Philippines opens doors to digital nomads under new Executive Order

DAVAO CITY (April 25) – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued Executive Order (EO) 86, allowing the issuance of a Philippine visa for digital nomads or foreign nationals seeking to reside and work remotely in the Philippines temporarily.

EO 86, signed by Marcos on Thursday, establishes a legal framework to facilitate the entry of digital nomads into the country, boosting Philippine tourism and the economy.

Under the EO, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is authorized to issue Digital Nomad Visas (DNVs) to non-immigrant foreigners “who desire to enter and/or stay in the country for a temporary period to work remotely using digital technologies, and whose clients or employers are situated outside the Philippines.”

The DFA is also directed to create a database of all DNV holders for monitoring purposes, while ensuring strict compliance with the data privacy requirements under Republic Act 10173, also known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

“Foreigners who are issued valid DNVs may enter and/or stay in the Philippines for a maximum period of one year. DNV holders may renew their visas for the same duration, and may be granted multiple entry privileges during the validity of their DNVs,” EO 86 reads.

Foreigners applying for DNV must be at least 18 years old, show proof of remote work using digital technology, demonstrate sufficient income generated outside the Philippines, and have an unblemished criminal record.

An applicant must have health insurance valid for the DNV period; must be a national of a country that offers DNVs to Filipinos and where the Philippines has a Foreign Service Post (FSP); must not pose threat to the internal or external security of the Philippines; and must not be employed in the Philippines.

Foreigners who are nationals of countries that offer DNVs to Filipinos but do not have a Philippine FSP may apply for DNV in the nearest country where a Philippine FSP is located.

The DFA is directed to coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in studying and implementing measures to attract eligible foreigners effectively.

The DFA, in coordination with the DOJ, DOT, BL, and BIR, is tasked with issuing the necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of the order within 30 days from its effectiveness.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked the Philippines as the 7th fastest-growing remote work hub country in the world in 2023.

EO 86, a copy of which was released on Friday, takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.