How to Apply for a Philippines Visa in New York

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

New York is America’s most-populous city, and its metropolitan area has over 20 million people.  New York City contains the five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx.  The New York metropolitan area includes New York City, Long Island, and the Mid and Lower Hudson Valley.  It also includes several large cities in New Jersey such as Newark, Edison, Elizabeth, Paterson, Jersey City, and Hoboken, along with several large cities in Connecticut that include New Haven, Bridgeport, and Stamford.  New York is one of the most important economic regions in the world and has the highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the United States. It is also one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world with over 800 languages spoken in the metropolitan area, including Filipino and other languages of the Philippines.  There are over 250,000 Filipinos living in the New York metropolitan area and there are Little Manilas (neighborhoods with large populations of Filipino people) in Queens, Jersey City, and Bergenfield (New Jersey).  New York plays host to the annual Philippine Independence Day Parade and the area is home to the Filipino School of New York and New Jersey, which promotes Philippine languages and culture. 

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 and 800 miles east of Vietnam.  The Philippines was a territory of the U.S. from 1898 – 1946, so English is spoken fluently by most educated Filipinos.  The country was also under Spanish rule for over 300 years, bringing Christianity to this part of the world.  There are about 180 indigenous languages and dialects spoken throughout 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 New York will fly into Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, the capital of Philippines and commercial center of the country.  Others may fly into Cebu City, which has direct flights from Dubai and most major East Asian cities.  Metro Manila is a mega city of nearly 13 million residents.  Although many parts of the city suffer from extreme poverty and crime, this is also a city with gleaming office towers and condominiums, upscale shopping malls, and plenty of swanky bars and restaurants.  Outside of the city, there is no shortage of picture-perfect landscapes such as the tropical white-sand beaches of Palawan and Chocolate Hills of Bohol.

Obtaining a Philippines Visa from New York 

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 New York, you will fill out the visa application and ship your original passport and supporting documents to their consulate located on 5th Avenue in Manhattan by US Mail or courier service using FedEx or UPS (alternatively, you can also schedule an appointment on the consulate website and appear in person at their office).  Here is their address:

Attn: Visa Section
Philippine Consulate General
556 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10036

When mailing in your documents to the consulate, you should include a self-addressed USPS (US Postal Service Express Mail or Priority Mail), FedEx, or UPS prepaid envelope so the consulate can return your passport and visa to your home or office.   

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 (newyorkpcg.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 New York   

If you are a citizen of the Philippines living in the New York area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the Philippine Consulate General in New York by calling 212-764-6010.  Filipino citizens requiring a new passport must schedule an appointment with the consulate and appear in person at their office in New York City.  More information can be found on the consulate website: Passport - Philippine Consulate General (newyorkpcg.org)

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in New York City or anywhere in the state of New York or New Jersey 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:

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