Philippines Special Work Visa: Visa Details (2023)

FAQs

Philippines Special Work Visa: Visa Details? ›

The Special Work Permit (SWP) is a work permit intended for short term assignments/employment of up to 6 months. A locally registered company must be willing to serve as the Petitioner. The SWP is good for 3 months during the initial application and extendible for another 3 months.

The Special Work Permit (SWP) is a work permit intended for short term assignments/employment of up to 6 months. A locally registered company must be willing to serve as the Petitioner. The SWP is good for 3 months during the initial application and extendible for another 3 months.

H-1B visas are for people in a specified professional or academic field or with special expertise who have a college degree or higher or the equivalent in work experience. These visas have a residency cap of three years. Eligibility: A job offer from a U.S. employer for a role that requires specialty knowledge.

Foreigners who want to work in the Philippines will have to obtain a Philippines Work Visa. In addition to that, they also need a Work Permit. These two documents are issued by different governing bodies in the Philippines.

An Alien Employment Permit (AEP) authorizes a foreign national to work in the Philippines. Though not a work permit, AEP is an important legal document required to secure a work visa in the country. Some foreign nationals are exempted from obtaining an AEP.

Application Process

It can take two to three months to complete the process of obtaining a 9(g) work visa, including two to three weeks for the AEP alone. Employees should plan to apply well in advance of their trip to the Philippines.

All foreign nationals who intend to work in the Philippines is required by the government to secure an AEP from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). This permit authorizes a foreign national to engage in gainful activities provided that no domestic manpower is available for the particular designation.

Who qualifies for a special immigrant visa? ›

This Special Immigrant Visa program is available to persons who worked with the U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission authority as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Visas typically grant temporary entry into a country for a specific purpose, such as tourism, business, or study. They may also allow for short-term employment or training. Work permits, on the other hand, are designed specifically for individuals who will be working in a foreign country for an extended period of time.

Foreign nationals who want to work in the Philippines have to obtain not just the appropriate visa, but a work permit as well. Working without a permitcould result in heavy fines for both the employee and the employer. Not all foreigners who come to the Philippines to work need a permit.

Moving to the Philippines for work requires obtaining a work visa. Aside from the work visa, you have to apply for an Alien Employment Permit (AEP). Your employer has to apply for it at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional offices.

How Long Can I Stay In Philippines? As a US citizen, you can stay in the Philippines for up to 30 days without needing a visa. However, if you wish to stay for more than 30 days, you will need to obtain a visa from a Philippine embassy or consulate in the USA before going to the Philippines.

US Temporary Work Visas

The average time for a US temporary visa to process can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months depending on which work visa you are applying for and how many work visa applications are before yours.

As a Filipino, you are neither visa-exempt nor in the Visa Waiver Program, so your only choice is to pay a visit to the nearest US embassy or simply apply for a visa with the help of iVisa (which is a lot easier than doing it by yourself).

Remember, apply early! Though visa processing time is typically one week, processing time for specific cases may vary due to individual circumstances and other special requirements. Nonimmigrant visa applicants are encouraged to apply at least three (3) months in advance of the intended date of travel.

How much is the bank balance required for a Philippines visa? No one can answer this, but anywhere near $1000 is enough. The bank balance required for a Philippines visa is the minimum amount you will need in your bank to be able to apply for a visa. The Philippines embassy has set this amount to be at least $1000.

What is a special non-immigrant visa in the Philippines? ›

This type of visa requires the employer's sponsorship and is valid for the duration of the contract/term of office or for one (1) year, whichever is shorter. It is a company-specific visa that limits the percentage of foreign national employees to less than 5% of the total workforce.

The Filipino spouse must be an overseas Filipino worker or a Filipino citizen who has continuously been out of the Philippines for at least 1 year. If the Filipino spouse is not a citizen of the Philippines, he or she must be a former Filipino citizen who has become a naturalized citizen of a country listed in EO 408.

Work Visas and Permits for the Philippines

Regardless of the source of compensation and duration of assignment in the Philippines, all foreign nationals seeking admission to the country for employment purposes are required by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to secure a work visa.

As per immigration laws, foreign employees interested in working in the Philippines need a valid work permit in Philippines. The work permit must be valid for employees and sponsored by an incorporated entity that is also locally licensed.

Foreigners are prohibited from owning land in the Philippines, but can legally own a residence. The Philippine Condominium Act allows foreigners to own condo units, as long as 60% of the building is owned by Filipinos. If you want to buy a house, consider a long-term lease agreement with a Filipino landowner.

However, unrestricted foreign nationals can travel to the Philippines without an entry visa. Most foreign nationals are given a 30-day period to stay in the country upon arrival, but that initial stay can be as few as 7 days and as many as 59 days, depending on the visitor's country of origin.

What is a 9G Working Visa? A 9G working visa is a visa that foreigners need so that they can legally be employed in the Philippines. This applies specifically to those foreigners working for more than six months and those holding an executive, managerial, administrative, operational, or technical post.

Getting a job in the Philippines is tough. Not only will you be dealing with strict immigration laws, but it is possible that for some the guilt of potentially taking jobs away from skilled Filipino workers will give you pause.

