Any foreign national who wishes to enter the Philippines for employment, religious international trade, mass media, investment purposes, business, studies, permanent residency, etc. is required to apply for a visa from the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in their countries of current residence. 

Philippines Immigration

The Department of Labor and Employment is responsible for ensuring that all foreigners conducting business and other transactions in the country are staying within the provided time range. Almost all foreign nationals who intend to visit the Philippines for social purposes or leisure are not required a visa. Passports and other travel documents will be checked upon arrival. It is vital to follow the immigration laws governing foreign visits and permanent stays.

Immigration Laws

The Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 states that immigrants or “quota immigrants,” of any single nationality or not having a nationality, may be admitted into the Philippines for not more than fifty (50) days for any one year of the calendar. Foreigners or “non-quota immigrants” may be admitted without considering such numerical limitations.

A corresponding representative of the Philippine Consular outside the country will investigate and certify the eligibility of a quota immigrant before admission into the Philippines. Qualified and accepted foreign nationals staying temporarily in the country may be admitted within the quota under the provisions and rules of the Act.

As stated by section thirteen of the Act, the citizenship of an immigrant having an admission based on the indicated numerical boundaries will be that of the immigrant’s country of origin or citizenship. If the applicant has dual citizenship, the nationality will be that of the country to which the application was filed.

There are also laws and stipulations provided by the Bureau of Labor and Employment to protect all rights of foreign workers, as well as to ensure that they are staying within the limited range of time indicated in their temporary residency pass.

A Special Resident Visa can be issued under 5 laws, namely:

•    Visa of Special Investors Resident under Executive Order 226, also known as the Omnibus Investment Code (1987);
•    Visa of Special Investors Resident in Projects Related to Tourism and Tourism Establishments, under Executive Order 63;
•    Visa of Special Investor Retirees, under Executive Order 1037 or the Philippine Retirement Authority;
•    Visa of Subic Special Investors, under Republic Act 7227 or the Conversion of Bases and Development Act of 1992; and
•    Subic Special Retiree’s Visa, under Republic Act 7227 or the Conversion of Bases and Development Act of 1992.

Visa Immigration Services

All foreign nationals can freely enter the Philippines with only a passport and other travel documents for business, leisure, and social visits. Their stay, however, should not exceed twenty-one (21) days, provided that the visitors possess valid tickets for their return trip to the port of origin or the next port of destination. Their passports should also be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the planned period of stay. Immigration officers at the ports of entry have the right to admit individuals with passports valid for a minimum of sixty (60) days beyond the planned period of stay. All tourists who wish to stay longer than twenty-one (21) days are required to secure a visa.

A number of foreign nationals are not allowed to enter the country without a visa and stay for more than fifty-nine (59) days. Included are:

•    holders of Brazil passports; and
•    holders of Israel passports.

Some individuals are also not allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for more than seven (7) days. Included are:

•    holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports;
•    holders of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports;
•    holders of British National Overseas (BNO) passports; and
•    holders of Portuguese Passports issued in Macao.

Types of Visas

Temporary Visitor’s Visa [9(a) Visa]

This is provided to foreign nationals who wish to enter the Philippines for business, medical appointments, or pleasure.

Transient’s Visa [9(b) Visa]

This is provided to individuals in transit and are entering the Philippines to move on to a next destination outside the country.

Seaman’s Visa [9(c) Visa]

This is for seamen serving on a vessel and arriving at a port in the Philippines. Reasons for arrival include temporary stay for leisure or in lieu of the job description.

Treaty Trader or Investor Visa [9(d) Visa]

This is for aliens entitled to enter the Philippines under and in pursuit of the provisions of a treaty of navigation or commerce such as:

• To solely carry on substantial trade, principally between the foreign state of which the alien is a national and the Philippines
• To solely direct and develop the operations of an enterprise. The alien, in accordance to the Constitution and the laws of the Philippines, should have invested or is in the process of investing a considerable amount of capital into the enterprise. The alien’s spouse and unmarried children below 21 years old accompanying or following to join are subject to the condition that citizens of the Philippines are also provided similar privileges in the foreign state where the alien is a national.

