MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has announced that the Philippine government is finalizing measures to extend electronic visas (e-Visas) for foreigners, including Indian nationals. This declaration was made during the courtesy visit of Indian Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Shambhu Kumaran, at Malacañan Palace last week.
According to Philippines News Agency, the conversation between President Marcos and Ambassador Kumaran focused on the extension of e-Visas for Indian nationals residing in the Philippines. In response, President Marcos assured that the e-Visa extensions would not only benefit Indian nationals but also other foreigners in the country.
President Marcos emphasized that the process for extending e-Visas would be consistent with the principles applied to other countries, ensuring a streamlined approach. He expressed optimism about this initiative, noting that it would mark a positive start to enhanced exchanges between the Philippines and other nations.
The courtesy visit by Ambassador Kumaran was also a part of India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with the Philippines. Next year will commemorate the 75th anniversary of Philippine-India diplomatic relations.
Earlier in March, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco held discussions with leaders from the Bureau of Immigration, and the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Information and Communications Technology. The focus was on visa reforms to alleviate tourism bottlenecks. Secretary Frasco highlighted the significant potential of China and India in terms of traveler inflow and underscored the importance of providing e-Visas to nationals of these countries.
DOT statistics reveal that India was the eighth-largest source of foreign visitors in 2022, with a total of 51,542 tourists. Prior to the pandemic, China was a major contributor to Philippine tourism, with more than 1.7 million Chinese visitors recorded.