese leisure traffic now wants a slice of the recovery pie.
For mobility managers the immediate action items are: update corporate travel policies to reflect the waiver; liaise with airlines on re-routed bookings that bypass visa processing time; and brief employees on documentary proof of onward travel—airline staff have been instructed to enforce this at check-in.
