There is now a visa waiver for cruise passengers who will be part of potential port visits by cruise lines in the Philippines.
The Department of Tourism (DOT), along with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI), have joined forces to introduce a visa waiver program for cruise passengers visiting potential ports of call in the Philippines.
DOT Secretary Christina Frasco expressed her excitement in the implementation of the visa waiver program, highlighting the extensive preparation and collaboration among the three agencies and input from cruise tourism industry stakeholders.
“It’s a long time coming, Frasco related, earlier I was bent on finding what were the concerns in pushing Philippine tourism through my listening tours and I found out that one of the major issues was the difficulty and length of time in getting visas.”
The initiative aligns with the government’s goal of boosting the competitiveness of Philippine tourism and creating more employment opportunities in the industry. Frasco emphasized the importance of streamlining the visa process to enhance the potential for the Philippines to become a cruise hub, given its 7,641 islands and the significant employment opportunities provided by the cruise industry.
“The direction of our President is that we must elevate the competitiveness of Philippine tourism by elevating the tourism experience. And if at the very touch point of tourism is already inconvenient, then we cannot expect that our tourists will want to come back again and again. And so, unlocking this barrier to entry comes with much significance to our industry for we know that we can greatly assist our cruise tourism industry stakeholders. The increase in arrivals will, of course, create more employment opportunities for the country,” gushed Frasco deviating away from her speech at that moment.
According to Frasco, the cruise industry has given employment to nearly 70,000 crew members on cruise lines all over the world. The country also has the potential to be a cruise hub with 7,641 islands.
“In 2023 we received 123 ports of call , this year we have a projected 117 ports of call and we are expecting 118,000 visitors with the implementation of the Visa Waiver Program. We expect more tourist to arrive in the Philippines especially that the Philippines is well on its way towards becoming a preferred destination for luxurious expedition cruises, and to cruise ships that can accommodate a bigger number,”
Commissioner Norman Tansingco of the Bureau of Immigration explained that the visa waiver can be easily accessed online through the BI portal https://e-services.immigration.gov.ph, with passengers simply needing to click on the “Cruise Visa Waiver” prompt. The visas will be issued for the duration of the cruise and will be valid for single entry and valid for 14 days stay in the country.
Ben Line Agencies Marine Agency Services Director & Vice President Capt. Terence Uytingban, who represent the cruise line agencies in the country, said in an interview, “This initiative is a big step forward for the country’s cruise tourism as it institutionalized the visa waiver for the visiting passengers. This very important milestone will further enhance our competitiveness.”
He added that the visa waiver gives assurance to the cruise lines and the riding cruisers that there is really an accommodation policy in the Philippines, allowing cruise passengers to embark on the vessels and enjoy the country through the shore excursions.
“This program makes the Philippines at par with major destinations that already have similar arrangements for cruise passengers,” he concluded.