Hired by a Philippine company? Your 9(g) visa starts with a newspaper ad
Your employer gets a DOLE work permit after showing no suitable Filipino applied, then backs your Bureau of Immigration petition for a visa of one to three years.
You can't file this one on your own. The employer drives most of it, and the visa stays tied to that employer. Acclime, a corporate services firm, puts the whole process at two to four months.
Government fees, converted at ₱57.69 per dollar (2025 average)
$175
Work permit (AEP), first year
₱10,000; about $85 per added year
$175
9(g) visa, one year, main applicant
₱10,130 on BI's 2014 schedule
$50
ACR I-Card, per year of visa
BI sets this one in dollars
2-4 months
Start to finish, per Acclime
DOLE must rule within 15 working days
Who it fits
One employer, one job, one visa
This is the route for an American holding a signed offer from a Philippine-registered company. Change positions, even at the same firm, and you need a new work permit application.
- Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be added to your visa
- Working remotely for a U.S. company? The digital nomad visa still wasn't open to applications as of August 2026
- Retiring or married to a Filipino? The SRRV or 13(a) fits better, and resident visa holders skip the AEP with a DOLE exemption certificate
- Lawyers can't practice here; other licensed professionals need a PRC special temporary permit
Pre-arranged Employment Visa 9(g) with Alien Employment Permit
The standard work visa for foreigners hired by a Philippine-registered employer. The employer first gets an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) from the Department of Labor and Employment, showing no qualified Filipino is available, then petitions the Bureau of Immigration. It is valid for 1 to 3 years, renewable, and your spouse and children under 21 can be included.
- Government cost
- $356
- Timeline
- 1-3 years, tied to the employment contract and renewable
- Difficulty
- Hard
Key requirements
- Job offer and written contract with a Philippine-registered company (SEC registration)
- Alien Employment Permit from DOLE, including publication of the job and a labor market test
- Notarized letter of endorsement from the employer and certification of the number of foreign and Filipino employees
- Medical certificate with chest X-ray and apostilled police clearance
- Passport valid at least 6 months beyond the intended stay
- Attend a BI hearing and ACR I-Card biometrics
The order of events
Ad, permit, petition, card
DOLE's 2025 rules (Department Order 248, amended in June 2025) cover the work permit. The Bureau of Immigration handles the visa, in Manila or through a Philippine consulate once DFA Manila sends written authority.
- Your employer runs the job ad in a newspaper; the ad stays valid for 45 days
- The AEP is filed at least 15 days after the ad runs, and within 15 days of signing your contract
- DOLE must decide within 15 working days of payment; permits run one to three years
- You attend a BI hearing and give biometrics at the Alien Registration Division
- BI stamps your passport and issues your ACR I-Card
- Need to start sooner? BI's Provisional Work Permit (₱4,040, about $70) covers the wait
What holding a 9(g) involves
An in-person check-in every year
Every ACR I-Card holder files BI's Annual Report at a BI office within the first 60 days of the calendar year.
Family on one visa
Your spouse and kids under 21 join your 9(g). BI lists the spouse fee at ₱8,120 (about $140) for one year.
Philippine tax on Philippine pay
Resident aliens pay graduated rates on Philippine-source income: zero on the first ₱250,000 (about $4,300), up to 35% above ₱8 million (about $139,000).
Perks are taxed too
Housing and similar benefits for managers and supervisors carry a 35% fringe benefits tax on the grossed-up value.
The IRS still expects a return
U.S. citizens are taxed on worldwide income. The foreign earned income exclusion's presence test needs 330 full days abroad in 12 months.
Teaching is open
Professional teaching, radiologic technology and speech-language pathology opened to foreigners on a reciprocity basis in June 2022.
When the job changes, so does the paperwork
If the job ends, the way back to tourist status is a request letter to BI's main office, with fees of ₱2,520 to ₱5,030 (about $45 to $85). Working without an AEP can cost you and your employer ₱10,000 (about $175) a year each. And BI's posted 9(g) fees date from March 2014, so confirm the current amount before you budget.
People who can help with the money side
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Tax filing software and support for Americans abroad, for the U.S. return you still owe while you earn pesos.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Currency exchange and international transfers between U.S. and overseas accounts.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Healthcare coach who helps you line up doctors, hospitals and coverage before you move.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
Global health insurance broker that compares international plans by age, health and budget.
9(g) questions Americans ask us
Can my spouse and children come with me on a 9(g)?
Yes. A spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included on the principal's 9(g). The Bureau of Immigration charges a separate fee for each dependent.
Will the Philippines tax my U.S. income if I work there on a 9(g)?
Not if you're treated as a resident alien: resident aliens pay Philippine tax only on Philippine-source income, at graduated rates. The IRS still taxes U.S. citizens on worldwide income, so you'll keep filing a U.S. return.
Can I start working before my 9(g) is approved?
Yes, with a Provisional Work Permit from the Bureau of Immigration, which is issued while your 9(g) application is pending. Law firm AJA Law says it lasts up to three months.
Do 9(g) holders have to report to immigration every year?
Yes. Every foreigner with an ACR I-Card files the Bureau of Immigration's Annual Report in person within the first 60 days of the calendar year.
Can I switch employers on a 9(g) visa?
Not on the same visa. The 9(g) is tied to the employer that sponsors you, and even a new position with the same company needs a new Alien Employment Permit application.
Can I apply for a 9(g) visa without a Philippine job offer?
No. The 9(g) is for foreigners coming to work for pay, and your employer drives the process: it advertises the job, files the Alien Employment Permit with DOLE, and gives you a notarized letter of endorsement for the Bureau of Immigration.
Is there a Philippine digital nomad visa I can use instead?
Not as of August 2026. The digital nomad visa still wasn't listed on the DFA's e-Visa portal, so remote workers couldn't apply. The 9(g) requires a Philippine employer.
Can I apply for the 9(g) from the U.S.?
Yes, at a Philippine embassy or consulate, but the post can only issue it after DFA Manila sends written authority. Bring a police clearance and a DFA medical certificate with chest X-ray, each under six months old. After you land, you register with the Bureau of Immigration for your ACR I-Card.
Other ways to live in the Philippines
The Philippines 13(a) marriage visa: permanent residence for Americans married to Filipinos
Your Filipino spouse petitions, you spend a year on probation, then the status becomes permanent. No investment or deposit required.
A Philippine residence visa tied to a $75,000 investment
The Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) covers you, your spouse and unmarried kids under 21. Condos and land don't count, and pulling the money out ends the visa.
Park $15,000 in a Philippine bank and stay as long as you like
The SRRV Classic is open to Americans 40 and up, run by the Philippine Retirement Authority, and paid for with a deposit you get back when you leave.
Is a Philippine job the right move for you?
Take the Expatsi Test to see how the Philippines stacks up against other countries on cost, work and lifestyle.
Why not you?