Issue · October 2026 · everything a nomad needs, city by city

Nomadzine

The visa · Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines signed a Digital Nomad Visa into existence in April 2025, but as of September 2026 no application channel has opened and no fee, income figure or reciprocity list has been published. Remote workers therefore still use the 30-day visa-free entry extended month by month at the Bureau of Immigration for up to 36 months, or the Special Resident Retiree's Visa from age 40 with a bank deposit. The thing to know before arriving is that every long stay is built from repeated in-person extensions, an ACR I-Card after 59 days and an exit clearance after six months.

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The routes

Researched 9 September 2026 · rules as of September 2026 · as published, not legal advice

  1. Nomad visa

    Digital Nomad Visa (DNV)

    Digital Nomad Visa under Executive Order No. 86, s. 2025 (Providing for the Issuance of Digital Nomad Visas)

    Remote employees and freelancers paid entirely by employers or clients outside the Philippines, from countries that offer a comparable visa to Filipinos, once the Department of Foreign Affairs actually opens applications.

    Income floor
    The executive order requires proof of sufficient income generated outside the Philippines but publishes no figure. A USD 24,000 a year threshold circulates on agency websites; it does not appear in the order and the DFA has not confirmed it, so the figure is disputed and unofficial.
    Duration
    Up to 1 year, extendable once for a further year (2 years in total), multiple entry, as set out in the order. No renewal procedure has been published.
    Cost
    Not published. Agency estimates of USD 200 to 300 or PHP 3,000 to 5,000 are unconfirmed by the DFA.
    Processing
    Not published. No application has been processed because the visa did not appear on the DFA e-Visa portal as of August 2026.
    Eligibility
    At least 18; works remotely using digital technologies for employers or clients outside the Philippines; sufficient foreign-sourced income; health insurance valid for the whole period; no criminal record and no threat to internal or external security; national of a country that offers a digital nomad visa to Filipinos and where the Philippines has a foreign service post; not employed in the Philippines. No official list of reciprocal countries has been published.
    Work rights
    Remote work for foreign employers or clients only; the order bars holders from being employed in the Philippines. Nothing is published on serving local clients.
    Dependants
    Not addressed in the executive order or in any published guidance.
    Leads to
    No. The order creates a temporary non-immigrant visa with no path to permanent residence or citizenship.
    Apply
    Intended for Philippine embassies and consulates and the DFA e-Visa portal. The order gave agencies 30 days from 24 April 2025 to publish guidelines; as of August 2026 the visa was not listed on the portal and no opening date has been announced.

    Documents Passport · Proof of remote work using digital technology (contract or client evidence) · Proof of sufficient income generated outside the Philippines · Health insurance covering the visa period · Police clearance or equivalent showing no criminal record · Any further items the implementing guidelines specify once issued

    Official page →

  2. Temporary stay

    Visa-free entry with Temporary Visitor 9(a) extensions (the tourist treadmill)

    Temporary Visitor Visa under Section 9(a) of the Philippine Immigration Act, entered under Executive Order 408 visa-free privilege and extended by visa waiver and 9(a) extensions

    The route nearly every remote worker actually uses: nationals of the roughly 150 visa-free countries who enter for 30 days and keep extending at Bureau of Immigration offices.

