Summit Travels International

Direct Flights to Paris from Manila: Air France KLM to launch direct flights by Dec 2024 ✈️

JUST IN: Air France, now operating as Air France KLM in this region, is set to make its long-awaited return to Manila with the launch of a new direct flight between Paris and Manila starting on 08 December 2024. After a 26-year hiatus, the airline will offer a 14-hour direct service, reconnecting the French capital with the Philippines.

The route will operate three times a week, with flights scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. This marks a significant milestone for both the airline and travelers, providing a seamless connection between Europe and Southeast Asia, enhancing travel convenience and boosting tourism and business links.

Bon retour aux Philippines, Air France! Mabuhay!

🥇🥇

𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗘𝗡 𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗛🏅🏅

The Department of Tourism extends its warmest congratulations to Carlos Edriel Yulo for winning two gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics in Artistic Gymnastics—Men's Floor Exercise and Vault categories!

Yulo makes history as the first male Filipino athlete to win two gold medals in a single Olympics and the first to earn an Olympic medal for the Philippines in Artistic Gymnastics, a true testament of the Filipino’s grit, resilience, and passion for excellence.

Good news!

MEDIA RELEASE

Eligible citizens from the Philippines now qualify for visa-free travel to Canada

Canada values our relationship with the Philippines. With the well-established Filipino diaspora in Canada, along with an increasing number of students and tourists from the Philippines, we recognize the importance of expanding and simplifying travel between our countries.

Canada is pleased to announce the addition of the Philippines to the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program. Citizens from the Philippines who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA, instead of a visa, when travelling to Canada by air.

Introducing visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier and more affordable for thousands of known travellers from the Philippines to visit Canada for up to 6 months for either business or leisure. It will also help facilitate more travel, tourism and international business between our countries, and help strengthen people-to-people and cultural ties.

This decision complements our existing mobility measures for the Philippines, like the country’s membership in Canada’s Transit Without Visa program, which allows eligible Filipino nationals to fly through Canada on their way to or from the US without a Canadian visa, as well as the Student Direct Stream, which offers expedited study permit processing to those who are applying to study in Canada.

This initiative will also support Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which aims to strengthen relations and invest in people-to-people ties between Canada and the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines.

Individuals who already have a valid visa can continue to use it to travel to Canada. Those who are not eligible for an eTA, or who are travelling to Canada by means other than air (for example, by car, bus, train and boat—including by cruise ship), will still need a visitor visa.

Travellers can visit Canada.ca/etA to find out if they are eligible for an eTA and how to apply for one.

Quotes:

“This exciting development means that more individuals from the Philippines can now embark on unforgettable adventures, explore our diverse landscapes, reunite with family and friends, and immerse themselves in our vibrant culture without the hurdle of visa requirements. This expansion not only enhances convenience for travellers; it will also increase travel, tourism and economic benefits, as well as strengthen our bond with the Philippines.”
– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

“Canada is a destination of choice for so many around the world. We’re making it easier for more people to visit Canada, whether they’re coming to do business, sightsee, or reunite with family and friends. Expanding the eTA program to include countries like the Philippines is also an important part of our Indo-Pacific Strategy, as we look to further engage in the region, build on people-to-people ties, and make travel to Canada easier, faster and safer for everyone.”
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Global Affairs

Quick facts:

• The eTA is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need to travel to or transit through Canada by air.

• The eTA application is used by Canadian officials to conduct light-touch, pre-travel screening of air travellers. It costs CAN$7 to apply, and most applications are automatically approved within minutes.

• To apply for an eTA, travellers need only a valid passport, a credit card, an email address and access to the Internet.

• The Philippines is one of the 13 additional countries whose eligible citizens may now benefit from visa-free travel.

• Over the last 10 years, Canada issued 466,936 temporary resident visas to citizens from the Philippines. These individuals, along with current US non-immigrant visa holders, may now be eligible for visa-free travel.

US Visa update: Visa fee increases effective May 30 2023. Please read below 🙂

U.S. Embassy Consular Update: Effective May 30, 2023, the application fee for U.S. visitor visas and other non-petition based nonimmigrant visas (NIV) will increase from $160 to $185. Petition-based (H, L, O, P, Q, and R) visa fees will increase from $190 to $205. E visa application fees will increase from $205 to $315.

Applicants who have already paid the application fee and have a valid (non-expired) receipt will not have to pay additional fees to make an appointment. Applicants who have already been interviewed and whose cases are under administrative processing will not have to pay additional application fees. Read: https://ph.usembassy.gov/visa-fee-increases-effective-may-30-2023/

We are committed to efficient visa processing so international visitors can travel to the United States. Visa application fees are calculated based on the cost of providing the service. More information on how to apply for a visa can be found on our website here: ph.usembassy.gov/visas and on travel.state.gov/visas.