Feliciano Law

Feliciano Law This Law Firm handles all types of visa and permit applications for foreigners seeking to reside or work in the Philippines.

03/03/2025

In the last 8 years, we have seen a decline in the frequency of the Board of Commissioners (BOC) meetings to approve visa applications. The bulk of the applications are 9g pre-arranged employment visas, which is the most basic working visa, and a number of spousal visas (e.g. 13a and TRV). The BOC meetings are more popularly known for the result it produces or the “Agenda”. The Agenda contains the list of approved visa applications. It may be recalled that until around 2017, the BOC held meetings almost every week except for Holy Week, Christmas holidays or unexpected holidays. In fact, former Commissioner Roy Almoro committed to hold meetings on a fixed day of the week (i.e. Thursdays). If a visa application is not included in the Agenda, the applicant has hope that he may have the application included in the next weeks Agenda. Delays in approval are on a weekly basis. In a year, there would be approximately around 48 or 49 Agendas. Out of the 52 weeks in a year, there will be an Agenda 90% of the time. The records of these Agendas have long been taken down from the BI website.

Instead, records of the Agendas for the last 3 years remain posted. Here is the number of Agendas per year:

Year – No. of Agendas
2022 - 24
2023 - 30
2024 - 19
2025 - 3

In December 2025 and January 2025, there was only 1 Agenda per month. In February 2025, there were 2 Agendas. If an application is not included in the Agenda, the applicant does not know when the next Agenda will be. The effect of delay is exacerbated by the uncertainty of the next Agenda. Given the recent trend, applicants face a one-month delay every time an application is not included in the Agenda. Delays in approval are on a monthly basis.

Given that there are no more POGO visa applications swamping the BI, let’s hope the BI increases the frequency of BOC meetings to help ease doing business in Philippines for foreign investors.

25/10/2022

The Bureau of Immigration issued Memorandum No. 2022-012dated 18 October 2022 limiting the filing of Special Work Permit (SWP) and Provisional Work Permit (PWP) applications to BI sub-ports having jurisdiction over the intended place of work. The territorial jurisdictions are defined in Memorandum No. 2022-011 issued on the same day. For example, if a foreign national will work in Cavite, the SWP or PWP application may only be filed in the Dasmarinas Immigration Field Office in Cavite. There are extraneous jurisdictions such as if the place of work is in Ortigas Center, Pasig, the application must be filed in the field office in Taytay, Rizal. For those who will work in Makati, the application must be filed in the BI office in Las Pinas.



The BI main office will no longer accept SWP or PWP applications.



For the ease of doing business, let’s hope the territorial jurisdictions are adjusted for key cities.

24/03/2022

The BI allows those who entered under IATF resolution 160 to convert to a working visa. Foreign nationals who applied for 9g visa ISSUANCE but were unable to wait for the issuance of the visa through the consulate and entered the Philippines, they may revalidate the visa at the BI.

With more reason, the BI allows tourist visa holders to extend their tourist visa beyond the initial 30 days.

11/02/2022

In a surprising announcement, on February 10, 2022, the IATF issued resolution no. 160-D prohibiting the non visa-required (and vaccinated) foreigners entering on Feb 10, 2022 onwards from converting to a 9g working visa. This is an announcement on the same day the foreign nationals were allowed to enter.

You may recall that the IATF earlier issued a resolution allowing non visa-required nationals to enter the Philippines. It was a step to the opening of borders. Businessmen appreciated the exemption because they could enter without having to secure a Travel Ban Exemption or wait for the ISSUANCE of the 9g visa through the consulate. Unfortunately, the BI limited the exemption/opening of borders only to those coming in for tourism. Foreign nationals who entered visa-free may not convert their tourist status to a working visa category.

Foreign nationals outside the country who will work in the Philippines must still apply for the ISSUANCE of their working visa through the Philippine posts abroad (consulate/embassy).

28/01/2022

As per IATF Resolution 159, effective 10 February 2022, fully vaccinated nationals of non-visa required countries will be allowed to enter the Philippines.

This eases the pressure on foreign nationals who have exceeded the maximum stay of either 24 months, for visa required nationals, or 36 months for non-visa required nationals. The BI granted regulatory relief on the maximum stay limits only on the imposition of the Order To Leave (OTL). The relief is in the non-imposition of an OTL. When the overstaying foreign national applies for updating, the BI still imposes fines and penalties on those who exceed the given periods. The BI order also requires the foreign national “to secure an appropriate visa within a nonextednible period of 120 days from receipt of this Order”. Failure to comply with the Order will result in the filing of a deportation complaint.

IATF Resolution 159 gives the foreign national the option to just leave and return in order to reset the count.

Let’s hope the opening of borders is not withdrawn in the last minute.

19/11/2021

Only Filipinos, balikbayan, and foreigners with valid and existing visas issued by the BI and other specialized government agencies are allowed to enter the country.

Foreigners who would like to enter must still obtain a travel ban exemption or Entry Exemption Document. The borders are still closed.

18/10/2021

Suspension of Order To Leave

The Bureau of Immigration imposes an Order To Leave (OTL) on foreigners in several cases. An OTL is similar to a deportation order because both have the effect of forcible removal from the country. In both cases, the foreigner must leave the country whether the foreigner likes it or not. The difference between the two is in deportation, the foreigner is also blacklisted which bars the re-entry to the country. The blacklist order is very difficult to lift and may only be lifted after a certain period depending on the ground for deportation.

With the current travel ban in place during this pandemic, an OTL has become similar to a deportation order because the foreigner will have to undergo the very difficult process of securing a travel ban exemption to re-enter.

To exacerbate the problems of a foreigner issued an OTL, some countries ask in the visitor’s arrival form at the airport “Have you ever been Ordered To Leave?”.

An OTL is commonly imposed in the Philippines on foreigners who have 1.) overstayed under a tourist visa, 2.) downgraded their 47a2 PEZA visa or 3.) downgraded their 9g visa after having stayed in the Philippines under a 9g visa for more than 5 years.

In BI Operations Order no. JHM-2021-005, the Bureau of Immigration will suspend imposing an OTL on those who have overstayed as a form of regulatory relief. Instead, the BI will impose monetary penalties for the updating.

A lot of foreigners eagerly await whether the BI will also suspend the imposition of the OTL on those who downgraded from a 47a2 visa and those who downgraded from a 9g visa after having stayed for more than 5 years.

19/08/2021

In Operations Order JHM 2021-004 dated 18 August 2021, the BI will allow employers to apply for a working visa for their prospective employees who are still outside the Philippines. The working visa will be issued by the BI through the Philippine consulate in the country of origin. The expatriate will pick up the visa and use it to enter the Philippines.

Let’s wait until 1.) the BI clarifies the requirements for the working visa application and 2.) if the DOLE will allow applicants or employers to secure an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) while they are still outside the Philippines.

See the following to learn more about Feliciano Law's services.
17/07/2021

See the following to learn more about Feliciano Law's services.

05/06/2021

ADVISORY ON SRRV HOLDERS

IATF Resolution 119 allows SRRV holders to enter without having to obtain an Entry Exemption Document-

" 4. Upon the recommendation of the Department of Tourism, foreignnationals holding Special Resident Retiree’s Visa shall be allowed toenter the country without need of an entry exemption document. For thispurpose, Paragraph C of IATF Resolution No. 100 issued on February18, 2021 is amended accordingly. "

Finally, after more than 1 year.

Address

6F World Center, 330 Gil Puyat Avenue
Manila
1200

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+639209614278

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