The Philippines is a unique country with over 7,000 islands. Tourists from all over the world go to the resorts of this country, and the inhabitants of Russia are no exception. Many consider it an ideal vacation spot. But not everyone knows: do I need a visa to the Philippines? The answer to this question is presented in the article.
Is it required?
Do Russians need a visa to the Philippines? It is not required if you plan a trip as tourists and for a short period. If you plan a long visit to the country, you need a visa.
Russian travelers have preferential entry rules. Without a visa, you can be in the territory for 30 days. According to the law of the Philippines, the day of arrival does not apply to the day of stay, which means that, arriving on the 1st, on the 31st you can legally be in the country. According to the reviews of tourists, such rules are convenient for a short trip.
Need a visa to the Philippines to Russians if you need to stay more than 30 days. The registration procedure is carried out in advance, in Russia. By doing this in advance, you don’t have to worry that there will be any difficulties at the entrance.
Without a visa
You can visit the Philippines without a visa within 30 days. This will be enough for a good rest, diving, visiting friends, as well as exploring the country. Of the documents required:
- Passport The requirements for this document are standard: the expiration date must be at least 6 months from the start of the trip.
- Correctly completed migration card.
- Electronic copy or original return ticket.
- Confirmation of solvency.
The last paragraph is not considered mandatory, usually they do not pay attention to it, according to reviews. But you should be prepared that the customs will still need evidence. These are all documents with which you can visit the country.
Filling out the migration card
A migration card is a small form that must be filled out and presented in order to pass through passport control. It is usually issued on board an airplane. The form shall indicate:
- personal information of the tourist;
- Information about the hotel and the purpose of the trip.
These measures are required in case of force majeure situations, so that a tourist can be easier to find. If the card is filled in correctly, there will be no problems with entry.
Crossing the border
After arriving in the Philippines, all people go through passport control. And if there are suspicions among employees, a personal search of the passenger is possible. Then you need to submit a personal passport and a migration card.
If the last document is correctly filled in, a visa stamp is put in the passport, which indicates the date of arrival. When leaving the country, they look at the stamp: it is very simple to identify violators of the law. Compliance with visa regulations is carefully monitored, so it is best to comply with them.
Customs regulations
Although a visa to the Philippines for a period of thirty days is not required, nevertheless, customs rules apply at entry. Import prohibited:
- some drugs;
- explosive materials;
- weapons (cold steel can be transported, but it needs permission);
- jewelry that is not marked.
Judging by the reviews, the customs check that tourists are transporting. To avoid problems, it is important to comply with these rules. Import allowed:
- food for personal use, but not for sale;
- animals, but with a veterinary certificate of an international species;
- no more than two liters of alcohol and 50 cigars or 400 cigarettes.
It is prohibited to export from the country:
- antiques;
- wooden products that are made from rare species of wood;
- jewels;
- representatives of the flora and fauna of the Philippines.
There are also rules on the import of cash into the country. You can not take with you over 10 thousand dollars in cash, if they are not declared. There are still rules for the export of Philippine pesos: it is allowed to take with you no more than 10,000 of this currency. Surplus needs to be spent. These rules do not apply to bank accounts and traveler’s checks.
Medical services
Any medical care, including emergency, will be paid. Although it is not necessary to receive medical insurance, it is better to have it and get it in advance. With this document, when contacting a medical institution, the insurance company will pay all expenses in case of a sudden illness, as well as in an accident, getting injured and other troubles.
The standard medical insurance covers expenses for injuries and sudden illness (they do not include exacerbation of chronic ailments during a trip). The insurer form guarantees medical assistance in the amount of the insured amount. The level of medical services is high. But hospitals that have the necessary equipment are present only in the capital and some cities of the country.
In small towns, they can only provide emergency assistance. Services will be paid. For example, calling a doctor at home costs about 4,800 rubles. And for staying in the hospital you have to pay up to 120 thousand rubles, depending on the complexity of the disease. Therefore, it is better to get medical insurance.
Extension of a visa
It sometimes happens that thirty days permitted by law are not enough, and a visa for a longer period is not issued. Then extension of stay in the country is possible. You just need to go to the airport and ask to put a new stamp that destroys being in the Philippines. Only after that, not a thirty-day visa stamp will be indicated, but another one that allows you to be in the country for 59 days. You will have to pay for it.
If it is not possible to visit the airport to extend a visa to the Philippines, then you can go through this procedure in the office where they deal with staying in the country. In the country there are a lot of these departments, where the nearest is located, hotel staff will tell.
You can also not only extend the stamp. The extension of the visa to the Philippines is also being carried out, the period of which has ended or will expire after some time. Perform the procedure in a timely manner. You just need to know the nuances that apply to extending a visa to the Philippines:
- Renewals are permitted more than once, but the total number of months must not exceed 16.
