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.
This is the route for Americans whose money comes from capital, not a pension or a paycheck. You must be 21 or older with a clean record, and there's no minimum time you have to spend in the country once you're in.
The entry numbers, from BOI's 2020 checklist and 2022 FAQ
US$75,000
Minimum investment
Wired to DBP or Land Bank
US$300
BOI application fee, per person
Each dependent pays it too
₱10,110
Bureau of Immigration fee, age 14 and up
₱9,360 for kids under 14
6 months
Probationary visa
Invest the funds 30+ days before it ends
What qualifies
Where the $75,000 can go, and where it can't
The Board of Investments (BOI) accepts shares in new or existing Philippine corporations that are publicly listed, in the Investment Priorities Plan, or in manufacturing or services. Philippine government securities count too.
- Yes: stocks listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange
- Yes: Philippine government securities
- No: condos, land or any direct real estate purchase
- No: retail (restaurants included) and wholesale trading companies
Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV)
For foreign investors aged 21 or older who put at least US$75,000 into Philippine companies or listed shares. It is endorsed by the Board of Investments and issued by the Bureau of Immigration, and allows indefinite stay with multiple entries for you, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 while the investment is maintained. Real estate purchases do not qualify.
- Government cost
- $493
- Timeline
- 6-month probationary visa to place the funds, then indefinite while the US$75,000 investment is maintained
- Difficulty
- Moderate
About that data card
Our data lists "NBI Interpol clearance, apostilled police clearance" as if you need both. BOI's checklist asks for one or the other: an apostilled U.S. police clearance issued within 6 months, or a clearance from the NBI's Interpol Division. Beyond that you'll need a medical certificate authenticated by the Bureau of Quarantine (good for 6 months), an apostilled birth certificate, your marriage certificate if you're bringing a spouse, and a notarized Deed of Undertaking.
Getting it
Two stages: probationary first, indefinite once the money is invested
BOI quotes 7 working days and the Bureau of Immigration at least 10. One Manila law firm puts the probationary visa at 30 to 45 working days from a complete file, so plan on roughly two months.
- Wire at least US$75,000 to Development Bank of the Philippines or Land Bank, where it sits in a peso time deposit of 30 to 180 days
- File with BOI in Manila on tourist status with a month or more left (Americans get 30 days visa-free on arrival), or through the Philippine Consulate in New York for a US$500 filing fee plus US$25 per notarized document
- Get a six-month probationary visa with multiple entries
- Move the deposit into qualifying investments at least 30 days before probation ends, then convert to the indefinite SIRV
Life on a SIRV
No minimum stay
BOI sets no required time in the country. The visa runs as long as the investment does.
No exit paperwork
Multiple entries, and holders skip the Special Return Certificate and Emigration Clearance Certificate when they travel.
Spouse and kids under 21
Unmarried children stop counting as dependents at 21, and their SIRV is no longer honored.
Household goods come in free
Used household goods and personal effects can be imported free of tax and duty.
Run the company you invest in
Law firms report executives of their own investee company are generally exempt from the Alien Employment Permit. A job elsewhere needs its own permit.
Two yearly check-ins
An annual report to BOI, plus the Bureau of Immigration report for ACR I-Card holders, due by March 1 and fileable online.
Living on a pension instead?
The Philippine Retirement Authority's SRRV Classic opens at age 40 and, from age 50, asks for a US$15,000 deposit with a pension or US$30,000 without one, plus a US$1,500 application fee (as of October 2026). The SIRV makes more sense if you'd rather keep $75,000 working in Philippine markets than parked in a deposit. Married to a Filipino? The 13(a) visa needs no investment at all.
Help with the money side
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Handles currency exchange and international payments, including the single large transfer this visa starts with.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Prepares U.S. returns for Americans living abroad, FBAR filings included.
Beacon Global Advisors
Financial Planning
Financial planners who can help you weigh a Philippine portfolio against the rest of your savings.
SIRV questions from Americans
Can I work in the Philippines on a SIRV?
You can manage your own investment. Law firms report that an investor serving as an executive of the company they invested in is generally exempt from the Alien Employment Permit. Taking a regular job with another employer needs a separate work permit.
Can I apply for the SIRV from the United States?
Yes. The Philippine Consulate General in New York accepts SIRV applications for a US$500 filing fee plus US$25 per notarized document. It forwards your file to BOI and issues a six-month probationary visa once you're approved. You can also file with BOI in Manila while on tourist status.
What happens to my SIRV if I sell my investment?
Withdrawing the investment cancels the SIRV. Moving from one qualifying investment to another can be allowed, but it needs approval first, so check with BOI before you sell.
How are SIRV holders taxed in the Philippines?
The Philippines taxes foreigners, resident or not, only on income from Philippine sources, such as dividends from Philippine shares. Selling listed shares carries a 0.1% stock transaction tax as of July 2025. On the U.S. side, Philippine accounts totaling more than US$10,000 at any point in the year mean filing an FBAR.
Do I have to live in the Philippines full time to keep a SIRV?
No. BOI sets no minimum stay. The visa allows multiple entries and lasts as long as your qualifying investment stays at US$75,000 or more, but you still owe BOI an annual report.
Can I buy a condo in the Philippines to qualify for the SIRV?
No. BOI no longer accepts condominium units, and direct real estate purchases, land included, don't count. The US$75,000 has to go into shares of qualifying Philippine companies, publicly listed stocks or Philippine government securities.
Can my spouse and children get a SIRV with me?
Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 qualify as dependents, and each pays BOI's US$300 application fee. A child who turns 21 is no longer a valid dependent, so plan another visa for them before that birthday.
Does the SIRV lead to Philippine citizenship?
No. The SIRV is a residence status that lasts as long as your investment does. It doesn't make you a Filipino citizen.
Other Philippine visas
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.
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.
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.
See if the Philippines fits before you invest
The Expatsi Test compares countries on your budget, climate and health needs and gives you a shortlist to dig into.
Why not you?