How Long Can a U.S. Citizen Stay in the Philippines?
According to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, a U.S. citizen can stay in the Philippines for 30 days without a visa, provided that the citizen has a valid return ticket and passport. For a passport to be valid, it must be good for six months after the anticipated return date. If a passport expires June 30, 2015, the passport holder would need to leave the Philippines by Dec. 31, 2014.
If a U.S. citizen decides to visit the Philippines for longer than 30 days, the citizen can extend the stay another 29 days by securing a tourist visa. The Philippine consular office closest to where the citizen lives can issue the 59-day visa prior to travel, notes the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.
If the citizen fails to secure the 59-day visa prior to travel, he can get a waiver from a Bureau of Immigration office in the Philippines. If the citizen desires to stay in the Philippines longer than 59 days, he can go to a Bureau of Immigration office while in the Philippines to petition for an extension. Any stay that exceeds six months requires the citizen to obtain an Emigration Clearance Certificate before leaving the country, notes the U.S. Embassy in Manila. The certificate must be obtained 72 hours prior to the planned departure from the Philippines.