- During the extension of a long-term visa, an ID document with personal data and a photograph is presented.
- If you repeatedly extend your visa for a period of more than 6 months, a certificate for departure is provided by ID and passport. It must be obtained necessarily, otherwise they may be fined upon departure.
According to reviews, the visa can be easily extended. Nevertheless, it is better to think ahead of time for how long permission is required. After all, a visa issued in Russia is usually cheaper.
When is a visa required?
With an extension without a visa, you can be in the country for 3 months. But there are situations when you have to be there for a long time. Then you need a visa to the Philippines long-term view. For example, if the trip is planned for work, study or a long stay.
Multiple entry permits are granted for 2 terms - for 6 and 12 months. In the first case, the consular fee is 4800 rubles, and in the second - 7300.
Decor
A visa to the Philippines for Russians for a long stay is issued in Russia. Filipino visas do not have a distribution for work, business, or guest visas. They differ in validity and list of documents. Self-registration of a visa to the Philippines for Russians is carried out if:
- copies of passport sheets with personal data;
- Application forms to be completed in English;
- return air tickets;
- 3 × 4 cm photo;
- Consular fee receipts ;
- letters of invitation from the employer, university, relative, friend. Without this document, a visa is not granted.
You can send documentation to the consulate on your own or by courier. She is accepted in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok. According to reviews, a visa to the Philippines is easy to obtain, permission will be granted if the specified documents are available.
For students
According to reviews, many Russians go to the country to study. Students in the application form must indicate the purpose of the trip. Permission to visit the country for training is drawn up with some nuances. In addition to the standard package of documents, you must:
- birth certificate;
- medical certificate in form No. 11 with two photographs;
- police certificate certified by the embassy of the Philippines;
- moral certificate from the head of the school where the student studied earlier;
- statement of performance from the previous place of study;
- personal biographical information with photos and fingerprints (four copies);
- affidavit certified by a notary public about the availability of sufficient amount and money and bank statement;
- the decision of the educational institution to accept the student.
To obtain a visa at the embassy, the student presents the results of medical tests, fluorographic examinations, a notice from the Philippine school about the acceptance of tuition fees. Obtaining permission to visit the country for training is considered a troublesome matter. In practice, the main papers are obtained at a Philippine school. The student only needs to submit a standard package for each educational institution.
For children
When you leave in 30 days, a visa for the child is not needed. Parents only have to enter it in the migration card. For a long-term visa, a birth certificate is required.
It is known that illegal trafficking in people is widespread in the Philippines, especially a lot of children disappear, therefore, there are some nuances in their entry:
- Children must not enter the country with relatives or other persons; the child must travel with their parents.
- When traveling with one parent, you must present permission from the second, certified by a notary. Like other documents, this paper must be translated into English.
- If it is not possible to obtain permission from the parent, it is required to submit a certificate stating this fact. Paper is also translated into English.
To obtain a tourist visa, no other documents are needed. Only reservation from the hotel is required. These measures are taken to ensure the safety of tourists from an accident. During your stay in the Philippines, you should not let the children go alone. It is important that they are always supervised.
Cost and terms
A stamp permitting 30 days in the country is free of charge. You need to pay when renewing: the first time - 4500 rubles at the airport, 12,200 - at the immigration department, the second time and beyond - 6100.
You also need to pay:
- ID-document - 900 rubles.
- Certificate for departure (for stays of more than 6 months) - 730 rubles.
When applying for a Philippine visa for Russian citizens at home, the rates are different. A single entry visa costs 2400 rubles. For multiple you need to pay 4800, and the consular fee for it - 7300 rubles.
From Russia, a Philippine visa will cost less than an extension of the visa stamp. Therefore, it is important to immediately decide how long the trip is planned. Making a permit to a country is quick. It is issued within 2-5 days. After that, entry will be allowed.
Departure
If the entire period of stay in the country is more than six months, then before departure, tourists fill out an ECC certificate - this is a permission to leave. The presence of the document indicates that law enforcement agencies have no complaints against the tourist. The certificate indicates the time when the traveler must leave the country. If there is no document, there may be difficulties when leaving.
The certificate is issued at the immigration office no later than 72 hours before departure. To do this, you must have:
- Passport and a copy of the first page, as well as a U-turn with a visa or stamp of arrival and renewal.
- A receipt for payment of the extreme extension.
- A copy of the ACR I-Card.
- Copy of return ticket.
- Photo 2x2 inches (5x5 cm).
During the issuance of the certificate, a fingerprint procedure is mandatory. If everything is done correctly, there should be no problems with entry and exit from the country.