How to Apply for a Philippines Visa in Los Angeles

UPDATED November 26, 2022 (Please see information below under "Other things to consider")

Los Angeles is America’s second most populous city after New York.  Greater Los Angeles—which includes Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Ventura County, and Orange County—has a population of nearly 19 million people.  If Greater Los Angeles were its own country, it would be the 15th largest economy in the world (its GDP is slightly less than the GDP of Indonesia).  Known for its endless sprawl, Greater Los Angeles is the largest metropolitan region in the United States by land area and includes over 200 cities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena, Culver City, Burbank, Long Beach, Carson, Irvine, Anaheim, and Inglewood.  Los Angeles is one of the most multicultural cities on the planet and attracts people from all over the word.  There are more than 600,000 ethnic Filipinos in Greater Los Angeles, making it the largest “Filipino city” in the United States.  Filipinos are the largest Asian group in Los Angeles and are found all throughout the metropolitan area.  The city of Los Angeles is home to Historic Filipinotown, which has several landmarks, including a WWII memorial recognizing the contributions of Filipino soldiers, and the largest Filipino mural in the country.  Los Angeles is connected to the Philippines by direct flights to Manila on Philippines Airlines. 

The Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia made up of over 7,100 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, located about 1,500 miles west of Guam (a U.S. territory).  The Philippines was a territory of the U.S. from 1898 – 1946 and maintained two large military bases there for over a century (Naval Station Subic Bay and Clark Air Base).  There are 180 indigenous languages and dialects spoken throughout the Philippines, with Filipino (Tagalog), Cebuano (Visayan), Ilocano, and Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) being the most widely spoken among the country’s 110 million residents.  Most visitors from Los Angeles will fly into Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, the capital of Philippines and commercial center of the country.  Others may take connecting flights into Cebu City, which provides easy access to the beaches and scuba diving on the island of Bohol.  Although there are areas of extreme poverty in Manila and Cebu, these cities also have gleaming office towers and condominiums, upscale shopping malls and grocery stores, and plenty of swanky bars and restaurants.  Outside of these cities, there are plenty of picture-perfect landscapes throughout the Philippines.  Palawan has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and Boracay is one of the premier vacation destinations in Asia.

Obtaining a Philippines Visa from Los Angeles 

Visas for the Philippines are issued by the government of the Philippines in the United States.  The government of the Philippines is represented by their embassy located in Washington, D.C. along with seven consulates located throughout the United States.  To apply for a visa from Los Angeles, you will fill out the visa application and bring your original passport and supporting documents to their consulate located in the Equitable Plaza Building (Mid-Wilshire area) in Los Angeles.  You can also send your application by US Mail or courier service using FedEx or UPS.  Here is their address:

The Philippines Consulate General
3435 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550
Los Angeles, California 90010

It is important to review the requirements for visas on the Philippines consulate website and ensure your application and all supporting documents are accurate.  Here is the link to the consulate website with detailed information: Visa – Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles California (philippineconsulatela.org)

Other things to consider: 

  • U.S. citizens do not require a visa for stays of up to 30 days if they are traveling for tourism, pleasure, short-term business meetings, or visiting family.
  • U.S. citizens should have a valid passport that does not expire within six months of their date of arrival into the Philippines, AND an onward/return ticket that shows they are leaving Philippines within 30 days (if traveling to the Philippines without a visa) AND proof of accommodations for at least 2 nights.
  • Pre-departure COVID testing is no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers.  For unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers, a laboratory-based rapid antigen negative test result within 24 hours prior to the date and time of departure from the country of origin is required for entry to the Philippines.
  • The Philippine government requires all arriving passengers to complete a BOQ electronic Arrival Card (eArrival Card) .  You can register up to three days in advance of your departure for the Philippines through the website.  Remember to save a copy of the transaction number and QR code, which will be required by Philippine immigration authorities.
  • It is recommended to purchase travel insurance before any international trip in case of medical emergencies.  We advise getting the Geo Blue Voyager Single Trip Plan.
  • Please visit the website of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines for the latest information: COVID-19 Information | U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)

Emergency Assistance for Filipinos in Los Angeles   

If you are a citizen of the Philippines living in the Los Angeles area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the Philippines consulate in Los Angeles by calling 213-268-9990 (the number for non-emergency inquiries is 213-639-0980).  Filipino citizens requiring a new passport should appear in person at their office in Los Angeles (by appointment only).  More information can be found on the consulate website: Passport – Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles California (philippineconsulatela.org)

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Los Angeles or anywhere in Southern California and have difficulty applying for a visa for the Philippines or require assistance with any part of the visa process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in Atlanta providing Philippines visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the Philippine government.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans. 

We provide the following Philippines visa services for our customers in Los Angeles:

  • Philippines Tourist Visa
  • Philippines Business Visa
  • Philippines Retirement Visa (SRRV)
  • Philippines Hotel Accommodations
  • Philippines Group Tours