A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is issued to foreign nationals whose country does not have a valid reciprocity agreement with the Philippines, but has entered into a valid marriage recognized by Philippine law with a Filipino citizen.
This visa allows the applicant to stay in the Philippines for five (5) years subject to compliance with the conditions of the visa i.e. real marriage with a Filipino citizen, etc. The visa can then be extended if needed.
According to Bureau of Immigration Administrative Order No. SBM-2014-006, applicants' passports must be submitted to the Bureau while the application is being processed and returned to the applicant via courier after the application has been properly processed. Any request to withdraw a required document (e.g. passport, birth/marriage certificate) while the application is pending will be considered a refusal to process the application. In addition, the application will be rejected and all payments made pertaining to this application will be non-refundable.
The process usually takes 1-2 months from the complete submission of the necessary documents. TRV holders are exempted from the need to obtain an alien employment permit if they wish to work in the Philippines. However, while the TRV is in the registration process, it is recommended that you obtain a Special Work Permit (SWP) if you wish to work on site. The SWP is valid for 3 months and can be extended for another 3 months.
Permanent physical presence in the Philippines is recommended during the visa application period to avoid revalidation.
General requirements for filing a Philippine TPV Petition:
- A joint letter of application addressed to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration from the applicant and the Filipino petitioner;
- duly completed general application form;
- A photocopy of the bio page of the passport, the visa application page and the last admission/arrival page;
- Original and photocopy of the applicant's Filipino person birth certificate issued by the Philippine Bureau of Statistics;
- Original and photocopy of marriage certificate;
- applicant's valid NBI clearance;
- Joint confirmation of continuous cohabitation of the applicant and petitioning spouse;
- Verification certificate from the Bureau of Immigration;
- Original or certified copy of medical clearance from the Bureau of Quarantine if the applicant is a citizen of one of the countries listed in Appendix "A" of Immigration Operations Order No. SBM-14-059-A and arrived in the Philippines on or after June 2014.
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The 13(a) non-quota visa is issued to foreign nationals who have entered into a valid marriage recognized by Philippine law with a Philippine citizen. The visa applicant must be a male from the Philippines. Pending visa approval, the
Applicant may stay in the Philippines on a tourist visa and extend its status as appropriate.
This visa will allow the Applicant to stay in the Philippines for an indefinite period, subject to compliance with the conditions of the visa, i.e. a valid marriage to a citizen of the Philippines, in particular.
How to apply for a Spouse Visa to the Philippines?
You can apply for a spouse visa to the Philippines either at the Philippine embassy or consulate in your country of residence or enter on a tourist visa and convert it to a spouse visa at the Bureau of Immigration.
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What documents are required to apply for a spouse visa?
When applying for a spouse visa to the Philippines, you will need the following supporting documents:
- A visa application letter addressed to the embassy/consulate (from you and your spouse).
- Passport of your Filipino spouse
- Birth certificate of your Filipino spouse issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and on paper (SECPA)
- Marriage certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and in paper form (SECPA).
- If you and your spouse were married abroad: Marriage certificate duly translated and notarized (if not in English) and apostilled/legalized by the Philippine Embassy.
- A police clearance certificate issued by the authorities of your country
- A health certificate, including an X-ray, issued by an authorized physician
- Proof that you and/or your spouse have sufficient funds to live in the Philippines
- Any other documents requested by the Embassy/Consulate or Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines.
Philippines visa requirements for dependent children of Filipino citizens
Birth certificate of Filipino father issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and on paper (SECPA)
A health certificate, including an X-ray, issued by an authorized physician.
If the child is over 15 years old: Police check certificate issued by the authorities of the minor's country of residence.
Any other documents requested by the Embassy/Consulate or Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines.
The Philippines Retirement Visa is issued by the Bureau of Immigration and the Pension Program of the Philippines Retirement Authority (PRA).
