The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs recently announced a visa-free policy for Indian nationals for tourism purposes, allowing them to stay in the country for a maximum of 14 days.

Previously, only Indian nationals with a valid U.S., Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Schengen, Singapore or UK visa were allowed visa-free entry for up to 14 days. This has been extended to 30 days for this group.

This move aims to boost tourism in the Philippines, as visitor numbers have declined significantly, falling below Cambodia in the first quarter of this year. The hope is that Indian tourists will help offset the loss of Chinese visitors.

While India’s large population of 1.438 billion may seem like a potential substitute, only a small percentage (6.5%) hold passports. In comparison, China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 10% of its citizens holding passports. China also leads in tourist spending, with USD 250.6 billion in 2024, while India spent USD 18.82 billion in the same year. These figures suggest that India may not fully replace China as a major tourism market, but rather serve as a valuable market to cultivate.

The retirement industry, however, views the visa-free policy as a draw for Indian nationals considering the Philippines as a retirement haven.

“India now ranks third highest among the 65,000+ foreign retirees here in the country, next only to PROC and South Korea. With these new visa-free privilege, we expect their numbers to rise even faster.” reveals Roberto ‘Bob’ Zozobrado, General Manager/CEO, Philippine Retirement Authority. 

“One reason why we continue to attract many Indian nationals settling down here is the presence of long-time residents and entrepreneurs who are friends or relatives of potential Indian retirees. Some Indian heads of families decide to retire here to send their children to school. Thanks to the University of Perpetual Help System, some Indian families have decided to retire here because their children are medical students of the university,”he added.