By Goetz Kohlberg - living in Cebu City, Philippines since 2014. Last updated: 15 July 2026.

Visa Information for the Philippines

Which Philippine visa fits your plans?

For many travellers, a stay in the Philippines begins with visa-free admission for up to 30 days. Whether this applies depends on the passport used for travel and the current Philippine entry rules. If you want to stay longer, work, study, invest or live permanently in the Philippines, you will then need to consider the available immigration statuses and official requirements.

These include extensions through the Bureau of Immigration (BI – the Philippine immigration authority), the ACR I-Card (Philippine foreign national ID), the Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC – BI departure clearance), the Annual Report (annual registration with the BI), and specific immigration routes for spouses, employees, students, retirees and investors.

This overview helps you compare the different options early and plan your stay sensibly.

As of 7 June 2026

Do you first want to arrive and test life here?

For an initial visit, finding a home or a longer trial stay, 9A temporary visitor status is often sufficient. If you are admitted visa-free for 30 days, you can first apply for a 29-day extension. In the BI eServices, this application is called a Visa Waiver (the first 29-day extension).

Further extensions through the Bureau of Immigration are possible afterwards.

Do you want to stay with Filipino family?

If you are married to a Filipino citizen, you should look closely at the Balikbayan privilege and the 13A visa.

The Balikbayan privilege is particularly useful for uncomplicated joint entry and a longer temporary stay. The 13A visa, by contrast, is the standard route to permanent resident status based on marriage.

Do you want to live permanently in the Philippines?

Immigration options such as the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV – retirement and long-stay visa), the 13A marriage visa, the Quota 13 immigrant visa, the Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV – investor residence visa) or the Freeport Investor Visa (FIV – investor visa for Bataan) offer alternatives to repeatedly extending temporary visitor status.

Depending on the visa, these options can provide a more predictable stay, an official foreign national ID, simpler entry and departure procedures, or more reliable proof of status for banks, landlords and government authorities.

Resident and investor visas

SRRV – Special Resident Retiree’s Visa Retirement, long-term stay and repeated entry

The Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV – retirement and long-stay visa) is an attractive option for many long-term emigrants who want to organise their stay in the Philippines on a lasting basis.

It provides permanent or long-term residence, multiple entry and the use of a Philippine Retirement Authority ID (PRA ID – retirement programme identity card). Regular extensions such as those required for temporary visitor status are not necessary.

Temporary visitor status is often sufficient for an initial trial period. The SRRV becomes particularly relevant when you need a reliable legal basis for your stay, uncomplicated re-entry and stronger proof of residence.

Go to the active SRRV page

SIRV – Special Investor’s Resident Visa Investment through the Board of Investments, at least USD 75,000 and long-term residence status

The Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV – investor residence visa) is the standard investor residence route administered through the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI – Philippine investment authority).

It is intended for eligible applicants aged 21 or older who invest at least USD 75,000 in a permitted investment in the Philippines.

Resident status remains tied to the applicant’s personal eligibility and the continued existence of the investment. The SIRV is neither a retirement visa nor a form of temporary visitor extension.

Go to the SIRV page

FAB/FIV Bataan – Freeport Investor Visa Freeport Area of Bataan, the responsible freeport authority and investor visa

The Freeport Investor Visa (FIV – investor visa for Bataan), which is often described as the newer Bataan visa, is not a generally available standard visa. It is a specific residence route connected to the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB – free-trade zone in Bataan).

Republic Act 11453 (RA 11453 – the freeport’s legal basis) requires an investment of USD 75,000 in cash, equipment or a combination of the two. The investment must be placed in a properly registered enterprise.

The BI Citizens Charter 2025 also lists the FAB Investor Visa as a dedicated service at the Mariveles Immigration One-Stop-Shop.

Before making any payment or investment, you must carefully verify that the company and the project actually meet the requirements of the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB – the Bataan freeport authority).

Go to the FAB/FIV page

Visits, family, work and study

9A Tourist Visa Entry, extension and trial period

9A temporary visitor status is the usual route for visitors who first want to enter the country, get their bearings and extend their stay if necessary.

If your passport qualifies for visa-free admission for 30 days, you can then apply for an initial extension of 29 days, bringing the total authorised stay to 59 days.

Regular extensions of one or two months are possible afterwards. Depending on the length of your stay, you may also need a Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE – multi-month visitor extension), an ACR I-Card and an ECC before departure.

Go to the 9A page

13A Marriage Visa Married to a Filipino citizen

The 13A visa is the standard residence route for eligible nationals who are legally married to a Filipino citizen.

