VFS Global urges travellers to apply for visa well in advance to avoid peak season rush
Visa application volumes from the Philippines registered around 8% year-on-year rise in 2025 with restoration of travelers’ confidence to explore global destinations, according to VFS Global, the global leader in trusted technology services, empowering secure mobility for governments and citizens, which provides visa services on behalf of 33 foreign governments in the Philippines.
Popular destinations preferred by travellers from the Philippines in 2025 were Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and UK (in alphabetical order).
Atul Lall, Regional Head – North Asia, VFS Global, said, “This healthy rise in visa applications from the Philippines last year indicates that travellers’ confidence has been restored and people exploring their favourite global destinations again. We are confident that this positive travel momentum will sustain in 2026 as well. We urge applicants planning to travel overseas from the Philippines to apply for their visas in advance to avoid the last-minute rush.”
Strong demand for personalised services, designed to enhance convenience for visa applicants, continued to be a defining trend in 2025 visa application patterns. Visa At Your Doorstep (VAYD), a service that empowers applicants to complete their entire visa application submission process from the comfort of their homes or any other location of their choice, registered a significant 62% year-on-year increase in 2025.
VFS Global offers doorstep visa services for 18 countries in the Philippines – Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Malta, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Türkiye, UK, and The Netherlands. VFS Global also offers its highly flexible Mobile Visa Application Centre (MVAC) facility for visa applicants for the above listed countries, providing enhanced customer convenience, security features, and expanded network reach.
Similarly, the demand for Premium Lounge, an optional service which provides end-to-end personalised assistance with visa application submission from the comfort of a lounge, is rising with the rise in application volumes. Another service named Prime Time, which allows visa application submission outside of working hours and even on weekends, has seen a healthy adoption since pandemic.
Please note that all these premium services are optional and has no bearing in expediting applicant’s visa process or favourable decision-making.
“We continue to see a healthy adoption of personalised services such as VAYD and Premium Lounge by discerning travellers post the pandemic due to health considerations. These services enhance the overall visa application experience for applicants by avoiding the need for them to stand in a queue. We foresee higher demand for such premium services prioritising safe travel this year as well,” added Lall.
VFS Global caters to 33 sovereign governments in the Philippines namely Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Greece (represents Portugal), Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lithuania, Malta, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway (represents Iceland), Oman (Attestation Services), Qatar, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Türkiye, UAE (Dubai visa and Attestation Services), UK, and Ukraine – through a network of 61 visa application centres in 8 cities – Batangas City, Cebu, Davao, Makati, Paranaque, Pasay, Quezon City, and Taguig.
Peak Season Travel Guide
#ApplyinAdvance
It is recommended to apply for visas as early as booking flights and stay. Most countries accept visa applications up to 180 days (6 months) before your date of travel. Particularly this year with higher demand and limited appointment slots available, we urge applicants to apply for their visa as early as possible.
#DoNotFallForFraud
Visa applicants are advised to beware of fraudulent entities who charge fees from customers for scheduling appointments or providing any other services using VFS Global’s name or independently. VFS Global does not charge any fee for booking appointments on www.vfsglobal.com which is the official website catering to visa applications. However, some governments require pre-payment of the service fee at the time of booking the appointment. This payment will be reimbursed or deducted during the application process. This step is only to ensure genuine travellers use appointment booking and the system is kept safe from misuse by fraudulent entities. For any assistance, feel free to reach out to one of our staff and to report any instances of fraud, visit https://secure.ethicspoint.eu/domain/media/en/gui/108559/index.html.
