The Philippines has been in the top 10 best tourist destinations for quite some time now, due to its pristine beaches, history, and people. The country has attracted foreigners over and over, and some of them have even decided to stay for work. Just like any other country, the Philippines has its own specific requirements and guidelines for foreigners who intend to stay for work. These foreigners are often tagged as “expats”, which means a person who lives outside their native country.
Visa application, anywhere in the world, requires a lot of documents. Sometimes, even if it is just for tourism purposes, numerous documents are required by countries and the applicant undergoes strict scrutiny before a visa is approved or granted.
Visas in the Philippines are divided into three main categories: a) Immigrant Visa; b) Non-immigrant Visa; and c) Special Visa. If a foreigner intends to work in the Philippines, he would fall under the second category, Non-immigrant Visa, specifically the Pre-arranged Employee Visa (PAEV). PAEV is also more commonly known as the 9G.
Foreign nationals who intend to engage in any lawful application, whether for wages or salary or other form of compensation should apply for a PAEV. The foreigner must proceed to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to apply for one. He may also apply with other immigration offices in the country, and not necessarily with the BI’s main office in Manila.
Some of the documents that need to be submitted are the following:
a) Joint letter request addressed to the Commissioner from the applicant and the petitioner
b) Duly accomplished CGAF for Non-immigrant Visa
c) Photocopy of passport bio-page and latest admission with valid authorized stay
d) Photocopy of Employment Contract, Secretary’s Certificate of Election, Appointment or Assignment of applicant, or equivalent document, with details of exact compensation, duration of employment and comprehensive description of the nature and scope of the applicant’s position in the company
e) Photocopy of Alien Employment Permit (AEP) issued by the DOLE, and actual publication of the applicant’s approved AEP or in the absence thereof, a Certificate of Publication issued by the Publisher
The foreign national must also submit his application form, and if he has children, he will also need to provide additional information in relation to them.
He must secure the CGAF from the Public Information and Assistance Unit (PIAU) at the Bureau of Immigration or obtain it from the Bureau’s website. Afterwards, he must submit the required documents for pre-screening at the Central Receiving Unit (CRU) of the Bureau. If he intends to submit his documents to other BI offices instead, he may hand it over to the frontline officer of that office.
The foreign national shall also pay the required fees and submit a copy of the official receipt. Fees for visa application ranges from Ten Thousand Pesos (Php10,000.00) to Thirty Thousand Pesos (Php30,000.00). Subsequently, he must attend the scheduled hearing. His fingerprint will then be captured for record at the Alien Registration Division, wherein he should also submit the requirements for ACR I-Card application.
He may check the website of the Bureau to monitor whether his visa application is already approved or call the Bureau’s hotline for follow-up. If the visa application is approved, his passport must be forwarded to the Bureau for visa implementation. Likewise, if his ACR I-Card is approved, he may already claim the same.
For more information, you may visit the website of the Bureau of Immigration at https://immigration.gov.ph/visa- requirements/non-immigrant-visa/pre- arranged-employment-visa.