    Income floor
    None published for entry or extensions. Immigration officers may ask for proof of onward travel; no savings figure is set.
    Duration
    30 days on arrival (59 days for Brazil and Israel, 14 days for Hong Kong and Macau passports). First extension adds 29 days to reach 59 days; then 1- or 2-month extensions, and a Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension of up to 6 months. Maximum continuous stay 36 months for visa-free nationals and 24 months for visa-required nationals, after which the person must leave; re-entry restarts the clock in practice.
    Cost
    First extension to 59 days PHP 3,030 (visa waiver PHP 500, application PHP 1,000, certification PHP 500, legal research PHP 30, express PHP 1,000). Later extensions about PHP 4,400 a month per the BI examples; applicant walkthroughs report PHP 2,400 to 4,300 per block depending on length and whether the card is charged. ACR I-Card USD 50 plus PHP 500 express fee, payable once the stay passes 59 days. Emigration Clearance Certificate about PHP 710 for stays over six months.
    Processing
    Same day at district and satellite offices; applicant reports say arriving at opening finishes inside two hours, while the Intramuros main office runs two to four hours.
    Eligibility
    Nationality on the EO 408 list; passport valid six months beyond the stay; return or onward ticket on entry. Extensions are discretionary and require the passport, arrival stamp and the consolidated application form. Dress code enforced at several offices.
    Work rights
    Tourist status permits no local employment. Working remotely for foreign employers on this stay is not addressed in any published BI rule; it is widely reported as tolerated in practice and the DNV order was created because no lawful category existed.
    Dependants
    No dependant category; each family member holds and extends their own visitor status and needs their own ACR I-Card after 59 days.
    Leads to
    No. Time on visitor extensions does not count toward residence or naturalisation.
    Apply
    In person at the Bureau of Immigration main office in Intramuros, Manila, or district and satellite offices (Cebu, Angeles, Davao, Puerto Princesa, Dumaguete, Boracay, Tagbilaran and others). No online extension is offered.

    Documents Passport valid at least six months beyond the intended stay · Photocopy of the passport bio page and latest arrival stamp · Consolidated general application form (IRD04) · Cash in pesos for the fee stack · Passport-size photos for the ACR I-Card stage · eTravel arrival record if the entry stamp is unclear

    Official page →

  3. Temporary stay

    Temporary Visitor Visa 9(a) obtained abroad or by e-Visa

    Temporary Visitor's Visa, Section 9(a), Commonwealth Act No. 613

    Nationals not on the visa-free list, or Indian and Chinese nationals who want more than the 14-day non-extendible entry, and anyone wanting a multi-entry visa before travel.

    Income floor
    None published; posts ask for proof of financial capacity and hotel booking without a set figure.
    Duration
    Admitted period as endorsed on entry (typically 59 days), then extendable at BI in the same 1-, 2- and 6-month blocks up to 24 months for visa-required nationals.
    Cost
    Set by each foreign service post; not verified in the sources opened.
    Processing
    Set by each post; not verified.
    Eligibility
    Valid passport, return or onward ticket, proof of financial capacity, confirmed accommodation; Indian nationals holding a valid visa or residence permit from the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, a Schengen state, Singapore or the United Kingdom may instead enter visa-free for 30 days, non-extendible, for tourism.
    Work rights
    No local employment. Remote work for foreign clients is not addressed in published rules.
    Dependants
    Each family member applies separately.
    Leads to
    No.
    Apply
    Philippine embassy or consulate, or the DFA e-Visa portal for eligible nationalities.

    Documents Passport valid six months beyond the stay · Return or onward ticket · Proof of financial capacity · Confirmed hotel booking or accommodation · Visa application form and photo as required by the post

    Official page →

  4. Residence

    Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV Classic)

    Special Resident Retiree's Visa, administered by the Philippine Retirement Authority under Executive Order 1037

    Remote workers aged 40 or over who want an indefinite, multiple-entry status and can park USD 15,000 to 50,000 in a PRA-accredited bank instead of extending every month.