What document is required for entry of foreigners in the Philippines for employment purposes? ›

The Alien Employment Permit (AEP) is a permit issued to a non-resident alien or foreign national seeking admission to the Philippines for employment purposes after a determination of the non-availability of Filipino citizen who is competent, able and willing at the time of application to perform the services for which ...

Special Immigrant Visa holders have permanent residence in the United States and are often referred to as “Special Immigrant LPRs" or "Special Immigrant CPRs.” Like other permanent residents, they can live and work in the United States based on their status as permanent residents.

The USCIS Immigrant Fee is $220.00.

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to sponsor a family member for a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).

A citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must, in most cases, first obtain a visa to do so. This can be either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. For many, a "B" visitor visa is the easiest and most appropriate one to get.

There are two main categories, immigrant and non-immigrant. Immigrant visas are issued for temporary work, while immigrant visas are issued to foreign nationals who plan to work and live in the United States permanently. Let's discuss the six non-immigrant visas first. First, H-1B specialty occupation.

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries* to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Can I still use the work authorization card to travel? If you were only approved for work authorization, you CANNOT use the card to travel outside of the US. The card will only be valid for working in the US and not traveling outside of the US.

Temporary worker visas are for persons who want to enter the United States for employment lasting a fixed period of time, and are not considered permanent or indefinite. Each of these visas requires the prospective employer to first file a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Additionally, if you are in the United States, including if you are an applicant for permanent residence or a certain family member of an alien who has lawful nonimmigrant status, you may file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, to request employment authorization and an Employment Authorization ...

Does Philippines allow dual citizenship with US? ›

As a dual citizen, it is not mandatory to apply for a Philippine passport. You may use your US passport when travelling to the Philippines. You simply have to present your dual documents to the Philippine Immigration Officer as proof of Philippine citizenship, per the Bureau of Immigration's Operation Order No.

As we have mentioned, if you're an expat looking to retire in the Philippines you need to register for the SRRV program. The procedure for doing so is as follows: Make an appointment at the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) Choose the retirement option that suits you (we will discuss this in further detail below)

Generally speaking, if your company permits it and you obey your destination country's local laws regarding work visas and taxes, you can work remotely for your U.S. company from anywhere in the world.

If a US citizen overstays their tourist visa in the Philippines, they will be charged approximately 4,000 PHP per month. In addition, they may also be subject to additional fines of 500 PHP per month, as well as a motion for reconsideration of 500 PHP.

If a Permanent Resident of the US, traveler may apply for a visa at the Philippine Consulate but must allow for 10 working days for the visa application. No visa required for a stay not exceeding thirty (30) days.

In addition, you must also provide a return ticket to the United States or an onward ticket to another country. For US Citizens who plan to stay longer in the Philippines for longer than 30 days, a visa must be obtained prior to your arrival.

In the Philippines, the most common types of special visas are special immigrant visas and special non-immigrant work visas.

The whole visa processing (including the AEP) usually takes 2 – 3 months to process. The AEP alone takes 2 – 3 weeks to process in the Labor Department upon submission of the complete documentary requirements.

Special Immigrant Visa holders have permanent residence in the United States and are often referred to as “Special Immigrant LPRs" or "Special Immigrant CPRs.” Like other permanent residents, they can live and work in the United States based on their status as permanent residents.

All foreign nationals who intend to work in the Philippines is required by the government to secure an AEP from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). This permit authorizes a foreign national to engage in gainful activities provided that no domestic manpower is available for the particular designation.

How long can I stay in the Philippines as a US citizen? ›

How Long Can I Stay In Philippines? As a US citizen, you can stay in the Philippines for up to 30 days without needing a visa. However, if you wish to stay for more than 30 days, you will need to obtain a visa from a Philippine embassy or consulate in the USA before going to the Philippines.

Everyone will need a visa to move to the Philippines. If you wish to stay for long-term purposes, you will have to apply for long-term visas. Moreover, a few countries can enter the Philippines visa-free but for a short period. If you want to extend your stay, you must have the necessary visa.

It takes anywhere between two to ten working days to process a Philippines visa application. The time it takes for a visa to be processed depends on the specific Embassy or Consulate in which you apply. Whether you have all your documents in order or not also affects the processing time of your application.

Sponsoring a foreign worker for a U.S. job can be quicker and easier through a nonimmigrant visa than through an application for lawful permanent residence (a green card).

They must have at least one year of employment with the U.S. government. They must have been employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government; or alternatively, they must have been employed by the ISAF (or a successor mission) as a translator or as an assistant to the U.S. military.

The most common fees for nonimmigrant work visa sponsorship are: Petition fee: $460. Application fee: $190. American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act charges: $750 to $1,500.

Foreign nationals who want to work in the Philippines have to obtain not just the appropriate visa, but a work permit as well. Working without a permitcould result in heavy fines for both the employee and the employer. Not all foreigners who come to the Philippines to work need a permit.

Immigration Process

Most Filipino immigrants obtain their Green Card and become lawful permanent residents (LPRs) through family sponsorship or as immediate relatives of US citizens. A large number also choose to immigrate and obtain lawful permanent residence through employment-based pathways.