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Obtain a Long Stay Visa for the Philippines

Obtain a Long Stay Visa for the Philippines

The Philippines long stay visa is a document issued to foreigners who intend to enter the country for purposes that exceed 30 days. The application is made to the Philippines Embassy or Consulate in the applicant’s country of origin and the visa is subject to inspection upon arrival in the country.

If your goal is to move to the Philippines, it is common to relocate to the country using a long stay visa for the Philippines. This is issued for a specific purpose and, for immigrants, it will be renewed so as to lead to permanent residence in time.

The conditions for relocation to the Philippines should be well understood before making an application. This is why we recommend that foreign nationals who wish to immigrate to the Philippines discuss their situation with one of our team members.

We are a dedicated team of immigration specialists who can assist foreigners coming to the Philippines irrespective of their country of origin and we can answer questions about the Philippines visa for long-stay.

Who needs a visa to enter the Philippines?

Foreign nationals of certain countries with which the Philippines has special arrangements do not need to obtain a visa to enter the country for stays that will not exceed 30 days. However, remaining in the country for medium to long-term periods makes it mandatory to hold a long stay visa for the Philippines which grants residency rights.

Some examples of visas that are issued for long-term stays include:

  • pre-arranged employment for a commercial employee: for those who have been hired by a Philippines company and will engage in remunerated work; a special visa category applies to those who are interested in company formation in the Philippines;
  • pre-arranged employment for a non-commercial employee: for those who will engage in activities that are not of commercial interest, such as social or missionary ones;
  • student visa: for foreign nationals who will take up university classes, or other higher education courses;
  • quota visa: for nationals of foreign countries that offer the same immigration rights to Filipinos; these types of visas are limited and conditions apply; our immigration experts can give you more details;
  • spouse visa: for those married to a Filipino national; conditions apply.

The dependants of the applicant can also apply for the right to join the Philippines visa holder. If you are a foreign national interested in starting a company in the Philippines, our team can help you.

What are the conditions and fees for a Philippines visa for long stay?

The document submission is made with the Bureau of Immigration (if the foreign national is already in the Philippines), or at the Filipino embassy or consulate in the applicant’s country of origin.

If you are a foreign investor who wishes to open a company in the Philippines, our team will give you more details about the incorporation requirements, in conjunction with the information about visa applications.

Those who apply for the Philippines visa for long stay with the Bureau of Immigration will be asked to pay certain fees. These expanses should be considered in addition to the ones related exclusively for starting a business in the Philippines. Examples include the following:

  • PHP 18,830 for the quota visa and the same amount for the spouse (if he/she is joining the visa holder);
  • PHP 2,000 for the student visa (this is only the application fee, to which an implementation fee of PHP 1,000 and a service fee of PHP 1,000 also apply, among other fees;
  • PHP 8,620 for the permanent resident visa.

If you want to relocate to the Philippines, our team will give you more information about the payment of these fees, and other additional ones that can apply in some cases.

Our team specializes in offering comprehensive solutions for investors who wish to open a company in the Philippines. However, we also assist entrepreneurs who wish to move to the Philippines.

What documents do you need for the long stay visa for the Philippines?

The following documents are generally requested:

  • application form;
  • passport;
  • visa-specific documents, such as the employment agreement for the employee visa and information on the employer (the company’s certificate of registration, etc.);
  • documents for each joining dependent.

Do you want to apply for a long stay visa for the Philippines? We can give you a complete list of documents according to the visa you are applying for.

 Our team can help you with this application, in addition to company formation in the Philippines and the service provided by our accountant in the Philippines.

Contact us for more information about our services.