The Philippines Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) has undergone significant policy adjustments with widespread impact. Starting from June 2025, the Philippines Bureau of Immigration will introduce a new "one-step" process for the SIRV visa, abolishing the previous phased handling mode. Applicants must stay within the Philippines during the approval period and are not allowed to leave the country. This change has caught many investors, who had planned only short stays, off guard.
The previous process was divided into two stages: the first stage was applying for a temporary investment visa, with an approval time of about 35 working days; the second stage involved converting the temporary visa into a permanent residency visa, requiring another 35 working days. Applicants were able to leave the country midway, allowing flexible travel arrangements.
However, under the new policy, applicants need to submit all documents at once for a permanent visa, with a processing period of over two months, during which they must stay in the Philippines. Investors who were approved under the old process by July 28 managed to get their temporary cards, while the new process requires them to stay "locked" in the Philippines until final approval.
Industry insiders warn that not understanding the differences between the two processes could lead to missed opportunities or risks of being stranded. It is advised that investors plan their time and travel according to their personal entry and exit needs, choosing the most suitable processing path for their situation. Old experiences no longer apply, and caution is needed to respond to policy updates to avoid time and financial losses.
