Most foreigners who want to live in the Philippines anchor their stay on a job (the 9g) or retirement (the SRRV). The Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) is the third path: it ties your residency to an investment rather than employment or age. Put US$75,000 into the right Philippine assets and you can reside in the country indefinitely. Here's how it works and who it fits.
What the SIRV is
The SIRV is a resident visa administered by the Board of Investments (BOI). It lets a foreign national live in the Philippines for as long as they maintain a qualifying investment of US$75,000. Unlike the retirement visa, it has no upper or near-retirement age requirement — applicants need only be at least 21 — which makes it the natural choice for younger founders and active investors rather than retirees.
How the two-stage process works
You don't hand over the money and get the visa in one motion. The SIRV runs in two stages:
- Probationary SIRV. Your US$75,000 first goes into a time deposit at an accredited bank while your application is processed. This gets you in with provisional status.
- Conversion to indefinite. You then have 180 days to move that money into the qualifying investment — approved shares of stock in an eligible Philippine corporation. Once you prove to the BOI that the investment is in place, your status converts to indefinite.
Tip
The visa lasts only as long as the investment does. The SIRV isn't a one-time purchase of residency — pull the qualifying investment out and you lose the basis for the visa. Treat the US$75,000 as committed capital, not a deposit you reclaim.
What counts as a qualifying investment
The investment has to go into eligible shares of stock — new, existing, or proposed Philippine corporations that qualify under the program. It's an equity investment in a real company, not a bank balance or real estate. That's the trade-off at the heart of the SIRV: your residency rides on putting working capital into the Philippine economy.
SIRV vs the other routes
The SIRV makes sense to weigh against the two visas foreigners more commonly start with:
| Visa | Anchored on | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 9(g) | Employment with a PH company | Foreigners working a role here |
| SRRV | A retirement deposit | Retirees, typically 50+ |
| SIRV | A US$75,000 investment | Active investors, 21+ |
If you're employed by a Philippine company, the 9g is usually the fit. If you're retiring, the SRRV's deposit route is built for that. The SIRV is for the person in between — too young or too active for the retirement visa, not tied to a single employer, but willing to invest to put down roots.
What to expect
Processing happens in steps that track the two stages: the probationary visa first, then the conversion once your investment is documented. Because the visa is administered by the BOI and tied to approved investments, the paperwork is more involved than a simple tourist extension — but the payoff is indefinite residency that doesn't depend on a job or your age.
Key takeaways
- The SIRV grants indefinite Philippine residency in exchange for maintaining a US$75,000 investment.
- Applicants need only be 21 or older — there's no retirement-age requirement.
- It's a two-stage process: a probationary visa with a bank time deposit, then 180 days to convert to qualifying shares for indefinite status.
- The visa lasts only as long as the qualifying investment stays in place.
Need help with this?
We handle the whole registration — structure, SEC, BIR, and permits — so it isn't on your shoulders.
See our registration service →