How to Get a Visa in the Philippines?

We visit other countries to explore the culture, food and the way of living out there. But moreover, we visit a country to try out something new, let it be in terms of food, or the lifestyle out there. Business professionals also visit the Philippines because the country is open to trade, and has minimal taxes on setting up a foreign-based company. But to set up a company in the Philippines, you first need a visa, to know how the country is, and so on. If you are looking to understand how to get a Philippines visa, then this article is for you.

Why Visit the Philippines?

In the past couple of years, the Philippines has been continuously growing in terms of its GDP. The economy grew by 6.2%, at about $313.6 Billion. Majority of these were from Manufacturing, Trade of Motor Vehicles, Construction and Personal Goods. Moreover, the country is currently ranked 9^th on the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) on countries where businesses are looking to establish. On top of that, the government is expected to create new policies and implement them, that will help in boosting the country's economy.

This comes after the government has introduced the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion program (TRAIN), a tax overhaul to allocate funds towards the development of land projects like highways and road development, upgrading, creation and much more. Also, the Philippines' strategic location, it's workforce, expanding infrastructure, low cost of living are some of the advantages if you invest in the Philippines. But before all of that, you need a visa to know about the country more.

Types of Visa in the Philippines

There are various types of visas that a foreign national can apply for in the Philippines. They are:

Tourist Visa

A tourist visa is kind of a permit that is received by the Consulate/ Embassy of the Philippines in the respective country for granted permission to visit the Philippines. The cost of a tourist visa depends upon the duration of the stay. So here is the amount to be paid. Note that the amount should be paid at the consulate.

Work Visa

A work visa is a kind of visa that allows foreign nationals to work freely within the country. These visas are the ones that most of the foreign nationals’ avail. This visa also allows multiple entries into the country, i.e. the person can work in the country freely and can move out of the country numerous times.

Alien Employment Permit (AEP)

According to Article 40 of the Labour Code of the Philippines, A permit should be obtained by an alien (foreign national in this case) for an international or local employer to hire them. Any foreign national should apply for an AEP, failing which a fine of PHP 10,000 is levied on the foreign national. Everything else is the same as other visa applications. The significant difference between Work visas and AEP is the duration. An AEP is usually valid for 1 to 5 years, depending upon the contract.

Documents Required to Apply for Visa in the Philippines

As mentioned above, these are the required documents

• Visa Application forms, respective of the type of visa

• 2 Passport Sized Photographs

• Original Passport along with a copy

For Work visa, these are the documents

• Appointment letter with attached educational certificates

• Cover letter with attested company’s letterhead, that explains in detail about the travel dates (both in and out), Passport No., company profile and much more

• Income Tax statement of last three years

• Updated six months Bank Statement with bank attestation

For Tourist Visa, here are the documents required

• Visa Application forms

• 2 Passport Sized Photographs

• Original Passport along with a copy

• Photocopy of your tickets, along with the mentioned date of return

• Bank statement of 6 months

Thus, there are ways to get a visa to the Philippines. We at Business Setup Worldwide do provide visa services like

• Visa Application (All types)

• Visa Transfer and Cancellation

• Philippines Business and Employment Visas renewal and processing

It is a complicated procedure to apply for a visa in the Philippines, but don't worry. We at Business Setup Worldwide are here to help you out with that. Our advisors have years of expertise in handling visa and are always available to help you. Contact us for more!