The Philippine government has officially published the complete list of 157 countries whose nationals can enter the Philippines without a visa under the Balikbayan Program, provided they travel alongside a former Filipino citizen. The list includes several African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Ethiopia, among dozens of others across five continents.
Legal Basis and Purpose of the Balikbayan Program
The Balikbayan Program was established under Republic Act 6768 and later amended by Republic Act 9174. According to the official programme description, it was "launched by the Philippine Government to attract and encourage overseas Filipinos to come and visit their motherland." The programme is designed to facilitate easier travel for former Filipino citizens and their companions, promoting tourism and family reunification.
The Philippine government has made clear that eligibility is conditional: citizens from countries not included on the list must obtain a valid entry visa before travelling. This means that travellers from nations not listed are required to secure a visa through the standard process before entering the Philippines, even if they are accompanying a former Filipino citizen.
Full List of 157 Countries Eligible for the Balikbayan Program
The complete list of countries whose citizens qualify under the Balikbayan Program is as follows:
- Andorra
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Costa Rica
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Korea
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Spain
- Suriname
- Swaziland (Eswatini)
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United Republic of Tanzania
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Related Visa Programs and Implications
Citizens from countries not appearing on this list are required to secure a valid entry visa before entering the Philippines under any accompanying former Filipino national. The publication of this list provides clarity for travellers and immigration authorities alike.
In a related development, the United States government recently released its own list of countries whose citizens can travel to America using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The ESTA programme allows eligible nationals to travel to the US for tourism, business, or transit without obtaining a traditional visa before their trip. These visa facilitation programmes reflect a broader trend of streamlined travel procedures for eligible nationals worldwide.
