Traveling To The Philippines: A Us Citizen's Guide

Yes, it is possible to travel from the United States to the Philippines. The Philippines is a popular destination for US citizens, with an estimated 650,000 visiting each year. The country has strong historical and cultural links with the US and is designated as a Major Non-NATO Ally. There are several direct and indirect flights available from cities across the US, with prices varying depending on the origin and destination airport. US citizens planning to stay in the Philippines for less than 30 days must present a valid passport and a return ticket to receive their entry visa.

Visa requirements for US citizens

US citizens can enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay of up to 30 days, as long as they have a valid passport and a ticket to leave the Philippines. If you wish to stay longer than 30 days, you will need to apply for a visa before travelling to the Philippines.

To apply for a visa, you will need to submit the following:

• A duly accomplished non-immigrant visa application form (FA Form No. 2-A), typed or printed legibly in black or blue ink, and signed and notarized.
• An electronic or machine-readable passport valid for at least six months beyond the authorized period of stay in the Philippines.
• One coloured photo (1.77" x 1.37"), taken within six months before the date of application, showing a clear front view of the applicant's face, with a white background. No eyeglasses or sleeveless attire. Digital photographs are not accepted.
• Proof of financial capability (e.g. previous three months' bank statement, income tax return, previous three months' pay stub, employment certificate from the employer indicating position and salary).
• A round-trip flight itinerary to the country of origin or next country of destination. Please do not purchase an airline ticket unless and until the Philippine visa has been approved. Applicants may submit a temporary flight itinerary by booking a reservation with an airline.
• For non-US citizens, proof of legal status/residency in the US, e.g. a valid US permanent residence permit (green card) or employment authorization card.
• A previously issued Philippine visa, if applicable.
• A notarized letter of invitation from the sponsor/reference in the Philippines, indicating the length of stay (inclusive dates), proof of lodging or residence address where the applicant will be staying, and a copy of the sponsor's valid ID.
• Hotel accommodation/proof of lodging indicating the length of stay (inclusive dates).
• Payment of the visa fee in a money order payable to the "Philippine Consulate General". Cash, personal cheques, and credit cards are not accepted.
• One self-addressed prepaid return envelope, preferably USPS Priority Mail, with a tracking number. Do not use metered stamps or a PO Box return address. Do not use FedEx.

Flight routes and prices

There are many airports in the United States offering flights to the Philippines. These include Las Vegas McCarran Airport and Santa Ana John Wayne Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport. Ninoy Aquino International Airport is a common destination for flights into the Philippines. It is about five miles from Manila and is a hub for several airlines, including Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.

The cheapest one-way flight price from the Philippines to the United States found in the last 72 hours was $380, while the cheapest round-trip flight in the same period was $634. The average non-stop flight from the United States to the Philippines takes 21 hours and 49 minutes, covering a distance of 7912 miles. The most common layovers take place in Vancouver, Shanghai, and Seoul.

The cheapest ticket to the Philippines from the United States found in the last 72 hours was $419 one-way and $612 round-trip. The most popular route is from Los Angeles to Manila, with an average flight time of 14 hours and 30 minutes, and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $612.

The cheapest one-way flight price from the United States to the Philippines found in the last 72 hours was $324, while another source states the price to be $397. The most popular destinations in the Philippines are Manila (82% of total searches to the Philippines), followed by Cebu City (8%) and Angeles City (7%).

Several airlines fly directly from the United States to the Philippines. These include Philippine Airlines, KLM, and EVA Air. Direct flights are available from New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.

Tips for Finding Cheap Flights

• Compare multiple travel sites with a search engine to save up to 22%.
• Be flexible with travel dates and times to find the best deals.
• Set price alerts to track prices if you're not ready to book yet.

The Philippines' colonial history

Spanish Colonial Era (16th-19th Centuries)

• 16th Century: Spanish explorers, led by Ferdinand Magellan, first arrived in the Philippines in 1521. They encountered various indigenous groups, including the Visayans, Bikolanos, and Tagalogs, who practised a variety of belief systems.
• 1565: Miguel López de Legazpi established the first permanent Spanish settlement in Cebu, marking the beginning of Spanish colonial rule.
• 1571: The Spanish established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies, creating the first unified political structure known as the Philippines.
• 16th-18th Centuries: Spanish colonial rule brought significant changes to the Philippines, including the introduction of Christianity, a legal code, and the oldest modern university in Asia. The Philippines was ruled under the Mexico-based Viceroyalty of New Spain.
• 1762-1764: The British occupied Manila during the Seven Years' War, briefly interrupting Spanish rule.
• 18th Century: The Catholic Church and various religious orders shared power with Spain in administering the islands. This period saw the rise of revolutionary figures like Gabriela and Diego Silang, who fought for a free Ilocano nation in the northern Philippines.
• 19th Century: By the end of the 19th century, leaders like Andrés Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto emerged, pressuring Spanish leadership and advocating for reforms. José Rizal, a prominent Filipino intellectual and writer, played a crucial role in exposing the abuses of the colonial government through his works, "Noli Me Tángere" and "El Filibusterismo."