Diplomatic Visa [9(e) Visa]

This is issued to an accredited official from a foreign government recognized by the Philippine government, the official’s family, attendants, employees, and servants.

Student Visa [9(f) Visa]

This is issued to students who have sufficient funds and means to study and support themselves in the Philippines. Applicants should be at least fifteen (15) years old seeking to enter the country temporarily and only for the purpose of being educated or taking up a study course higher than high school at a university, academy, college, seminary, or school approved for such foreign students by the Commissioner of Immigration.

Pre-arranged Employment Visa

This is issued to aliens coming for pre-planned employment. The visa issuance should also be authorized in accordance to the Immigration Act. The same applies for the alien’s spouse and unmarried children below 21 years of age if accompanying or joining within a period of six (6) months since the date of admission into the country as non-immigrants.

Special Non-Immigrant Visa

This type of visa is issued under Section 47 (a) (2) of the Philippine Immigration Act, allowing the President, when warranted by public interest, to issue such visa considering prescribed conditions. The President, via the appropriate government agencies, can exercise the authority to allow entry of foreign nationals in areas like:

•    oil-drilling companies;
•    board of Investment Registered Enterprises; and
•    Philippine Economic Zone Authority Registered Enterprises.

Multiple Entry Special Visa

Foreign personnel of banking units offshore under Presidential Decree 1034, Section 7 can be issued this type of visa, considering that the foreign banks are duly licensed by the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines). The respective spouses of the personnel and minor dependents below twenty-one (21) years old will also be issued visas. These are valid for one (1) year and can be extended, based on legal and meritorious grounds.

Foreign personnel of regional or area headquarters of multinational companies, under Executive Order 226, Book III, Article 59, including their respective spouses and unmarried children below twenty-one (21) years old, if accompanying or joining after admission into the Philippines as non-immigrants, will be given multiple entry special visas. Validity lasts for one (1) year unless extended by the Commissioner of Immigration on legal and meritorious grounds.

Holders of this visa type are exempt from immigration fees and registration apart from securing all clearances with only the exception of a tax clearance from any form of government agency before final departure.

Types of Permits

Certificate of Residence (Immigrants)

This is required from immigrants who:

•    have lawful and permanent residence, or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the Philippines;
•    are admitted as a non-quota or quota immigrant under the Philippine Immigrant Act; and
•    are admitted under a different category of immigration with status changed to a quota or non-quota immigrant under the Philippine Immigrant Act.

Certificate of Residence (Non-immigrants)

This is issued to non-immigrants who:

•    have a Certificate of Residence of Pre-arranged Employee;
•    have a Certificate of Residence of Temporary Visitor;
•    have a Certificate of Residence of Treaty Trader; and
•    have a Certificate of Temporary Residence of Student.

Emigration Clearance Certificate

This is issued to aliens temporarily or permanently living in the Philippines, going on temporary trips abroad, or planning to return to the country.

Special Return Certificate

This is issued to alien non-immigrants who are admitted temporary residence into the country and are about to depart temporarily. The holder can return to the Philippines with the same admission status at the time of departure. Validity initially lasts for six (6) months and can be extended up to one (1) year. Entry may be single or multiple as stated accordingly.

Alien Employment Permit

This is required from foreign nationals in the Philippines for employment purposes. The permit is obtained from the Department of Labor and Employment. Executives of offshore banking units and regional headquarters as well as holders of Treaty Trader Visas are exempt from getting the permit.

Other non-immigrant permits include:

•    special Work Permit covered by Law Instruction 2;
•    Subic Special Working Visa, under Republic Act 7227 or the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992; and
•    temporary Work Permit, under Republic Act 7227 or the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992.