This is a permanent resident visa issued to foreigners who wish to retire in the Philippines. To be eligible for a visa, you must make a deposit in a bank approved by the Philippine Retirement Authority. The amount you have to contribute depends on your age and whether you have a pension; if you are a former Filipino citizen of at least 35 years of age, the contribution amount can be as low as 1,500 dollars. However, you generally need to deposit 10,000 dollars.
You can have dependents with you, but the financial requirements will be higher for each dependent.
How to apply for a retirement visa to the Philippines?
You must apply for a retirement visa at the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines. This means that you need a tourist visa to enter the country and apply.
What documents are required to obtain a retirement visa?
The following documents are required to obtain a retirement visa to the Philippines:
- A police clearance certificate issued by the authorities of your country.
- A health certificate, including an X-ray, issued by an authorized physician
Proof of deposit in a bank approved by the Philippine Retirement Authority:
- If you have a pension (over 50 years old): Deposit of 10,000 dollars and a monthly pension of 800 dollars
- If you do not have a pension (aged 35-49): Deposit of 50,000 dollars
- If you do not have a pension (over 50 years old): Deposit of 20,000 dollars
- If you are a former Filipino citizen aged 35 and over: 1,500 dollar deposit
- If your spouse is joining you: Marriage certificate legalized by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate in your country.
- If your dependents join you: Birth certificate legalized by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate in your country.
- Any other documents requested by the Embassy/Consulate or Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines.
The Special Investor Residency Visa (SIRV) is issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) upon approval by the Board of Investment (BOI) and entitles the holder to reside in the Philippines indefinitely. This visa provides multiple entry privileges if there are investments in the country.
The SIRV program requires investors to remit at least 75,000 dollars to the Philippines and invest the capital in various economic activities. The SIRV holder can also bring with them, without additional deposit, their spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 21. If the applicant is joined by dependents, the originals or duly attested certified copies of their marriage and birth certificates or household records must be presented.
Listed below are the permitted forms of investment to secure SIRV. The investor must invest capital in:
Public corporations;
Companies operating in the areas specified in the Plan of Investment Priorities (PIP); or
Companies engaged in production and services.
Requirements:
- Completed and notarized application form;
- A certificate from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) indicating that the applicant has not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude;
- Clearance from the National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA); and
- Certification of remittance of required investments to an authorized Philippine depository bank and placement of at least 30-day time deposit.
Procedure:
If submitted to the Philippine Embassy
- Submit the application form and other documentation requirements to the local Philippine Embassy;
- BOI evaluates the application after approval by the Embassy;
- Revalidation at the Philippine Embassy through the DFA Consular Office for the issuance of a 6-month trial multiple-entry visa; and
- Upon arrival in the Philippines, the probationary visa can be converted to a SIRV once the inward remittance confirmation is invested.
If submitted to BOI
- Submit the application and other documents, including the original passport, to the BOI;
- BOI approves the application to BI after completed documentation for the issuance of a temporary multiple-entry visa for 6 months, and
- The change of visa (from temporary to permanent) is carried out after providing evidence that the incoming transfer was actually invested.
The Bureau of Immigration issues quota-based immigrant visas to applicants who are citizens of a country that has diplomatic relations with the Philippines, and grants the same immigration privileges to Filipinos on a reciprocity basis.
Another advantage of a quota immigrant visa is the foreigner's special qualifications, such as higher education, technical knowledge, special experience, or exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, professions, or business, which will contribute to the national economy or be in the national interest. The applicant must also have sustainable investments, which must be approved by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration.
A quota immigrant visa is granted to dependents of a principal, including spouse or minor children, who are lawful permanent residents of the Philippines.
A quota immigrant visa is issued to fifty (50) citizens of one country per year. Any unused visa quota allocation for the previous calendar year does not carry over to the next calendar year.
Documentation required
- Completed visa application (form No. 3 F.A.)
- Provide an original passport with a validity period of at least six (6) months beyond the intended period of stay in the Philippines
- One 2″ x 2″ photo taken within six (6) months.
- Proof of financial solvency for the trip may be required.
- If applying by post, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid overnight mail envelope to ensure the passport is returned.
- The visa fee is 150 dollars
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