How to Apply for a Philippines Visa in San Francisco

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

San Francisco, known as the “City by the Bay”, is one of America’s most famous and beautiful cities.  Located in Northern California, San Francisco is just one of the many cities that together make up the San Francisco Bay Area, or Bay Area for short.  The 14-county combined statistical area (that comprises the Bay Area) has nearly 10 million people, making it the fifth-most populous region in the United States.  The Bay Area includes cities such as Oakland, Berkeley, Vallejo, Concord, Pleasanton, Fremont, San Jose, San Mateo, and Palo Alto.  The Bay Area is well known for its cultural diversity and large Asian and Pacific Islander population.  There are 500,000 ethnic Filipino people living in the Bay Area, making this the second-largest metropolitan area in the country with immigrants from the Philippines.  In San Francisco, Tagalog (Filipino), is the third most used language in the city after English.  However, there are other cities with even larger Filipino communities, such as Daly City, South San Francisco, Vallejo, and Milpitas, where it seems like Tagalog is number one.  These are places where you will find plenty of Filipino restaurants and grocery stores, like Jollibee and Seafood City, along with LBC Express stores where Filipinos can ship ‘balikbayan’ boxes to family members back home.

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 about 180 indigenous languages and dialects spoken throughout the Philippines, with Tagalog, Cebuano (Visayan), Ilocano, and Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) being the most widely spoken among the country’s 110 million residents.  Most visitors from San Francisco will fly into Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila (where there are direct flights on Philippines Airlines), the capital of Philippines and commercial center of the country.  Others may take connecting flights into Cebu City, or cities such as Puerto Princesa on the island of Palawan, or Davao City on the island of Mindanao, which has been gaining in popularity as a tourist destination in recent years.  Although Philippines is well known for its abundance of natural beauty and laid-back lifestyle, this is also a country that has become an attractive draw for entrepreneurs and digital nomads from the Bay Area seeking a low-cost destination to develop new companies during their start-up phase.

Obtaining a Philippines Visa from San Francisco 

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 San Francisco, you will fill out the visa application and bring your original passport and supporting documents to their consulate located near Union Square in San Francisco.  You can also send your application by US Mail or courier service using FedEx or UPS.  Here is their address:

The Philippines Consulate General
447 Sutter Street, 6th Floor
San Francisco, California 94108

It is important to review the requirements for visas on the Philippine 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 in San Francisco (pcgsanfrancisco.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 San Francisco   

If you are a citizen of the Philippines living in the San Francisco Bay Area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the Philippines consulate in San Francisco by calling 415-269-2090 (the number for non-emergency inquiries is 415-433-6666).  Filipino citizens requiring a new passport should appear in person at their office in San Francisco (by appointment only).  More information can be found on the consulate website: Passport - Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco (pcgsanfrancisco.org)

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in San Francisco or anywhere in Northern 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 San Francisco:

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