46 African Countries Eligible for Visa-Free Entry to Philippines

The Philippine government has unveiled a list of 46 African countries whose citizens are eligible for visa-free entry into the Philippines through the Balikbayan Program. This program, established by Republic Act 6768 and later amended by Republic Act 9174, aims to facilitate visits from former Filipino nationals living abroad and their companions.

The countries included in this initiative are Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia. However, it is important to note that qualifying African nationals must travel with a former Filipino national to gain entry; they do not receive automatic visa-free access on their own.