The Philippines has a generous short-stay system: most Western passports get 30 days visa-free under Executive Order 408, with extensions in country up to 36 months for tourists [1,2]. Long stay for retirees routes mainly through the Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV), administered by the Philippine Retirement Authority, one of the most accessible retirement visas in Southeast Asia [3].
Visa-free entry for IE, GB, US, DE, FR
Under Executive Order 408, nationals of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and France enter the Philippines visa-free for an initial 30 days for tourism [1]. You need a passport valid at least six months beyond your intended stay, an onward or return ticket, and a completed eTravel arrival form submitted within 72 hours before departure.
Visa waiver extension (in country)
You can extend the 30-day visa-free entry in the Philippines through the Bureau of Immigration's 9A Visa Waiver scheme. The first extension is a 29-day visa waiver, bringing the total stay to 59 days at approximately 3,030 PHP (about 47 EUR) [4,2]. Further extensions come in one- or two-month blocks, and you can extend up to a cumulative 36 months in country [2]. Once you pass 59 days, you need an Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-Card) at a fee of 50 USD plus 500 PHP express fee (about 55 EUR total) [4]. You can lodge most subsequent extensions through the Bureau of Immigration eServices portal at e-services.immigration.gov.ph, although the first biometrics capture for the ACR I-Card requires an in-person visit to a BI office [5].
Tourist visa (9A) from abroad
For longer initial stays, you can lodge a 9A Temporary Visitor visa at a Philippine embassy: single entry for three months (35 EUR equivalent) or multiple entry valid six months or one year (70 to 90 EUR) [6]. Rarely needed for the five passports in scope. EO 408 plus in-country extensions cover the same ground.
Long-stay options relevant to 60+ relocators
Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV)
The Philippine Retirement Authority administers the SRRV. As of 1 September 2025 the SRRV was restructured: only SRRV Classic and SRRV Courtesy remain, the minimum age is 50 for Classic, and the processing fee is 1,500 USD (about 1,400 EUR) for the principal applicant plus 300 USD per dependant [3].
Deposit requirements for SRRV Classic, age 50 and over [3,7]:
- With a verifiable foreign pension of at least 800 USD per month (single) or 1,000 USD per month (with dependants): deposit of 15,000 USD (about 14,000 EUR) in an SRRV time deposit at an accredited bank.
- Without a pension: deposit of 30,000 USD (about 28,000 EUR).
For applicants aged 40 to 49, the same deposits double (50,000 USD non-pensioner, 25,000 USD pensioner) [3].
After issuance, you can convert the deposit to an approved investment, typically a long lease on a condominium [7]. The annual PRA service fee is 360 USD for Classic [3]. The SRRV grants indefinite multiple-entry residence and exemption from the standard ACR I-Card.
SRRV Courtesy
A reduced-deposit version (1,500 USD for age 50 plus) for retired ambassadors and officers of international agencies, and for retired members of armed forces of countries with diplomatic relations with the Philippines [3]. Annual PRA fee is 100 USD.
Marriage to a Filipino citizen (13A visa)
A foreign spouse of a Filipino citizen can get a 13A non-quota immigrant visa, granting permanent residence after a one-year probationary period [2]. File with the Bureau of Immigration or at a Philippine embassy abroad; you need an ACR I-Card.
E-visa portal
The Philippines does not offer a comprehensive single e-visa portal for tourists. Pre-issued 9A tourist visas still go through Philippine embassies. The Bureau of Immigration runs an in-country eServices portal (e-services.immigration.gov.ph) covering visa extensions, ACR I-Card renewals and Emigration Clearance Certificates [5]. File SRRV applications through PRA at pra.gov.ph [3]. Short-stay arrivals must also complete the eTravel form at etravel.gov.ph within 72 hours of flight.
Processing times
EO 408 entry stamp: immediate at the airport [1]. 9A visa waiver extension: 1 to 3 working days at a BI office, or up to 7 days online [5]. SRRV: 3 to 6 weeks from a complete application, including bank deposit verification [3]. 13A marriage visa: 4 to 8 weeks for the probationary stage.
Overstay penalties
The Philippines treats short-term overstay as a recoverable administrative offence, not a criminal one. Standard fines are 500 PHP per month of overstay plus extension fees and motion-for-reconsideration fees if the visa has expired (typically totalling 2,000 to 10,000 PHP for short overstays, about 30 to 155 EUR) [2]. Longer overstays (over six months) trigger the BI Watchlist or blacklist process and can require an Order to Leave plus payment of accumulated fees before departure. Pay at any BI office; the airport can refuse boarding for unresolved overstay status [2].