Philippines – New Document Requirement for 9(g) Visa Applications
Effective June 29, 2017, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is now requiring an additional document in support of applications for conversion of a 9(a) tourist visa or a temporary visitor visa to a 9(g) Pre-arranged Employment Visa (Commercial).
What is the change?
The additional requirement is the submission of proof of the publication of the applicant’s approved Alien Employment Permit (AEP) application in a national newspaper. This proof can be:
- The original newspaper clippings of the list of approved AEP applications by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) containing the name of the visa applicant and the petitioning company, or in the absence thereof,
- A Certification of Publication issued by the Publisher. Previously, applicants for conversion to 9(g) Visa were only required to submit to the BI a certified true copy of the approved AEP.
What is the 9(g) Visa?
The 9(g) Employment Visa (Commercial) is the work visa applicable to companies which are not registered with the Board of Investment (BOI) or Philippines Economic Zone (PEZA) to fill executive, technical, managerial or highly confidential positions for at least one year.
The 9(g) visa may be issued for more than one year up to three years at a time, not to exceed the period granted under the Alien Employment Permit issued by the Department of Labour and Employment.
Applicants first enter the Philippines as a visitor with a 9(a) tourist visa or a temporary visitor visa, depending on their nationality, and apply for an Alien Employment Permit (AEP). Within 15 days of issuance of the AEP, the applicant must then apply for conversion of their visitor visa into a 9(g) work visa.
Employers planning to obtain 9(g) visas for foreign national employees in the Philippines should be sure to include all the required documents in support of each application step.