Visa-free travel: Philippine passport unlocks travel to Paraguay amid presidential visit

Manila: The Philippines and Paraguay signed a landmark visa-waiver agreement for holders of ordinary passports on Monday (May 11), opening a new chapter in relations between the two countries after more than six decades of diplomacy.

The agreement was signed in Malacañang by Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano during the two-day state visit of Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios.

It's the first time a sitting president of Paraguay has visited the Philippines in the 63-year history of bilateral ties.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Peña held bilateral talks covering agriculture, trade and renewable energy, with both leaders framing the visa waiver as a practical step to accelerate business travel, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

“Complementing the establishment of institutional and commercial linkages is today’s signing of a Visa-Waiver Agreement for ordinary passport holders of the Philippines and Paraguay,” Marcos said during the palace program.

Peña called the visit “the clearest expression of the political will of both governments to inaugurate a new phase in our bilateral relations,” citing shared commitments to the rule of law and economic development.

Lazaro said she and her counterpart also signed a second memorandum establishing cooperation on diplomatic training between the two foreign ministries — a move officials said would deepen institutional ties as engagement increases.

Specific guidelines — including the maximum length of stay, effectivity date, and possible exemptions — have yet to be released.

Such agreements typically allow short stays for tourism or business without a visa, subject to immigration rules on both sides.

Once implemented, Paraguay will become one of the few South American countries granting Filipinos visa-free entry on ordinary passports, widening Manila’s footprint in Latin America for travel and commerce.

The deal comes as the Philippine passport continues a gradual climb in global mobility rankings.

In the most recent Henley Passport Index, the Philippines sits in the mid-70s globally, with around 65–70 visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations — an improvement from pre-pandemic levels as Manila expands bilateral access agreements.

Recent years have seen the Philippines secure or restore easier entry to parts of Asia, the Middle East and now Latin America, reflecting a quiet but steady diplomatic push to improve travel freedom for Filipinos.

Foreign affairs officials say visa-waiver agreements are often early, confidence-building steps that precede deeper trade, education and labor cooperation.

Paraguay is a major agricultural exporter and a growing player in renewable energy through its vast hydropower resources. Philippine officials see potential complementarities in food security, agribusiness technology, and clean energy investment.

For Paraguay, Southeast Asia offers a fast-growing consumer market and new diplomatic partnerships beyond its traditional spheres in the Americas and Europe.

Both sides signaled that the historic visit — and the visa-free pact — is meant to create momentum for business delegations, academic exchanges and official visits to follow.

More details of the visa-waiver rules are expected to be released by the Department of Foreign Affairs in the coming weeks.