No Visa? No Problem! Visa Free Countries for Filipino Nationals who loves travelling

Filipino nationals or pinoys nowadays are fond of travelling, I may say that some has become part of their lifestyle where in they would save part of their hard earned salaries for travel purposes.  Most of the time many countries requires a visa place but no worries, there are lots of counties also where Filipino nationals holding a Philippine passport can travel freely without any visa requirements.  Among others are enumerated below:

Asian Countries, member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

In a reciprocity visa free agreement among member nations within the ASEAN countries:

•  Brunei Darussalam - 14 days
•   Cambodia - 21 days
•   Indonesia - 30 days
•   Laos - 30 days
•   Malaysia - 30 days 
•   Singapore - 30 days
•   Thailand - 30 days
•   Vietnam - 21 days

 Asian Countries, Non-ASEAN member

•   Armenia - 120 days, visa issued on arrival
•   China, Shenzhen - 7 days, if crossing from Hong Kong, and is valid in Shenzhen area only.
•   Hong Kong - 14 days validity
•   India - 30 days, eTourist visa online, (limited only to New Delhi and Mumbai airports)
•   Iran - 15 days, must obtain an e-visa pre-approval code from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
•   Israel - visa-free for tourists (no. of days of stay will depend on Immigration); visa-free for  holders of diplomatic and official passports; visa required for business)
•   Kyrgyzstan - 30 days, visa on arrival
•   Laos - 21 days, visa on arrival
•   Macau - 30 days
•   Maldives - 30 days visa issued upon arrival except those who visited Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone within the previous 21 days
•   Myanmar - 21 days
•   Mongolia - 21 days
•   Nepal - 15/30/90 days visa issued upon arrival for around US$25/40/100
•   South Korea - 30 days, if arriving at Jeju Island or after visiting Korea 4 times with visa.
•   Sri Lanka - 30 days, but must get an Electronic Visa Authorization prior to departure.
•  Taiwan - 30 days,  Filipinos holding valid visas or permanent resident cards for USA, Canada,  Japan, UK, EU Schengen, Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, they must not have been  employed as blue collar workers in Taiwan before and are only permitted to stay in Taiwan for  30 days.  Filipinos who are qualified to travel to Taiwan visa-free should register their  passports and personal data online at  https://nas.immigration.gov.tw/nase/  to apply for  approval. Upon obtaining approval, they must then print out the Authorization Certificate and  present it to the airline counter when checking in. Those who arrive at a Taiwan airport and are  unable to show valid visas or permanent resident cards for the above-mentioned countries will  be refused entry into Taiwan.
•   Tajikistan - 45 days, visa on arrival
•   Timor-Leste (a.k.a. East Timor)- 30 day visa issued at the Dili airport and seaport

African Continent

•   Cape Verde Islands – 21 days
•   Comoros – 21 days
•   Djibouti – 30 day visa issued on arrival
•   Gambia – visa issued upon arrival, but must get prior clearance from immigration.
•   Guinea-Bissau - 90 days visa issued on arrival
•   Kenya - 90 days visa issued on arrival
•   Madagascar - 30 days visa issued on arrival
•   Mauritania - visa issued on arrival
•   Morocco - 90 days
•   Mozambique - 30 days visa issued on arrival
•   Rwanda - 90 days
•   Saint Helena - visa issued upon arrival
•   Senegal - 30 days issued on arrival, invitation letter required. Visa available online.  
•   Seychelles – 30 days permit, must show sufficient funds & proof of accommodation.
•   Somalia - 30 days on arrival, invitation letter by sponsor submitted 2 days before arrival.
•   Tanzania - visa issued on arrival
•   Togo (Togolese Republic) - 7 days, visa issued on arrival. Requires yellow fever vaccination
•   Uganda - 90 day visa issued on arrival at Entebbe Airport
•   Zambia - 90 days visa issued on arrival for tourism, 30 dyas for business

Central America

•   Costa Rica - 30 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival
•   Nicaragua - 90 days visa issued on arrival

Caribbean

•   Anguilla - 21 days
•   Dominica - 21 days
•   Haiti - 21 days
•   Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 30 days visa issued on arrival
•   Turks and Caicos Islands - 21 days

Europe

•   Georgia - Visa issued on arrival. Preferably with invitation.  
•   Kosovo - 90 days

Oceania/Pacific Island Nations

•   Cook Islands - 31 days
•   Fiji - 120 days, Visitor's Permit issued on arrival
•   Marshall Islands - 90 days visa issued on arrival
•   Micronesia - 30 days, entry permit is required for stays over 30 days
•   Nauru - 30 days
•   Niue - 30 days
•   Northern Marianas  - visa issued on arrival
•   Palau - 30 days visa issued on arrival
•   Papua New Guinea - 60 days, visa given on arrival
•   Pitcairn Islands - 14 days, entry permit given on arrival
•   Samoa - 60 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival
•   Tuvalu - 30 day visitor permit for tourist is issued upon arrival
•   Vanuatu - 30 days

South America

•   Bolivia - 90 days
•   Brazil - 90 days
•   Colombia - 90 days
•   Ecuador - 90 days
•   Peru - 60 days
•   Suriname - 90 days

There has been a lot of articles written about visa free countries where Filipinos can travel but I am writing this once again in order to refresh and remind our fellow kababayans who are planning for their next trip.  Check on your bucket list and include more beautiful countries to travel like Morocco, Maldives, Brasil, Peru and a lot more.  

