Philippine agency supports resumption of Chinese visa-on-arrival program

The Philippine Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) announced its support for the resumption of the visa-on-arrival program for Chinese nationals, citing the potential of the program to encourage investment in the Philippines.

"If we want to encourage investment, we should make it easier for investors to enter," said Ernesto V. Perez, director general of ARTA, on Thursday."

"We recently received reports that Chinese people have to submit tourist visa applications to our embassy or consulate before they come to the Philippines, but sometimes they have to wait three to four months," MR. Perez said.

He said ARTA had sought meetings with the Foreign Office and the Immigration Department on the matter.

"How can they come in when we make it difficult for investors to enter or even to get a visa? That's one thing ARTA is also looking at," Mr. Perez said.

The visa-on-arrival program was launched in 2017 with the authorization of the then Minister of Justice, Vitaliano Aguirre (Vitaliano N. Aguirre). he issued a circular after consultation with the tourism department with the aim of promoting tourism.

Following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in 2019, the government suspended visa-on-arrival privileges in January 2020.