American Colonial Era (19th-20th Centuries)

• 1898: The Spanish-American War resulted in Spain ceding the Philippines to the United States for $20 million, as agreed in the Treaty of Paris.
• 1899-1902: The Philippine-American War broke out between Filipino revolutionaries and U.S. forces, resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides.
• 1901: Emilio Aguinaldo, a Filipino leader, declared an independent Philippine government, but it was not recognised by the U.S. or Spain.
• 1907: The elected Philippine Assembly was established, marking a step towards self-governance.
• 1916: The Jones Act promised independence to the Philippines but did not set a definite date.
• 1935: The United States designated the Philippines as a commonwealth and established a transitional government towards full independence.
• 1941-1945: During World War II, Japan occupied the Philippines. Filipino resistance groups and U.S. troops fought against the Japanese, with the Battle of Manila in 1945 marking the end of the occupation.
• 1946: The Treaty of Manila established the independent Philippine Republic, with Manuel Roxas as the first president.

The US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty

Yes, you can travel to the Philippines from the United States. The cheapest ticket to the Philippines from the United States found in the last 72 hours was $419 one-way, and $612 round-trip. The most popular route is from Los Angeles to Manila and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $612.

Now, onto the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

The Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America (MDT) was signed on August 30, 1951, by their representatives in Washington, D.C. The treaty has eight articles and requires both nations to support each other if another party attacks either country.

The Philippines became a US territory after the Spanish–American War and the subsequent Philippine–American War. In 1935, under the terms of the Tydings–McDuffie Act, the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth, the Philippine Commonwealth, with full independence planned for ten years later. Delayed by World War II and the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Philippines, the Philippines became a fully independent sovereign state on July 4, 1946.

Following independence, a strong US military presence remained, including a number of US military bases that were agreed upon in treaties between the countries. Some treaties created a strong bond between them that gave both countries rights not enjoyed by other nations.

• Article I: Each party is to settle international disputes in a peaceful manner so that international peace is not threatened, and to refrain from the threat of the use of force in any manner that is inconsistent with the purpose of the United Nations.
• Article II: Each party, either separately or jointly through mutual aid, may acquire, develop and maintain their capacity to resist armed attack.
• Article III: The parties will consult one another through the use of their secretaries of state, foreign ministers, or consuls in order to determine the appropriate measures of implementation. The parties will also consult one another when either party determines that their territorial integrity, political independence, or national security is threatened by armed attack in the Pacific.
• Article IV: An attack on either party will be acted upon in accordance with their constitutional processes and that any armed attack on either party will be brought to the attention of the United Nations for immediate action. Once the United Nations has issued such orders, all hostile actions between the signatories of this treaty and opposing parties will be terminated.
• Article V: Defines the meaning of attack and its purpose, which includes all attacks by a hostile power, will be held as an attack on a metropolitan area by both parties or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific, or on its armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific.
• Article VI: This treaty does not affect, impede, or shall not be interpreted as affecting the rights and obligations of the parties under the Charter of the United Nations.
• Article VII: The treaty shall be ratified in accordance with the constitutional processes set out by the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Philippines.
• Article VIII: The treaty terms are indefinite until one or both parties wish to terminate the agreement. If the agreement is to be terminated, either party must give one-year advance notice.

In its 60th-anniversary year, in 2011, the two governments reaffirmed the treaty with the Manila Declaration. The declaration was a formal affirmation of defensive ties between the two countries that date back over a century.

The US-Philippines Democracy Dialogue

Discussions and Outcomes

The dialogue focused on several key areas:

• Accountable governance: Both countries discussed ways to ensure cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual interest, including regular and sustained dialogue at policy and operational levels.
• Labor rights and protection for vulnerable groups: The US and the Philippines committed to advancing shared democratic priorities and protecting the rights of marginalized groups.
• Freedom of expression and media freedom: The dialogue highlighted the importance of a free and open media environment, which is crucial for any democratic society.
• Women, Peace, and Security Center for Excellence: The dialogue also discussed the upcoming signing of a memorandum of understanding for this initiative in October.
• Civil society consultations: On September 11, DAS Peters and Philippines Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga met with journalists, labor leaders, and human rights defenders to discuss the state of human rights and democracy in the Philippines and how the two countries can best engage on these issues.
• Maritime security: Both sides reiterated their commitment to an international law-based maritime order in the South China Sea, calling upon the PRC to respect the Philippines' sovereign rights and comply with the 2016 arbitration judgment. They also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and security in the maritime domain and called for the safe return of Filipino seafarers affected by the Red Sea crisis.
• Cyber threats: The US and the Philippines agreed to complete a full assessment of the cyber threat landscape in the Philippines and establish counter-measures.
• Space situational awareness: The two countries explored possible cooperation in this area to enhance their capabilities.
• Human rights and democracy: They continued discussions on establishing a multi-stakeholder Democracy Dialogue to institutionalize discussions on these issues and identify joint initiatives to promote and protect human rights and good governance.
• Economic cooperation: Both sides committed to prioritizing efforts for civil nuclear energy cooperation, clean energy transition, and infrastructure investment to support economic growth and connectivity in the Philippines. They also agreed to deepen cooperation through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
• Supply chains: The US and the Philippines discussed further collaboration on supply chains, including semiconductors and green metals processing, through investments, technology transfer, capacity building, and value chain complementation.

Frequently asked questions