Philippine e-visa system piloted at consulate in Shanghai!

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday launched an e-visa system for the Philippines on a trial basis, initially targeting Chinese tourists in and around Shanghai, China.

Assistant Minister for Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Henry Bensurto Jr. The system will be tested at the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai and will eventually be rolled out to other Philippine diplomatic offices in China.

The foreign ministry had hoped to fully implement the system by the end of 2023 to cover other nationalities, including Indians.

"We will start with the consulate general in Shanghai because it has the largest number of applications," said Bensurto. "We are only beta testing now, as one of the water testing activities, so there may be some technical problems or challenges. We want to take it step by step, especially because it is our first time and it is uncharted territory for us."

While the system is still in the testing phase, he said any potential applicant in Shanghai can access the site and there is "no upper limit" on the number of applications accepted ".

The e-visa system is only applicable to applicants applying for a temporary visitor visa for business and leisure purposes.

"As we learn more about this system, it will slowly extend to other aspects of visas," Bensurto said."

DFA Minister Enrique Manalo expressed optimism that the new system would encourage more tourists to visit and experience the Philippines. He added that this initiative to digitize visa services is also in line with the Philippines' commitment to launch 13 items in the Master Plan on Connectivity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"This effort is a compelling reminder that our whole-of-government approach is critical to revitalizing tourism and balancing national security and economic interests," he said."

Through the website, applicants can fill out the application form, pay the visa fee, submit the printed and signed form as well as the original documents by courier or in person, and feel at ease at home waiting for the e-visa to be sent. However, the embassy or consulate may still require the applicant to undergo a face-to-face interview with the visa officer as appropriate.