Cruise passengers allowed 14-day stay sans visas – DOJ

FILE PHOTO: Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. Photo from DOJ’s Facebook page / Boying Remulla

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has just launched a program aimed to help boost the local cruise industry by allowing eligible foreign nationals to enter the Philippines without visa.

Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, in a statement on Friday, said the DOJ was ecstatic to share the Cruise Visa Waiver Program (CVWP), which the department assured to be a key factor in augmenting the country’s tourism as a whole.

“The justice system is never a hindrance for progress and should always be made accessible, and at times flexible, to promote economic growth,” Remulla said.

The program, which was launched on July 16, is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

“There is no doubt that this project will lead to greater heights in the future, not just making the Philippines a top cruise destination but making our country the top tourist destination in the world,” he added.

This has been a welcome development since the Philippines won the Asia’s Best Cruise Destination award at the World Cruise Awards in 2023.

READ: DOJ: Cruise visa waiver will be key factor in boosting tourism

The CVWP was implemented through Immigration Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001 that was approved by Remulla last March.

Besides being nonconvertible and nonextendable, the CVWP is only valid for a maximum of 14-day stay in the Philippines. It also requires foreign visitors to arrive from and depart on the same cruise ship.

The DOJ, DOT and BI made it clear the CVWP is only available to tourists who have no intention of deviating from their original itinerary upon application.