EVER since five European countries gathered in 1985 in Schengen, Luxembourg to forge a single European visa, the aspiration to replicate it in the Asean region has been a recurring agenda.
The Schengen visa accord, which now covers 25 EU member states and four non-EU countries, is now 40 years old, with more countries seeking inclusion.
The Philippines as a founding member of Asean is in a historic position to lead the renewed push for a single visa in this side of the world when it hosts the Asean summit in 2026.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the single visa proposal will enable non-Asean tourists to enter member countries multiple times without having to apply for several visas.
`President Ferdinand Marcos Jr … should have picked up some insights on the readiness of the region to embrace a common single visa.’
“I am glad to hear similar interest from our fellow Asean nations and we are very hopeful that the subject matter will again come up as the Philippines hosts the Asean in 2026,” Frasco said in a recent tourism forum in Bangkok, Thailand.
Thailand also plays a crucial role in planting the seeds of a single Asean visa through their Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, the main proponent of the elusive Asean dream.
The Thai leader said its purpose is basically to promote tourism and consequently, economic growth.
In 2023, the total gross domestic product (GDP) output of the Asean economies was about $3.8 trillion, making it the fifth-largest economy globally.
The region, according to Asean data, has also been a consistent top tourist destination for foreigners longing for the sun and beaches, chalking up an estimated $31.52 billion in tourism revenues in 2024 with an annual growth of 4.94 percent.
Regional statistics showed Thailand as the top destination among the Asean countries with 28 million visitors in 2023, followed by Malaysia with 20 million, Vietnam 12.6 million, Cambodia 5.5 million, Philippines 5.45 million, Laos 3.4 million and Myanmar with 1.2 million.
For 2025, the Philippines hopes to host 6 million tourists.
Under a single Asean visa, the country should hope to triple its annual tourism draw and create more employment in the countryside where most of the tourist spots are found.
For some Asean voices, the proposal appears ambitious.
An article posted in the East Asia Forum said the proposal faces challenges, “including concerns over visa overstays, illegal work, and national security” and coming up with a set of entry rules and data sharing among Asean members — “a daunting task for a bloc that has historically struggled to implement major programs.”
It noted that Asean countries which have strict visa protocols will naturally have second thoughts granting access to foreigners coming from a neighboring state that has lax procedures.
A single Asean visa could also be prone to exploitation by criminal and terrorist groups looking for a safe haven or lucrative grounds while adopting English as the common visa language can also be a deal-breaker for Asean countries averse to a foreign tongue, the article also said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who went to Malaysia for the 46th Asean Summit, should have picked up some insights on the readiness of the region to embrace a common single visa.
