Phl to resume eVisa for Chinese

Despite recent acts of aggression at sea by the Chinese, the Philippines will resume its eVisa program for Chinese nationals next month as part of facilitating trade and tourism, the Philippine embassy in Beijing announced yesterday.

- PIA LEE-BRAGO

Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz said the embassy, and the Philippine consulates in Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai and Xiamen, will begin issuing electronic visas to qualified applicants residing in mainland China and in Special Administrative Regions.

Chinese applicants who will visit the Philippines for tourism or business purposes may apply for eVisa if they are traveling for a non-extendable period of 14 days.

They should enter through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila or through the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

The embassy will soon provide more details about the eVisa, including the relevant websites and procedures for the submission of requirements, in collaboration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and VFS Global in China.

FlorCruz signed yesterday a Memorandum of Agreement with VFS Global to implement the eVisa program.