Government sees tourism boost with cruise visa waiver program

MANILA, Philippines — Government agencies look forward to more tourists visiting the Philippines onboard cruise ships after launching a program that will provide convenience to foreigners coming from countries with a visa requirement.

The Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) launched on Tuesday the cruise visa waiver program, which “aims to streamline visa processes and attract more international cruise ships to the country.”

Under the program, foreigners “must arrive and depart via cruise ship, be handled by a BI-accredited cruise tour operator and hold a passport valid for at least six months from their arrival date,” according to the DOT.

The cruise visa waiver “is non-convertible and non-extendable and would require the bearer to arrive and depart on the same cruise ship,” the BI noted.

The agency said the application for the cruise visa waiver is available at e-services.immigration.gov.ph.

In his speech, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the cruise visa waiver program “supports our goal of making the Philippines the cruise hub of Asia (and) demonstrates our commitment to providing secure and hassle-free entry for tourists, which is crucial for boosting our tourism sector.”

The BI instituted the cruise visa waiver program through Immigration Memorandum Circular 2024-001 issued on Jan. 25 and approved by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on March 14.

The DOJ welcomed the launch of the government’s cruise visa waiver program.

“This partnership… will lead to a simplified and streamlined visa processing for cruise visitors, which will definitely be a key factor in boosting the country’s tourism economy,” the DOJ said in a statement.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco also welcomed the program as it allows the Philippines “to become more accessible, welcoming and attractive to the world.”

“It is imperative for us to fully harness the potential of our destinations, as well as to open up opportunities to all of our region’s provinces, cities and municipalities,” she added.

Both the DOT and the BI said they foresee 117 port calls by cruise ships in the Philippines in 2024, bringing in 118,000 passengers. — Nillicent Bautista