Starting August, visitors from 151 countries can enter the Philippines without a visa and can extend their stay up to 30 days, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI). AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign tourists may now stay for up to 30 days in the country without a visa, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Monday.

“Beginning August 1, 2013, nationals from 151 countries with visa-free privileges can stay in the Philippines for 30 days, up from the previous period of 21 days,” DFA spokesman assistant secretary Raul Hernandez told reporters in a press conference.

The extension of the period “aims to facilitate the entry and stay of foreign nationals who plan to engage in tourism activities or explore the Philippines as an investment destination,” Hernandez said.

Foreign nationals would only need to present their passports that are valid for up to six months from the day of their travel to the country.

The nationals from the following countries are eligible for the extension:

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bahamas

Bahrain

Barbados

Belgium

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Botswana

Brazil*

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Costa Rica

Cote d’Ivoire

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Germany

Ghana

Gibraltar

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel*

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kuwait

Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Latvia

Lesotho

Liberia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Monaco

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nepal

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Norway

Oman

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Republic of Korea

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Seychelles

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

Spain

Suriname

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Thailand

Togo

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Tuvalu

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Republic of Tanzania

United States of America

Uruguay

Venezuela

Vietnam

Zambia

Zimbabwe

The nationals of Brazil and Israel will continue to enjoy staying in the country for up to 59 days without a visa “in line with existing bilateral agreements with the Philippines,” Hernandez said.

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