Philippines eTravel Pass for Chinese Citizens

It replaced the old paper Arrival Card, the eArrivalCard, and the One Health Pass, combining them into a single digital form. This guide walks Chinese passport holders through exactly what to submit, when, and how to avoid the fake websites that try to charge for something that costs nothing.

Did you know? Starting January 16, 2026, Chinese Citizens gained a new 14-day visa-free entry option to the Philippines — a pilot program available only through Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport. — Philippines Introduces 14-Day Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Nationals — Erickson Immigration Group

This is an independent guide, not an official government website. Below, you'll find everything Chinese citizens need to know about the eTravel Pass, plus how we can help you get it right.

What Is the Philippines eTravel Pass?

The eTravel Pass is the Philippines' official online travel declaration system, submitted at etravel.gov.ph or through the eGovPH mobile app before you fly. It combines what used to be three separate steps — the paper arrival/departure card, immigration's eArrivalCard, and the Department of Health's One Health Pass — into one digital form covering your personal details, travel itinerary, and (for arrivals) a short health declaration. Once submitted, you'll receive a QR code that airline staff and immigration officers scan at check-in and on arrival.

Do Chinese Citizens Need a Visa to Enter the Philippines?

This is the one place where Chinese Citizens' experience differs sharply from most other nationalities covered in this guide. Starting January 16, 2026, the Philippines launched a pilot program allowing Chinese Citizens to enter visa-free for stays of up to 14 days, strictly for tourism or business purposes. The pilot is running for at least one year, subject to review before it expires.

The visa-free entry is narrower than a typical exemption, though. It only applies when arriving through Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila or Mactan-Cebu International Airport — arriving anywhere else still requires a visa. The 14-day stay is non-extendable and can't be converted into any other Philippine visa category. You'll also need a passport valid for at least six months beyond your stay, a confirmed hotel booking or accommodation confirmation, and a return or onward ticket to your next destination.

If your trip is for work, study, or a stay longer than 14 days — or you're arriving through a different airport — you'll still need to arrange a visa in advance, the same as before the pilot began.

Here's the part that catches people off guard regardless of your visa situation: even once your visa question is settled, the eTravel Pass is still required. It's a separate, non-negotiable step in your travel prep, on top of — not instead of — whatever visa process applies to you.

Who Must Complete the eTravel Pass

Every arriving traveler — Filipino citizens and foreign nationals alike — needs a completed eTravel Pass before landing in the Philippines, and most departing travelers need one too (a narrower group, covering departing Filipinos and crew members, since most departing foreign nationals are exempt from the departure version). A handful of categories are exempt altogether, including foreign diplomats and their dependents, foreign dignitaries, and certain 9(e) diplomatic visa holders.

Every member of a traveling family needs their own eTravel record, though one person can register the whole family under a single account rather than creating separate logins for each person.

When to Submit: The 72-Hour Window

Submit your eTravel Pass no earlier than 72 hours before your departure from the Philippines or your expected arrival time — the window is measured against the relevant flight, not booked weeks in advance. Because of this, travelers on longer multi-leg itineraries should count back from their actual arrival time in the Philippines (or their actual departure flight, for the exit form), not an earlier connecting flight, when figuring out when the window opens.

Information Chinese passport holders Need

Before you sit down to fill out the form, have the following ready:

• Your passport details (name exactly as it appears on your passport, passport number, nationality, date of birth)
• Your residential address
• Your flight information (airline, flight number, date, and airport)
• Your occupation and purpose of travel
• For arrivals: your accommodation details in the Philippines and a short health declaration covering recent travel and symptoms

How to Complete the eTravel Pass — Step by Step

1. Go to etravel.gov.ph (or open the eGovPH app) within 72 hours of your flight.
2. Create or sign in to your account, then add each traveler in your party.
3. Fill in passport, flight, and (for arrivals) health declaration details for each person.
4. Submit the form.
5. Save the QR code you receive, either as a screenshot or a printed copy — you'll need it twice: once at check-in with your airline, and again at the immigration counter.

eTravel for Departure, Too

It's easy to assume the eTravel Pass is only something you deal with on the way in, but most travelers need to submit it again before leaving the Philippines. The departure version is shorter — it skips the health declaration — but it follows the same 72-hour submission window and produces its own QR code that airline staff check before boarding.

Avoiding Fake eTravel Websites

The eTravel Pass is completely free — there is no government fee to submit it. The Bureau of Immigration has repeatedly warned travelers about look-alike websites that mimic the official eTravel portal and charge anywhere from ₱3,000 to ₱5,000 to "process" a form that costs nothing on the real site. Before entering any personal or payment details, double-check that you're on etravel.gov.ph (or using the official eGovPH app) and not a third-party look-alike. If a site asks you to pay, close it — that alone is a sign it isn't official.

Common Mistakes Chinese Citizens Make

• Paying a third-party website to "process" the form. The eTravel Pass is free on the official site — any site charging a fee is not official.
• Assuming it's only needed for arrival. Most travelers need to submit a separate eTravel Pass before departure too, not just on the way in.
• Counting the 72-hour window from the wrong flight. On a multi-leg trip, the window is measured against your actual arrival in (or departure from) the Philippines, not an earlier connecting flight.
• Thinking visa-exempt status means no eTravel Pass is needed. It doesn't — the eTravel Pass applies to every traveler, regardless of visa status.
• Filing separate accounts for each family member when one will do. One person can register the whole traveling party under a single account.
• Assuming the new visa-free pilot covers every kind of trip. It doesn't — it's strictly for tourism or business, capped at a non-extendable 14 days, and only through Manila's NAIA or Cebu's Mactan airport. Work, study, or longer stays still need a separate visa arranged in advance, and the eTravel Pass is still required either way.

How TravelDeclaration.com Can Help Chinese Citizens

You're always welcome to complete the eTravel Pass yourself directly through the official channel. Where we come in is everything around the process: reviewing your entries for the mistakes covered above, coordinating multiple passports and travelers in one household, and making sure nothing gets missed before you're standing at the gate.

We know there are other assisted-filing services out there — what we're focused on is being the most accurate and transparent one, not the only one.

More Philippines eTravel Pass Guides by Nationality

• Philippines eTravel Pass for Canadian Citizens
• Philippines eTravel Pass for Japanese Citizens
• Philippines eTravel Pass for South Korean Citizens
• Philippines eTravel Pass for US Citizens

FAQ for Chinese Citizens

Sources & Further Reading

• Philippines Introduces 14-Day Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Nationals — Erickson Immigration Group