69 visa-free destinations for PH passport holders

As of June 2024, a Philippine passport holder can visit 69 destinations without the need to apply for a visa beforehand, according to Henley Passport Index based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Of the total number, 39 countries/territories offer total visa-free access, 27 require visa but only upon arrival (VOA), while three require an electronical travel authorization (ETA) in place of a visa.

This sounds exciting for a Filipino traveler – until one realizes that there are no direct flights between the Philippines and the great majority of these places. Which means one cannot just hop on a plane and arrive at the destination armed only with his/her passport. To reach these destinations, a Philippine passport holder typically needs to take connecting flights through other regional hubs.

But for the eager Filipino wanderer who has the means and financial capacity, the fact that there are destinations that can be accessed without the trouble of securing a visa first is good news enough.

Below is the list of the 39 countries and territories that offer total visa-free access to travelers with valid Philippine passports:

1. Barbados **
2. Bolivia **
3. Brazil **
4. Brunei ***
5. Cambodia ***
6. Colombia **
7. Cook Islands **
8. Costa Rica **
9. Cote d'Ivoire **
10. Dominica **
11. Fiji **
12. Haiti **
13. Hong Kong ***
14. Indonesia ***
15. Israel **
16. Kazakhstan **
17. Kiribati **
18. Laos **
19. Macao (SAR China) ***
20. Madagascar **
21. Malaysia ***
22. Micronesia ***
23. Mongolia **
24. Morocco **
25. Myanmar **
26. Niue **
27. Palestinian Territory **
28. Peru **
29. Rwanda **
30. Senegal **
31. Singapore ***
32. St Vincent and the Grenadines **
33. Suriname **
34. Taiwan ***
35. Tajikistan **
36. Thailand ***
37. The Gambia **
38. Vanuatu **
39. Vietnam ***

Meanwhile, here is the list of 27 destinations that offer Visa on Arrival — a type of visa that allows travelers to obtain a visa at the port of entry upon arrival in a country instead of applying for a visa at an embassy or consulate before traveling — to Philippine passport holders:

(NOTE: For Filipino travelers eyeing to take advantage of the VOA setup, it is advisable to check the government, embassy or airline websites of their target destinations to get the updated information on the policies and requirements.)

1. Armenia **
2. Burundi **
3. Cape Verde Islands **
4. Comoro Islands **
5. Djibouti **
6. Ethiopia ***
7. Guinea-Bissau **
8. Iran (voa) **
9. Kyrgyztan **
10. Malawi **
11. Maldives ***
12. Marshall Islands **
13. Mauritania **
14. Mauritius **
15. Mozambique **
16. Nepal **
17. Nicaragua **
18. Samoa **
19. Seychelles **
20. Palau Islands **
21. Somalia **
22. Saint Lucia **
23. Tanzania **
24. Timor-Leste **
25. Togo **
26. Trinidad and Tobago **
27. Tuvalu **

And lastly, there are three countries that offer electronic travel authorization (ETA) to Philippine passport holders.

1. Kenya **
2. Sri Lanka **
3. Pakistan **

ETAs are typically issued to travelers from visa-exempt nationalities who will visit a country for tourism, business, or transit purposes. According to the Thales Group, a French firm that designs and develops electrical systems, an ETA allows the destination country to screen travelers before they arrive for visibility and security purposes. The fee for an ETA varies depending on the country issuing it.

** no direct flights from PH

*** with direct flights from PH

—KBK, GMA Integrated News