MANILA, PHILIPPINES-Visa applications from the Philippines nearly touched the pre-pandemic levels in 2022 driven by pent-up demand, the opening of international borders and eased COVID-related protocols. According to VFS Global, the visa application volume from the Philippines reached 91% of the 2019 pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
When compared with 2021, visa application volume grew by 44% in 2022.
“We saw a healthy demand from Philippines in 2022 with steady volumes witnessed until December. We are confident that the travel momentum will grow even further in 2023 and hence it is advisable for applicants including students, to apply for their visas in advance to avoid last-minute surprises,” said Kaushik Ghosh, Head – Australasia, VFS Global.
Major destinations for visa applicants from Philippines include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, and United Kingdom (in alphabetical order).
Another defining trend noticed in travellers’ behaviour was wider adoption of personalised service which began since the pandemic. Premium optional services such as Visa At Your Doorstep (VAYD) that enables travellers to book the entire visa experience at a location of their choice, witnessed around 2x growth over the pre-pandemic levels in 2022. When compared with 2021, VAYD saw a 42% rise in 2022. VFS Global offers VAYD for 10 client governments in Philippines – Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Malta, Switzerland, and UK.
“Health considerations continue to be a key determining factor in the new normal, with a large and growing section of travellers becoming conscious about health and safety. As a result, we see an increasing number of travellers opt of such services that provide a seamless visa experience and prioritise safe travel,” added Ghosh.
