🇵🇭Visa options for Philippines
Philippines offers 25 visa types across 8 categories — from skilled-worker and study visas to family, investment, digital-nomad, and permanent-residency pathways. 10 lead to PR; 19 don't require a job offer. Here's every Philippines visa tracked by VisaMatch.
25visa types
8categories
10PR pathways
19no job needed
Check which Philippines visas you qualify for →
Visa categories in Philippines
All Philippines visa types
Family (6)
13(A) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa (Spouse / Child of Filipino)
Foreign national legally married to a Filipino citizen (PSA-authenticated marriage certificate required) or unmarried child under 21 of a Filipino citizen.
13(D) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa (Former Filipino Citizens)
Filipino women who lost Philippine citizenship by operation of law or marriage to a foreign national.
13(E) Returning Resident Visa
Foreign nationals who were previously granted Philippine permanent resident status and are returning after a temporary stay abroad.
13(F) Dependent Child of Alien Resident
Unmarried child under 21 of a lawful permanent resident alien in the Philippines.
Balikbayan Privilege (Visa-Free / Extended Stay for Returning Filipinos & Families)
Foreign spouse and unmarried children under 21 of a Filipino balikbayan (OFW, dual citizen, former Filipino).
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) — Non-Reciprocity Spouse
Foreign nationals legally married to a Filipino citizen where the applicant's home country does not grant reciprocal permanent residence to Filipinos.
Special Status (5)
9(E) Diplomatic / Official Visa Special
Officially accredited foreign government diplomats, embassy/consular staff, and international organisation officers.
Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) Special
Foreign remote workers age 18+.
Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) Special
Foreign nationals aged 21+ willing to remit minimum USD 75,000 into BOI-approved Philippine investments.
Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV Classic) Special
Foreign nationals age 40+ (or former Filipinos 35+).
Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV Courtesy) Special
Retired diplomats/officials of international organisations, retired military, notable academic/business achievers, philanthropists (foreign nationals, age 40+).
Work (4)
9(D) Treaty Trader / Treaty Investor Visa
Nationals of USA, Japan, Germany (countries with qualifying bilateral treaties).
9(G) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa
Foreign nationals with a Philippine employer-sponsored employment contract.
Provisional Work Permit (PWP)
Foreign nationals with approved DOLE AEP and pending 9(G) visa application.
Special Work Permit (SWP)
Foreign nationals on valid 9(A) visa performing short-term work.
Investment & Business (3)
PEZA/BOI Special Non-Immigrant Visa (47[a][2]) Business
Foreign nationals employed by PEZA-, BOI-, AFAB-, or IPAs-registered companies.
RHQ / ROHQ Executive Visa (EO 226 / RA 8756) Business
Senior executives, managers, or specialists employed in a qualifying RHQ/ROHQ.
Special Visa for Employment Generation (SVEG) Business
Foreign nationals who own or manage a legitimate business in the Philippines employing at least 10 full-time Filipino workers in regular positions.
Permanent Residence (2)
13(G) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa (Naturalized Citizens & Dependents) Permanent
Naturalized Philippine citizens and their accompanying unmarried minor children under 21.
Section 13 Quota Immigrant Visa Permanent
Nationals of countries granting reciprocal immigration privileges to Filipinos.
Study & Training (2)
9(F) Student Visa Study
Foreign nationals aged 16+ with a Notice of Acceptance (NOA) from a BI-accredited Philippine university.
Special Study Permit (SSP) Study
Foreign nationals on valid 9(A) tourist visa enrolling in short courses at BI-accredited institutions.
Visitor & Transit (2)
9(A) Temporary Visitor's Visa Visitor
All nationalities.
9(B) Transit Visa Visitor
Foreign nationals transiting through a Philippine port of entry with confirmed onward travel.
Humanitarian & Protection (1)
Frequently Asked Questions about moving to Philippines
How many visa types does Philippines offer?
Philippines offers 25 visa types across 8 categories — covering work, study, family, investment, and permanent-residency pathways.
Can I move to Philippines without a job offer?
Yes — 19 of Philippines's 25 visa types don't require a pre-arranged job offer. These include points-based skilled visas, investor and entrepreneur visas, digital-nomad and remote-worker visas, study visas, and family-sponsored pathways.
Does Philippines offer a pathway to permanent residency?
Yes. 10 of Philippines's visa types lead — directly or indirectly — to permanent residency. PR typically requires meeting time-in-country, income, language, and eligibility thresholds specific to each visa.
Which Philippines visa is right for me?
It depends on your goal. Employment-based visas suit skilled workers with qualifications and experience; family visas fit those with a spouse or close relative in Philippines; investor and golden visas target entrepreneurs with capital; study visas cover education; digital-nomad and retirement visas suit remote workers and retirees. VisaMatch checks your profile against every Philippines visa in seconds.
How do I check my eligibility for Philippines?
Use VisaMatch's free eligibility checker. Enter your nationality, age, occupation, income, and education, then select Philippines. You'll see every Philippines visa you qualify for, with links to the official government source for each.
Philippines in depth
Air qualityModerateAQI 45
ClimateTropicalHot and humid year-round with a distinct typhoon season.
Infrastructure5.0/10Manila is congested; infrastructure is still developing elsewhere.
Cost of living32Index, NYC = 100
SafetyModerateGenerally safe though petty crime is common in cities.
Internet35 MbpsGood
Political stabilityStableStable democracy.
Inflation3.5%Purchasing power index 55
Immigrant friendliness3.9/5The SRRV retirement visa and widespread English make it very approachable for foreigners.
Income tax35%Top marginal rate on annual taxable income exceeding PHP 8,000,000
Median salaryPHP 258,528/yr
Healthcare accessUniversal (PhilHealth, under the Universal Health Care Law)Conditional — foreigners legally employed by a Philippine company are automatically and mandatorily enrolled in PhilHealth, though there is a roughly 3-month wait for full hospital benefits and members still cover a share of costs out-of-pocket; short-term visitors are excluded and need private travel insurance.
Best-performing job sectors
BPO/outsourcing — +7% YoY, one of the world's largest call-centre and BPO hubs
Tourism — +5% YoY
Remote tech work — +6% YoY
Curated research pass, sourced per field (tax, salary, healthcare and legal figures cite an official or named source) — not live data. Refreshed periodically, not real-time.
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