Please bear in mind that visa exemption is for tourist visit purpose only.  Your passport must be the latest one (ePassport) which is the machine readable passport.  Visas are usually issued upon arrival. Return tickets, proof of accommodation, valid IDs and sufficient funds are usually required to obtain visa at arrival.    GOODLUCK! on your next travel. ENJOY! and bring home good memories.

The above information may change due to new updates so kindly check the immigration website of the country or territory you would want to visit.

"ONCE a year GO some place YOU'VE never been before." 

                                                         - Delai  Lama   

"TRAVEL while you're young and able.  Don't worry about the MONEY, just make it work.  EXPERIENCE is far more VALUABLE than money will ever be."

Warning: Club Ultima - Fact or Bluff

    I was about to start my blog regarding my recent travel to US but I felt the urge or maybe an obligation to share an experience which I feel is worth sharing and for the information of many.  
     As I pass by Glorietta activity center one morning I was curious to see an exhibition so I went to check, it was an exhibit of various businesses showcasing their products.  As I pass by one of the booths, a lady approached me to fill in a raffle coupon for a chance to win gift certificates which can be use to stay in their accredited resort or hotels. I was not quite interested during that time but the lady was persistent that she was the one who filled in the coupon asking for my details so I just let her do it after which she handed me the other part of the coupon in order for me to claim the prize if in case I won.
     Right on the following day, I've got a call and to my surprise, I was one of the winners of the gift certificate for a free accommodation in Caliraya Resort which I can use anytime with my family at no obligation to pay at all.  At first I was excited for I was looking forward to have an out of town trip this coming summer.  So she explained to me the process of claiming the said gift certificate in their office at the back of Megamall,  I ask her  if they have an office in Makati for I am from Makati but she said they don't have an office in Makati, so I said just sent me the details through text so I would know where to go but I had a feeling that time that there is something fishy with the process that she told me.  After a while I got the SMS from a certain Asian Reyes who she identified herself as the Reservation Manager of Caliraya Resort with mobile number +639778062748, the SMS says that it is the confirmation of my attendance in claiming my gift certificate for a free dinner in BSA Twin Tower Hotel, no need to bring cash, just bring one valid ID for proper identification and I need to watch a 90 minutes video clippings and presentation about Caliraya Resort in order to familiarize myself with their amenities.

I already had a doubt in my mind after reading the SMS for why should I need to watch a 90 minutes presentation.  So I search over google for reviews of Club Ultima and I found out that this has been existing way back 2011 with this kind of tactics.  They have been deceiving people about their marketing strategy and luring people into joining Club Ultima and paying thousands of pesos. 

MODUS:  They will call and inform you  that you won a gift certificate that can be use to any of their accredited hotels and resorts with no obligation to pay.  (You don't even know where did they get your details, perhaps in some events where you did sign up and you don't remember )  Upon claiming in their office, you are required to watch a 90 minutes video presentation in order to claim the said gift certificate but not only that, they will convince and offer you to join and purchase a club membership which costs thousands of pesos.  And in order to use the gift certificate you are required to reserved and pay reservation fees which is I think almost equal if not more than the cost of your accommodation so in turn your gift certificate is of no value at all plus you wasted your time going to their office and watching the 90 minutes presentation.

     Apparently, Club Ultima is a legitimate company but what is wrong is their marketing strategy wherein they are deceiving and luring people into buying their expensive club membership. Be careful, if it's too good to be true, it is likely to be a scam.

A very "POETIC" me is just a mystery - this is outside the theme Wanderlust

NO TITLE

When I first saw you

You were talking with someone to

I did not bother to think twice

If I'll disturb your conversation so nice

Opened the door, I entered

You were disturbed I observed 

Thinking could not withdraw anymore

Your companion I did ignore

As expecting you not to be my mentor

Inquiry I did, formality no more

Quietly we were, as you entered the room

Surprise of all surprises, I got all in my form

As we proceed to our lesson, I remember

Myself already thinking how to be the center

For the obsession, all I ever wanted

To be noticed by you not necessarily be attracted

I know too foolish to hope

It's just like taking a dose of dope

You and I be close friends my imagination

Impossible as it is, may only be an illusion

During our discussion you conducted

There were influx of ideas, my mind got distracted

For just looking at you was enough

To be the culprit of that distraction I got

Remembering too the attitude I showed

Loquacious sometimes in other words no good

But could you blame me for those

For my feeling drives me at a loss

Tell you, every session we had, all about computer

Riding in a bus. my mind was wanderer

Days has passed, my feelings the same

But only to find out I'm in vain

Inspite of this, at home in the afternoon

Busy rehearsing my notes, there locked up in my room

Sure of myself, no need guess, you know why

You got me inspired my interest was so high

I doubt myself, had you ever notice me?

For such sessions were not meant to be

Am I able to show my enthusiasm I ought to be

Then came the last day of our meeting
It was July 20 the day of my testing
For you to know if we absorbed the ideas you shared
Which in our part, such ideas should be cared
Examination was over yet we were still there
Chatting with a friend but trying to get a glance at you near a computer
I was simple with my attitude
Laughing with a friend sharing a joke
Just not to noticed about my reaction
Myself was so usual and simple with my actions

Until now, bothering not to show
Afraid I am to be misunderstood by you or the people I know
For the feeling I am telling
It's just an effection I am longing
A sister or a friend I can confide
In times of happiness and loneliness inside
Of course I have sisters so kind and thoughtful
Only they are far away so sharing is impossible

Notes:  I got the copy of this poem from the stacks of paper in my cabinet which I was about to throw away.   It is worth sharing for it is a very nice and well written poem way back 1989.  Please read between the lines, it talks about unclassified feelings.  Credits goes to the author ELA, I am puzzled who she really is.