🇵🇭 the Philippines · immigration guide
Family visas for moving to the Philippines
The Philippines allows lengthy visitor extensions as well as several genuine residence options, but they are not interchangeable. SRRV now starts at age 40, while marriage, employment and investment visas each depend on their own qualifying circumstances.
Last verified 31 August 2026
The short answer
Which route should a family examine first?
A principal aged 40+ may examine the revised SRRV Classic, which can include a spouse and unmarried children under 21. Eligible non-visa-required visitors may be able to use extensions for a reversible stay, but nationality changes the entry position and visitor status does not authorise local work. Marriage, sponsored employment and qualifying investment each lead to different routes.
Current visa options
Four possible starting points and their limits
This table helps you identify options to research; it does not decide eligibility. Check the current category code, required documents and permitted activities with the issuing authority before paying.
Useful for
SRRV Classic
Principal applicants aged 40+ who meet deposit and, where used, pension rules
Spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included; published deposits vary by age and pension status.
It is a retirement residence product, not a fit for every target family. Fees, deposits and annual charges apply.
Useful for
Tourist stay + extensions
Scouting and a reversible temporary stay
The Bureau of Immigration says non-visa-required nationals may extend up to a maximum of 36 months from the latest arrival.
Extensions do not create local work rights or guaranteed settlement. Stays of six months or more trigger departure-clearance planning.
Useful for
13(a) marriage visa
A person validly married to a Filipino citizen
Eligible unmarried dependent children below 21 can be included under the published route.
Nationality reciprocity and documentary requirements apply; the relationship is the legal basis.
Useful for
Employment / investor status
Qualifying sponsored work or investment
Family options depend on the principal route and approvals.
Do not work locally on visitor status. Employer, labour and immigration requirements may overlap.
Plan for each family member
Check each person's status separately
Replace the examples with your names. Do not make a firm commitment while any person's activity or permission is still an assumption.
A useful way to compare the options
Which Philippines visa option fits the family's circumstances?
Begin with the fact that is true now—not the visa outcome you hope to reach.
Principal aged 40+
SRRV may fitDeposit depends on age and pension status; two dependants are included in the base deposit.
Filipino spouse
13(a) may fitMarriage validity, reciprocity and published documentary requirements apply.
Local job / investment
Sponsored routeEmployment and investment approvals create different residence and compliance chains.
Scouting only
Visitor + extensionsTemporary, discretionary and not permission to work or guaranteed settlement.
What this means: Decide whether you need a temporary research stay or a longer-term residence option. Do not let easy visitor extensions delay the decision about work rights and family residence indefinitely.
Common problems to avoid
Four questions to resolve before applying
SRRV is age-gated
The revised programme begins at age 40 for the principal and deposit amounts vary with age and pension status.
Visitor extensions remain visitor status
A long possible extension horizon does not create local work rights or permanent residence.
Mixed approvals can apply
Immigration status, an Alien Employment Permit and employer compliance may all matter for local work.
Departure admin can grow
Long visitor stays can create Emigration Clearance Certificate requirements before travel.
Organise the application documents
Prepare the documents your visa actually requires
Do not legalise every family document just in case. Confirm what the exact visa option accepts, where each document must be issued and how recent it must be.
Identity
Passports with route-specific validity, photographs and any existing immigration records.
Relationships
Marriage, birth, adoption, custody or dependency evidence matching the legal family structure.
Principal eligibility
Employment, client, income, pension, investment, education or sponsor evidence for the exact category.
Admissibility
Police, health, insurance or clearance documents where the current route requests them.
Authentication
Apostille, consular legalisation, certified copy and translation requirements checked document by document.
A sensible order for the application
From early planning to arrival
- 01
Write down what each person will do
For every adult and child, state the actual work, business, study or non-working activity and intended length of stay.
- 02
Choose the main applicant
Identify the visa option supported by a real job, overseas work, qualifying capital, school or family relationship.
- 03
Check every dependant
Confirm eligible relationships, age limits, separate applications and what happens if the main applicant's status ends.
- 04
Prepare and authenticate
Work backwards from police, health, bank, employer and civil documents that may expire or need legalisation.
- 05
Apply before making firm commitments
Coordinate school and temporary housing, keep written terms and avoid non-refundable payments before the immigration position is clear.
- 06
Keep a calendar of ongoing requirements
Track entry, address reporting, renewals, re-entry, work or school changes, tax review and departure formalities.
Before paying an intermediary
Put these answers in writing
- The current official category code and issuing-authority link for every family member.
- The legal sponsor or guarantor and what happens if that person, employer or school changes.
- The exact work, business, volunteering and study activities each status permits or prohibits.
- Government fees separated from professional, translation, legalisation and third-party charges.
- Entry, reporting, extension, renewal, re-entry and departure obligations with dates and owners.
- The refund or remediation position if refused, delayed or moved to a different category.
Information, not individual immigration advice. Eligibility depends on current law and your evidence. Use the official sources below and a properly authorised professional where the route or activity needs one.
Continue planning your family's visas
Check work and dependant rights separately
Common questions
Questions about family relocation
Does one visa cover the whole family in the Philippines?
Not automatically. The main applicant's visa may allow dependant applications, but every person still needs the correct application, relationship documents and status. Check the position for the main applicant, spouse and every child separately.
Does dependant status allow a spouse to work?
Never infer work permission from residence. Some routes prohibit it, some require a separate employment pass or permit, and some attach work rights only to particular principal categories. Obtain the answer for the exact code and activity in writing.
Can children attend international school on dependant status?
That depends on the route and country. Some children use dependant status; others need a student category or school sponsorship. Confirm the school's document process and the immigration authority's current requirement before accepting a place.
Is a long-validity visa the same as permanent residence?
No. A five-, ten- or twenty-year label may still be temporary, conditional, renewable or split into shorter grants. Read continuing criteria, cancellation triggers and whether the programme expressly leads to permanent residence.
Does visa approval settle our tax position?
No. Immigration, personal tax, employment law, social security and corporate presence use different tests. Days present, where work is performed, accommodation and remittances can matter independently of visa validity.
When should we pay school fees or sign a lease?
Wait until you understand the visa, sponsor, dependant arrangements, permitted activities and refund terms. Keep early housing flexible and ask schools for written deferral or refund terms if the family's status is not yet secured.
Can a family move on the SRRV?
SRRV Classic can suit a qualifying principal aged 40 or above. The published September 2025 process allows a spouse and unmarried children under 21; the base deposit includes the principal and two dependants, with an additional deposit beyond that.
How much is the SRRV Classic deposit?
The revised published schedule ranges from US$15,000 for a pensioner aged 50+ to US$50,000 for a non-pensioner aged 40–49. Other age/pension combinations and separate fees apply; verify the current PRA schedule before remitting money.
Can non-visa-required visitors keep extending?
The Bureau of Immigration publishes extension processes and has stated a maximum stay horizon for non-visa-required visitors. Eligibility depends on nationality and current admission rules. Each extension and entry remains discretionary and does not grant work rights or guaranteed residence.
Can SRRV dependants work or study automatically?
Do not merge residence with work or study permission. PRA benefits include assistance with relevant documents, but employment and a dependent child's school or study requirements must be confirmed separately.