Beware of Fake Philippine E-Visa Websites, DFA Warns
The official site will be soft-launched on August 24.
(SPOT.ph) Active websites that claim to facilitate Philippine electronic visas (e-Visa) ahead of its official launch are fake, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday, August 7.
It warned against the fake Philippine e-Visas "containing misinformation on the e-Visa and other regulations" as the official soft launch for Chinese nationals will still be on August 24, it said without specifying which fake website it was referring to.
"The Department clarifies that information on the e-Visa will only be published through its official channels. As announced in its press briefing on 26 July 2023, the Philippine e-Visa system will be soft-launched in Philippine Foreign Service Posts in China on 24 August 2023," DFA said in a statement.
In the meantime, the process for visa applications will proceed as normal in respective embassies.
What is the Philippines e-Visa?
The Philippine e-Visa will allow foreign nationals to apply for a temporary visitor's visa and enter the country for tourism or business purposes.
It will function as an opportunity to kickstart Philippine tourism, starting with Chinese nationals whose visits have not reached pre-pandemic levels. The system plans to expand its services to include all other nationalities by the end of 2023.
The initiative is in line with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.’s push for government digitalization.
E-Visa processes might still require an applicant to undergo a face-to-face interview with the Philippine embassy or the consulate unless "everything is clear" on the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency's (NICA) end, DFA Assistant Secretary Henry Bensurto Jr. said.
"If the visa officer is of the view that there are certain points that need to be clarified or there are certain questions that need to be amplified, then a visa interview can actually be required by the consular officer. They will be given a date and time where they have to see the visa officer," Bensurto said in a July 26 press conference.
Along with the DFA, the Philippine e-Visa system is currently being developed in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Once operational on August 24, Chinese nationals may start applying for an e-Visa through https://visa.e.gov.ph.