American and European Citizens Do Not Need A Visa To Travel To The Philippines!
In 2025 you will be automatically issued a 30-day tourist visa upon entry to the Philippines. It is recommended that those planning to retire or expatriate to the Philippines first stay in the country on a tourist visa for at least 6-12 months before requesting a different visa. You will need to visit a Bureau of Immigration (BI) office before the 30 day deadline to extend your tourist visa. There is a BI Office right here in Panglao Island and no need for an appointment, just go to the BI Office and they will extend your tourist visa for 2 months at a time.
After extending your tourist visa and being in the Philippines for 3-6 months, the BI Office will provide you with an ACR card, which is just an ID card for foreign nationals (Alien Certificate of Registration). You will also be able to extend for more than 2 months at a time after being in the country for 6 months. Foreigners can continue to extend their tourist visas for up to 3 years! After 3 years you will need to exit the Philippines, even for 1 day, and re-enter to start the process all over again. Many Expats choose to fly to Malaysia or Thailand for their 3-year exit. Once you have been issued an ACR card, you will be able to obtain a driver’s license in the Philippines.
Many retirees and expats live in the Philippines for many years, even decades, by simply extending their tourist visas and exiting the country at least once every 3 years. There are no real benefits to obtaining a different visa unless you want to work and earn a living in the Philippines. Having a permanent visa will mean you don’t have to extend every 2-6 months.
For those who would like a permanent visa, there are a few options. There is the SRRV visa for retirees but it requires that you bring a certain amount of money with you so you don’t become a burden on the state. As of this writing, for someone 50 years or older, you will need to bring $20,000 to obtain an SRRV visa. If you marry a Filipino citizen, you can apply for a 13a permanent visa that does not require you to bring any money, but the 13a visa costs about $1000 in fees. Even without the 13a visa, spouses and family members of Filipino citizens will be granted a 1 year Balikbayan (friendly) visa every time they enter the Philippines.
The government has also introduced a new digital nomad visa for non-immigrant foreigners who want to stay in the country for a temporary maximum period of one year. Holders may renew the visa for an additional year. Some of the requirements for this new DN visa include being at least 18 years old, showing proof of remote work with digital technology, proof of sufficient income generated outside of the Philippines, and having no criminal record.
The SRRV Retirement Visa
The Philippines offers a retiree-specific resident permit, the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV), which makes it easy to set up life here. This is a non-immigrant visa that allows multiple entries and indefinite stays in the Philippines.
The SRRV offers special benefits like:
- Multiple entry privileges
- A lifetime visa exempt from Bureau of Immigration requirements
- Allows holders to work, study, or invest in the country
- Discounts from the Philippine Retirement Authority partners
- Free assistance with government agency transactions
- Access to Philippines Health Insurance benefits and privileges
The Classic SRRV is for active and healthy principal retirees who would use their visa deposit to purchase condominium units or acquire a long-term lease of a house and lot. The deposits are $20,000 for applicants that are 50 years old and above without a pension and $10,000 for applicants that are 50 years old and above with a pension. If you receive a pension, it should be at least $800 per month for single applicants and $1,000 per month for those with dependents. The $20,000 or $10,000 must be kept in a special immigration approved account, or can be used to purchase a residence in the Philippines. Purchasing an apartment at Bohol Jewel Residences will qualify you for the $20,000 visa requirement.