Marriage alone does not replace the required marriage, civil-status and registration documents.

The BI application process includes the current checklist, the Consolidated General Application Form (CGAF – central visa application form), payment of the fees, a hearing, biometric capture, issuance of the ACR I-Card and entry of the visa in the passport.

Go to the 13A page

Quota 13 Immigrant Visa Rare special route with an annual quota and reciprocity review

The Quota 13 Immigrant Visa (immigrant visa with an annual quota) is not a typical residence route for tourists or foreign spouses.

According to the BI, it is intended for nationals of countries with which the Philippines maintains diplomatic relations and where the principle of reciprocity is satisfied.

Approvals are limited to no more than 50 people of any one nationality per calendar year.

Go to the Quota 13 page

Balikbayan Privilege One year visa-free when entering together with eligible Filipino family

The Balikbayan privilege is not a visa in the strict sense. It can nevertheless be a particularly important immigration option for eligible foreign spouses and children of Filipinos or former Filipinos.

When entering together with an eligible Filipino or former Filipino family member, a visa-free stay of up to one year may be granted if the foreign spouse or child qualifies under Executive Order 408 (EO 408 – the Philippine visa-exemption list). Otherwise, the foreign family member must obtain the visa required for their passport before travel.

The privilege is particularly useful for family travel and transition periods. It does not, however, replace long-term residence planning.

Go to the Balikbayan page

9G Work Visa Local employer, employment and ACR I-Card

If you want to work in the Philippines for a local employer, you normally need work authorisation and immigration status that permit the employment.

The 9G work visa is tied to a specific employment relationship and a Philippine petitioner or employer.

The process includes employer documents, labour authorisations such as the Alien Employment Permit (AEP – work permit for foreign employees), the BI application process and issuance of an ACR I-Card.

Go to the 9G page

9F Student Visa Study at an authorised educational institution

For regular study above high-school level, the 9F student visa is the usual immigration route.

The authorised educational institution plays a decisive role. Its designated liaison office will often assist with the application process.

For minors, language courses or other programmes that do not lead to a regular degree, a Special Study Permit (SSP – study permit for specific programmes) may be required instead of a 9F visa.

Go to the 9F page

What must you consider for entry, your stay and departure?

What do you need for entry?

Complete the eTravel registration within 72 hours before arrival.

Your passport must remain valid for the period required under the entry rules that apply to your passport and planned stay. You may also be asked to show a return or onward ticket.

You should also make sure that there are no obvious barriers to admission. These can include an entry on a blacklist or a previous deportation.

All documents you carry should match the stated purpose of your trip. A valid visa or general eligibility for visa-free admission does not automatically guarantee that entry will actually be approved.

When must you extend temporary visitor status?

Do not wait until the final day to apply for your first extension.

If you were admitted visa-free for 30 days, the first extension is normally for 29 days. This initially increases your total authorised stay to 59 days.

Do not confuse this extension with visa-free admission under Executive Order 408 (EO 408 – basis for visa-free admission). In the BI eServices, the application is called a Visa Waiver. In practical terms, it is the first extension of your stay.

You can apply for regular extensions afterwards.

The maximum cumulative stay is generally 36 months from the latest arrival for nationals admitted without a prior visa and 24 months for nationals who require a visa. These are maximum periods, not automatically guaranteed lengths of stay.

When do you need an ACR I-Card?

Visitors who stay in the Philippines for more than 59 days normally receive a Philippine foreign national ID as part of the extension process.

Holders of other permanent or temporary immigration statuses must also follow the registration and ACR I-Card procedures that apply to their status.

Who must file the Annual Report?

Visitors holding only 9A temporary visitor status generally do not have to file an Annual Report.

The reporting requirement applies in particular to registered foreign nationals holding certain permanent or temporary immigration statuses. It does not apply in the same way to people who are in the country solely as visitors or tourists.

When do you need an Emigration Clearance Certificate?

Tourists who have stayed in the Philippines for six months or longer generally need an ECC before departure.

Before every departure, holders of permanent or temporary immigration status should check which ECC, Re-Entry Permit (permission to return) or other departure and re-entry authorisation applies to their specific status.

Initial visa consultation for EUR 99

The consultation is not tied to a single visa type. In an online video consultation, we clarify whether 9A, SRRV, SIRV, FAB/FIV Bataan, 13A, Balikbayan, 9G, 9F or Quota 13 is suitable for your case and which documents, costs and deadlines you should plan for before travelling. No on-site assistance or representation before the Bureau of Immigration is included.

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