In brief
As of October 2026, nationals of the countries on the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs’ visa-free list may enter for an initial 30 days if their passport is valid at least six months beyond the stay and they hold a return or onward ticket. China, India, Hong Kong and Macau are handled separately, with 14-day rules for most holders, and the China rule applies only through two named airports.
- India (from 8 June 2025): 14 days, non-extendible and non-convertible, with a confirmed hotel booking, proof of funds and an onward ticket1.
- China (effective 16 January 2026): 14 days, non-extendible, and only through Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport1.
- Brazil and Israel: 59 days visa-free under existing agreements1.
- An e-Visa or a visa waiver does not guarantee admission; the immigration officer at the port of entry decides2.
- Every arriving foreign passenger registers on eTravel, which is free, within 72 hours before arrival3.
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Where to book Current rates across the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa to go to Boracay?
The national rules apply. Nationals on the DFA’s list enter visa-free for an initial 30 days, and others should check eVisaPH1.
How long can I stay in Boracay without a visa?
Thirty days for most listed nationalities, 59 for Brazil and Israel, and 14 days for most Chinese, Indian, Hong Kong and Macau passport holders under the special rules1.
Can Chinese citizens fly visa-free straight to Caticlan or Kalibo?
The China 14-day rule names only Manila and Mactan-Cebu as entry airports1. The page does not say that Kalibo or Caticlan is allowed, so confirm with the Bureau of Immigration or the DFA before booking.
Can Indian citizens visit Boracay without a visa?
For 14 days, since 8 June 2025, with a confirmed hotel booking, proof of funds and an onward ticket; holders of certain US, Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Schengen, Singapore or UK visas may stay 30 days1.
What happens if I overstay?
The Bureau of Immigration’s fee list shows an additional PHP 500 per month for overstaying, on a page dated 20144. Current amounts should be confirmed with the bureau.
Is eTravel compulsory?
Arriving foreign passengers are required to register, free of charge, within 72 hours before arrival3.
Does a visa-free entry guarantee that I will be admitted?
No. Admission is decided by the immigration officer at the port of entry2.
The detail
There is one set of visa rules for the whole country, applied at the first airport or port a traveler enters. This page sets out what the Philippine government’s own pages state about visa-free stays, which nationalities have special rules, and what changes if you fly into Kalibo or Caticlan. It does not cover Filipino citizens. For the other things checked on the way in, see Boracay entry requirements, and for the full list of national and local rules, Boracay rules for visitors.
The short answer
| If you are… | Visa-free stay (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| A national of a country on the DFA’s 30-day list | 30 days initially |
| From Brazil or Israel | 59 days |
| An Indian national | 14 days, or 30 days with certain third-country visas |
| A Chinese national | 14 days, only via Manila (NAIA) or Cebu (Mactan) |
| A Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR passport holder | 14 days |
| Not on any list | Check the DFA’s eVisaPH page before booking |
Sources:1. The page carries no publication date; its footer reads “Copyright © 2023”, and the India and China rules carry their own start dates.
The standard 30 days
The eVisaPH portal of the Department of Foreign Affairs says nationals of listed countries may enter “without a visa for an initial stay of thirty (30) days”. Two conditions apply: the passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the planned stay, and the traveler must hold a return or onward ticket1. The list is long, and the page names, among others, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. Read the list for your own passport rather than relying on a summary.
Brazil and Israel appear on that list with a 59-day stay “based on existing agreements”1.
Countries with their own rules
China, India, Hong Kong and Macau are not on the 30-day list because each has a separate rule1. These are the rules as the page states them.
| Passport | Stay | Conditions the page lists |
|---|---|---|
| India, from 8 June 2025 | 14 days, non-extendible and non-convertible, for tourism or business | Passport valid six months beyond the stay, confirmed hotel booking, proof of financial capacity, onward ticket |
| India, holders of a valid US, Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Schengen, Singapore or UK visa or residence permit | 30 days for tourism, non-extendible | As listed on the page |
| China, effective 16 January 2026 | 14 days, non-extendible and non-convertible, for tourism and business | Passport valid six months beyond the stay, confirmed hotel booking, onward ticket, no derogatory record with the Bureau of Immigration |
| Hong Kong SAR | 14 days | As listed on the page |
| Macau SAR | 14 days initially | Return or onward ticket |
| Hong Kong British passport; certain mainland Chinese holding Australian, Japanese, Canadian, Schengen or US visas | 7 days, extendible by 14 days to a maximum of 21 | As listed on the page |
Source:1.
Where Chinese visitors can land
The eVisaPH page says the China 14-day rule applies only through “Ninoy Aquino International Airport” in Metro Manila and “Mactan-Cebu International Airport”1. Kalibo and Caticlan, the two airports used to reach Boracay, are not named. The page does not say that a direct arrival at Kalibo or Caticlan qualifies for the visa-free rule, so a Chinese traveler should confirm the entry point with the bureau or the DFA before booking. For the airports themselves see Caticlan or Kalibo: which airport for Boracay.
Good to know For India, the page says Indian nationals with no derogatory record at the Bureau of Immigration may use the privileges at “any port of entry”1. It lists no airport restriction for India, unlike China.
The countries and conditions can change by order of the DFA. The Bureau of Immigration and the DFA are the places to confirm a rule on the day you book, and a rule that is not on those pages should not be assumed.
Extending a stay
The Bureau of Immigration’s Temporary Visitor (9A) visa-waiver page covers visa-free tourists admitted initially for 30 days who apply for an extension4. Its fee list totals PHP 3,030 and adds an overstay fine of PHP 500 per month, with the note “Fees are updated as of 06 March 2014 and may change without prior notice”4. Because the figures are dated 2014 on the page itself, ask the bureau for the current amount. A stay beyond 59 days needs further extensions filed with the bureau4.
What a visa waiver does not do
The eVisaPH page says “the e-Visa is not a guarantee that the holder will be automatically admitted”, and that admission “is a function of the immigration authorities at the port of entry”2. That applies equally to visa-free arrivals, so keep the documents the rules above list: passport validity, the onward ticket, and for India and China the hotel booking.
The bureau’s visa-upon-arrival category is for investors, athletes, conference delegates and similar groups endorsed by an organizer, not for ordinary tourists5.
Registering on eTravel
Arriving foreign passengers register on eTravel, the government’s travel-information platform, within 72 hours before arrival3. Registration is free. The FAQ states that etravel.gov.ph is the only official website and warns of scam sites that charge a fee3. A green QR code goes straight to immigration inspection; a red one means a Bureau of Quarantine check first, issued when data is incomplete or incorrect or the traveler has been ill in the last 30 days3. A separate page on eTravel for Boracay is planned.
Related Articles
Sources (5)
- Welcome to the Philippine Visa Online Portal (eVisaPH: Free to enter the Philippines without Visa) — Department of Foreign Affairs. No publication date shown; footer “Copyright © 2023”. Accessed 2026-10-14.
- Welcome to the Philippine Visa Online Portal (eVisaPH policy) — Department of Foreign Affairs. No publication date shown. Accessed 2026-10-14.
- Frequently Asked Questions — eTravel, Philippine Travel Information System. No publication date shown. Accessed 2026-10-14.
- Temporary Visitor (9A) Visa Waiver — Bureau of Immigration. Fee list “updated as of 06 March 2014”. Accessed 2026-10-14.
- Visa Upon Arrival (SEVUA) — Bureau of Immigration. No publication date shown. Accessed 2026-10-14.