    Income floor
    Deposit rather than income: SRRV Classic non-pensioner USD 50,000 at age 40 to 49 or USD 30,000 at 50 and above; pensioner USD 25,000 at 40 to 49 or USD 15,000 at 50 and above, with proof of a lifetime pension of at least USD 800 a month for a single applicant or USD 1,000 for a family (PRA checklist revised September 2025). Deposits cover the principal and two dependants; USD 15,000 more per extra dependant.
    Duration
    Indefinite stay with multiple entry for as long as the deposit stays in place and the annual PRA fee is paid.
    Cost
    Application fee USD 1,500 for the principal and USD 300 per spouse or dependant; initial annual PRA fee USD 360 covering the principal and two dependants, USD 100 per extra dependant. Bureau of Immigration fees not included.
    Processing
    PRA publishes a turnaround of 10 working days from a complete file, excluding time at the Bureau of Immigration.
    Eligibility
    Foreign nationals and former Filipinos aged 40 or over (dependant spouse any age, children 20 or under); entered on a tourist visa valid at least 30 days; PRA medical certificate; police clearance from the home country, plus an NBI clearance if in the Philippines 90 days or more; BI clearance certificate; applicants from PRA-identified countries must add a birth certificate, national ID and social insurance record. The Smile option was abolished for new applicants from 1 September 2025.
    Work rights
    The PRA checklist opened does not state work rights. Remote work for foreign clients is not addressed in published PRA material.
    Dependants
    Spouse (no age limit) and children aged 20 or under can be included; the deposit covers two dependants and each further dependant needs USD 15,000 more and a USD 300 application fee.
    Leads to
    No published path to permanent residence or citizenship; the visa is itself indefinite while conditions are met.
    Apply
    Philippine Retirement Authority head office in Makati or its satellite offices, in person, after entering as a tourist.

    Documents Passport with a tourist visa valid at least 30 days · SRRV application form · PRA medical certificate (valid six months) · Police clearance from country of origin or last residence, apostilled and translated · NBI clearance if in the Philippines 90 days or more before filing · Bureau of Immigration Clearance Certificate · Certificate of visa deposit from a PRA-accredited bank · Proof of lifetime pension (pensioner option) · Eight 2x2 photos · Marriage or birth certificates for dependants

    Official page →

  5. Other route

    Balikbayan privilege (one-year visa-free stay for family of Filipinos)

    Balikbayan Program, Republic Act No. 6768 as amended by Republic Act No. 9174

    The non-Filipino spouse and minor unmarried children of a Filipino citizen or former Filipino, when they enter the country together.

    Income floor
    None.
    Duration
    Up to 1 year visa-free on each entry, granted at the port.
    Cost
    No fee at entry.
    Processing
    Stamped on arrival.
    Eligibility
    Must travel with the Filipino or former-Filipino balikbayan; the foreign spouse or child must hold a passport from a visa-free country, otherwise a visa is needed; proof of relationship presented at the counter.
    Work rights
    No local employment right; remote work is not addressed in published rules.
    Dependants
    The privilege is itself for the spouse and minor children; each must enter with the balikbayan.
    Leads to
    No, though a foreign spouse may separately pursue the 13(a) immigrant visa by marriage.
    Apply
    Granted at the port of entry; no advance application.

    Documents Passport of the foreign spouse or child · Marriage certificate or birth certificate proving the relationship · Passport or proof of former Filipino citizenship of the balikbayan

    Official page →

Without a visa, by passport

The stay you get on arrival, and whether working remotely on it is tolerated

  • EU / EEA / Switzerland30 days visa-free under EO 408 (all EU member states listed), extendable at BI to 36 monthsRemote work for foreign employers is not covered by any published rule; widely reported as tolerated, local employment forbidden.
  • United Kingdom30 days visa-free, extendable to 36 monthsGrey: no published rule on remote work; tolerated in reported practice.
  • United States30 days visa-free, extendable to 36 monthsGrey: no published rule on remote work; tolerated in reported practice.
  • Canada30 days visa-free, extendable to 36 monthsGrey: no published rule on remote work; tolerated in reported practice.
  • Australia30 days visa-free, extendable to 36 monthsGrey: no published rule on remote work; tolerated in reported practice.
  • India14 days visa-free, non-extendible and non-convertible, since 8 June 2025 (hotel booking, proof of funds and onward ticket required); 30 days non-extendible with a valid US, Japan, Australia, Canada, Schengen, Singapore or UK visa or residence permit; otherwise 9(a) visa or e-VisaGrey and short: the 14- and 30-day entries cannot be extended, so a longer remote-working stay needs a 9(a) visa first.
  • Brazil59 days visa-free under a bilateral agreement, extendable at BIGrey: no published rule on remote work.
  • South Africa30 days visa-free under EO 408, extendable to 36 monthsGrey: no published rule on remote work; tolerated in reported practice.
  • Turkey30 days visa-free, extendable to 36 monthsGrey: no published rule on remote work.
  • Japan30 days visa-free, extendable to 36 monthsGrey: no published rule on remote work.
  • China14 days visa-free, non-extendible, since 16 January 2026, through two designated airports with hotel booking and onward ticket; otherwise 9(a) visaGrey and short; a working stay needs a 9(a) visa.
  • Hong Kong / Macau SAR14 days visa-free initial stayGrey: no published rule on remote work.

