The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday soft-launched the Philippine e-Visa system starting with tourists from Shanghai, China.
"I am pleased to share that the Philippine e-visa system is ready to be soft launched for beta testing which will be led by the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai," said DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo during the soft launching.
According to the DFA, the e-visa system will allow foreign nationals to apply for visitor visas remotely through their personal computers, laptops, and mobile devices. It will also encourage more tourists to visit the country.
The new visa system was made possible through a partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
DFA Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Henry Bensurto Jr. said the system will be beta tested in Shanghai, China as it is one of the countries with a high volume of visa applicants.
“We’re beta testing because we’re testing the water, we want to be gradual, especially since it's our first time and it’s an uncharted water for us, therefore, prudence dictates that we do this in a calibrated way,” Bensurto said.
How to apply for e-Visa?
Through the website, applicants may fill up the application form, pay for the visa fee, submit via courier or personal appearance their printed and signed form along with their original documents, and wait for their e-Visa to be sent.
An applicant, however, may still be required to undergo a face-to-face interview by the visa officer at the discretion of the embassy or consulate.
Once granted, the e-visa may be downloaded or printed by the applicant.
