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Visa & Immigration (FAQ’s)
Citizens from over 150 countries (under Executive Order No. 408) can enter the Philippines visa-free [9(a)] for an initial stay of 30 days.
Requirements: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your stay, and you must present a confirmed return or outward ticket to your next destination.
As a general rule, non-visa required nationals can continuously extend their temporary visitor visa up to a maximum total stay of 36 months (3 years) without leaving the country. For visa-required nationals, the maximum continuous stay is usually 24 months. Extensions are done in increments of 1, 2, or 6 months at any Bureau of Immigration office.
Former Filipino citizens and their foreign spouses/children traveling with them can receive a visa-free stay of 1 year upon arrival. You must request this at the immigration counter by showing proof of former citizenship (e.g., old PH passport or birth certificate) or marriage/birth certificates for accompanying foreign family members.
No. Engaging in any form of local employment or commercial activity on a tourist visa is strictly illegal and a ground for deportation.
To work legally, you require two primary documents:
1. Alien Employment Permit (AEP): Issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
2. 9(g) Commercial Work Visa: Issued by the Bureau of Immigration, which is sponsored by your local employer.
Note: If your 9(g) visa application is still processing but you need to start work, you must obtain a Provisional Work Permit (PWP).
If your employment or assignment in the Philippines is short-term (not exceeding 6 months), you can apply for an SWP while maintaining your temporary visitor visa status.
No, residency is not automatic. However, you become eligible to apply for a 13(a) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa.
The Process: The initial approval grants a probationary period of 1 year. After one year, if the marriage is still intact and valid, you can apply to convert it into a permanent 13(a) visa.
Privilege: This visa allows you to live, work (though you may still need a DOLE permit depending on current regulations), and stay indefinitely in the country without constantly extending your visa.
The Philippine government offers two primary non-immigrant tracks for indefinite, long-term residency that do not require marriage:
1) A retirement-based program (SRRV), which focuses on age, a clean criminal record, and a passive bank deposit.
2) An investment-based program (SIRV), which focuses on injecting active business capital into the local economy.
The SRRV is a permanent residency visa managed by the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA). It allows foreign nationals to live, travel, and stay in the Philippines indefinitely. Despite the word “Retiree” in the name, it is essentially a residency-by-deposit program; applicants do not need to be officially retired or drawing a pension to qualify, provided they meet the minimum age and deposit requirements.
The program features two primary age categories under its standard “Classic” plan, with financial thresholds depending on whether the applicant has a guaranteed lifetime monthly pension:
*Applicants aged 40 to 49: Must place a fixed bank deposit of $50,000 (reduced to $25,000 if they can prove a qualifying lifetime pension).
*Applicants aged 50 and older: Must place a fixed bank deposit of $30,000 (reduced to $15,000 if they have a qualifying lifetime monthly pension of at least $800 for a single person or $1,000 for a couple).
The SIRV is an investor residency visa managed by the Board of Investments (BOI). It is designed for foreign entrepreneurs, traders, or individuals who prefer to put their capital into the stock market or active local corporations rather than leaving it as a passive deposit in a retirement bank account.
The principal applicant must be at least 21 years old and must make a minimum inward capital remittance of $75,000 from a foreign bank account into an authorized Philippine government depository bank (such as Landbank or the Development Bank of the Philippines).