Tax

When the country starts counting you as its taxpayer

Residency trigger
The Tax Code classifies foreigners by intention and day count rather than a single residence test. A resident alien is someone living in the Philippines with no definite intention as to length of stay who is not a mere transient. A non-resident alien who stays more than 180 days in aggregate in a calendar year is treated as engaged in trade or business and taxed at graduated rates on Philippine-source income; one present 180 days or less is not engaged in trade or business and pays a 25 per cent final tax on Philippine-source income. All three classes are taxed only on Philippine-source income, never worldwide income. Source is defined by where services are performed, and published BIR guidance opened does not say how income earned by working physically in the Philippines for a foreign employer is treated; commentators disagree, so this point is unsettled.
Special regime
None. Executive Order 86 says nothing about tax, and no flat rate, exemption or holiday for digital nomads or newcomers has been published as of September 2026.
Social security
SSS and PhilHealth contributions are compulsory only for people employed by a Philippine employer, matched by the employer, with a 2025 combined ceiling of about PHP 51,000 a year; foreign employees no longer contribute to the Pag-IBIG housing fund. A remote worker with no local employer has no published contribution obligation. No totalisation or certificate-of-coverage rules were found in the sources opened.
Treaties
Double-taxation agreements with 43 countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands; none with South Africa. Aliens receive no Philippine credit for foreign tax on foreign-source income, which matters little since that income is outside Philippine scope. Treaty relief is mainly relevant if a stay exceeds 183 days and the home country asserts residence.

Practicalities

ACR I-Card and annual report
Every foreigner staying beyond 59 days must hold an Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card from the Bureau of Immigration, USD 50 plus PHP 500 express fee, charged at the second extension. Card holders whose stay spans a new year must file the annual report at a BI office in the first two months of the year.
Emigration Clearance Certificate
Anyone who has stayed more than six months continuously must obtain an ECC before departure, about PHP 710 plus surcharges, one to three working days at the main office or selected regional offices; airlines refuse boarding without it.
Overstay penalties
PHP 500 for each month or part-month overstayed, plus PHP 5,000 administrative fine per year of overstay, plus all the missed extension and card fees, a PHP 500 motion for reconsideration and express fees. Overstays beyond a year risk a blacklist order barring re-entry.
Bank account
Banks require a passport plus a residency ID (ACR I-Card or SRRV card), proof of Philippine address such as a lease or utility bill, and a secondary Philippine ID; initial deposits PHP 2,000 to 10,000 for peso accounts and USD 200 to 500 for dollar accounts. Opening on a plain tourist stay before the ACR I-Card is reported as the hardest route.
SIM registration
Under Republic Act 11934 every SIM must be registered. Tourists register online with a passport, a Philippine address and a return or onward ticket; a tourist SIM deactivates after 30 days unless an approved visa extension is shown while it is still active. Longer-term foreigners register with the ACR I-Card or work permit.
Health insurance
No insurance is required for visa-free entry or 9(a) extensions. The Digital Nomad Visa order requires cover valid for the whole visa period; the SRRV requires a PRA medical certificate rather than insurance.
Tax number
A BIR Taxpayer Identification Number is needed only where Philippine-source income or a local employer exists; tourist-status remote workers with foreign income are not routinely registered.
Address registration
There is no municipal residence registration; the ACR I-Card records the address given to the Bureau of Immigration, and banks and telecoms rely on a lease, utility bill or barangay certificate as proof.

