Visa Options in the Philippines for Work, Leisure & More

Foreign individuals seeking to come to the Philippines for work, leisure, retirement, study or medical purposes are required to obtain a visa to legally stay in the country.

There are over 20 types of visas in the Philippines, which are grouped into three categories:

• Non-Immigrant Visas – for temporary visits, e.g., employment, business, leisure, study or transit
• Immigrant Visas – for foreigners seeking permanent residency in the Philippines
• Special Visas – for qualified foreigners belonging to the demographic groups granted special entry privileges through legislation or presidential proclamations

Non-Immigrant Visas

Currently, there are over 8 non-immigrant visas offered to foreigners who intend to come to the Philippines for temporary visits. The most common of these is the 9(G) or Work Visa, a visa offered to those coming to the Philippines to gain long-term employment.

The following documents are mandatory for a Work Visa application:

1. Checklist with complete documentary required; and
2. Completed aforementioned 9(G) Work Visa Application Form; and
3. Additional information on applicant’s children (if applicable); and
4. Notarized certification of number of foreigners and Filipino employees;and
5. Any additional documents deemed necessary to support the applicant’s employment

Another common non-immigrant visa is the 9(A) or Temporary Visitor’s Visa. The 9(A) or Temporary Visitor’s Visa is issued to foreigners for short-term visits for tourism, business or medical purposes. Individuals applying for the 9(A) Visa for business purposes must provide the following documents:

• An original letter of invitation from a reference person or company in the Philippines. The letter must be signed by the authorized company signatory and notarized in the Philippines – i.e., – proof of status as a businessman; and
• An official letter from the company where the foreign national is employed mentioning the reason/s for the employee’s travel to the Philippines and the expected duration of stay

Other visas under this category include student visa, transit visa, diplomatic visa, investor’s visa, and seaman’s visa.

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Immigrant Visas

There are two types of immigrant visas in the Philippines: quota immigrant visas and non-quota immigrant visas.

Quota Immigrant Visas are issued to foreigners who are citizens of countries that have diplomatic ties with the Philippines and grants Filipino citizens the same immigration privileges under the principle of reciprocity. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the Philippines grants no more than fifty (50) quota visas every year.

Non-Quota Immigrant Visas, on the other hand, are issued to foreigners married to Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens seeking to reacquire their citizenship in the Philippines. The most common type of non-quota visas is the 13(A) Marriage Visa, which is granted to foreigners legally married to a Filipino citizen and such marriage is recognized as valid under existing Philippine laws. Another non-quota visa is the 13(g) Visa, which is issued to natural-born citizens of the Philippines who have been naturalized in a foreign country.

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Special Visas

Currently, there are over 6 special visas granted to qualified foreign nationals. These visas are grouped into two categories: special non-immigrant visas and special immigrant visas.

Special Non-Immigrant Visas are commonly issued to foreigners employed by companies registered in the Philippines. The most common types are the 47a2 PEZA Visa, Regional Operating Headquarters (ROHQ) / Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Visa, and Special Employment Visa for Offshore Banking Unit (SEVOBU).

47a2 Visas are issued to those employed by companies registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Board of Investments (BOI) or oil drilling companies. ROHQ/RHQ Visas are granted to foreign executives assigned to perform duties in the regional operating branch in the Philippines. This visa is valid for a maximum of three years. SEVOBU Visas, on the other hand, are issued to foreign employees assigned by any foreign bank to work in its offshore banking unit in the Philippines.

Special Immigrant Visas are issued to foreigners coming to the Philippines for indefinite stay or permanent residency, whether for work, investment or retirement purposes. Currently, there are three special immigrant visas offered to foreigners: Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV), Special Visa for Employment Generation (SVEG), and Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV).

A Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV) is issued to foreign investors interested in investing a minimum of US$75,000 in either new or existing companies in the Philippines (such companies must engage in specific industries or are publicly-listed). A Special Visa for Employment Generation (SVEG) is granted to foreign individuals who shall employ at least 10 Filipinos in a lawful and sustainable enterprise, trade or industry. A Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) is issued to foreigners over the age of 35 and able to remit an initial deposit of as low as US$1,500.

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Consult InCorp Group for Philippines Work Visa Matters

Most foreign entrepreneurs who set up a business in the Philippines do so in order to tap on the country’s ever-expanding GDP growth. With a large and growing population, strong consumer market, and low labor costs, it makes perfect sense to incorporate a company and set it up as a launch-pad of your operations in the region. Contact our team who will walk through every step of your 9(A) business Visa application to the Philippines.