Philippines: a nomad visa on paper, a tourist-extension treadmill in practice

Where remote workers base and why

Cebu, Siargao, Manila's Makati and Bonifacio Global City districts, Dumaguete and the Palawan towns draw most long-stay remote workers, and the map of Bureau of Immigration district and satellite offices largely explains why: Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, Boracay, Puerto Princesa, Tagbilaran and Angeles each have an office where the monthly or two-monthly extension can be done in a morning. English is an official language, the peso is cheap against most home currencies, and the 36-month ceiling for visa-free nationals is longer than anything comparable in the region.

The trade-off is administrative. Every stay past 59 days requires an ACR I-Card, every stay past six months requires an exit clearance, and every calendar year crossed requires an annual report in January or February. Islands with no BI office mean a flight to extend. Power and connectivity vary sharply by island, and typhoon season from roughly June to November disrupts both.

What applicants report about the process

The Digital Nomad Visa exists only as a signed executive order. Agencies, law firms and nomad guides published guides through 2025 and 2026 describing fees, processing times and an income floor of USD 24,000, none of which the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed; the most recent check of the e-Visa portal in August 2026 found no such visa listed. Several commercial sites nonetheless describe the scheme as operational, so reports conflict and applicants should treat the visa as unavailable until it appears on the portal.

The tourist extension chain is predictable rather than pleasant. Applicant walkthroughs describe arriving at opening time to finish within two hours at district offices, longer at Intramuros, cash-only fee stacks that vary by office and by whether the ACR I-Card is charged that visit, an enforced dress code and no online option. Refusals are rare for a clean record; the practical failure modes are unclear arrival stamps, missing the annual report and discovering the exit clearance requirement at the airport.

The SRRV became more accessible to younger remote workers in September 2025 when the minimum age dropped to 40, but the price of that is a USD 50,000 deposit for a non-pensioner under 50. The PRA publishes a ten-working-day turnaround for its own part; the Bureau of Immigration's conversion order sits outside that clock.

Banking and daily money

A Philippine bank account is realistic only after the ACR I-Card arrives at about day 60, and even then banks want a lease or utility bill and a second local ID. Most remote workers run on foreign cards and international transfer services for the first months, then open a peso account for rent and local payments once the card is in hand. Mobile wallets are ubiquitous but their foreigner onboarding rules were not verified in the sources opened.

Tax exposure for someone paid from abroad is low on the published rules, because every class of foreign national is taxed only on Philippine-source income and no return is filed on foreign salary. The unresolved question is whether services performed while physically in the Philippines are Philippine-source; the Bureau of Internal Revenue has not published guidance aimed at remote workers, and practitioners differ, so anyone planning a stay beyond 180 days in a calendar year should expect that ambiguity rather than a clear answer.

What is changing

The open items in September 2026 are the Digital Nomad Visa implementing guidelines and the reciprocity list, both promised within 30 days of April 2025 and still unpublished. The visa-free map has shifted toward short non-extendible windows for Indian and Chinese nationals rather than any tightening for Western passports. The Philippine Retirement Authority's 2025 restructure signals a preference for deposit-backed residence over the discontinued lower-deposit Smile option, and the same direction is visible in the DNV's insistence on foreign-sourced income and health insurance.

Researched from officialgazette.gov.ph · immigration.gov.ph · evisa.gov.ph · pra.gov.ph · brusselspe.dfa.gov.ph · taxsummaries.pwc.com · taxsummaries.pwc.com · taxsummaries.pwc.com · ey.com · vialtopartners.com · the authority