Recently, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration issued an important notice, imposing stricter requirements on the application process for the 9G work visa (Pre-Arranged Employment Visa): from the date of application submission, applicants must complete fingerprint registration within 6 days, otherwise, they must pay a delay fee of 1510 pesos before proceeding. This change has attracted widespread attention from foreign workers and employers.
1. What is a 9G work visa?
The 9G work visa is an important visa category issued by the Philippines for foreign professionals, expatriates, and long-term employees, typically applied for by a registered company in the Philippines as the sponsoring entity. The holder can legally work and reside in the Philippines long-term, commonly used by multinational company expatriates, foreign teachers, engineers, IT experts, and more.
The approval of the 9G visa involves the immigration bureau, labor departments, and other relevant agencies, usually valid for the duration of the employment contract and renewable.
2. Key changes in the new regulations
According to the new regulations by the immigration bureau, applicants must complete fingerprint registration within 6 days after submitting the 9G visa documents. Fingerprint registration is a crucial step for identity verification, used for record-keeping in the immigration database to prevent identity fraud, illegal labor, and visa fraud.
If the registration is not completed within 6 days, the applicant will be required to pay a delay fee of 1510 pesos, and the registration process may be postponed, further delaying the visa approval. This means that any applicant who ignores this timeline not only incurs additional costs but may also affect their entry time and job start date.
3. Overview of the application process
The application for a 9G work visa generally includes the following steps:
Prepare documents: passport, employment contract, company business license, tax documents, etc.
Submit application: the sponsoring company submits complete documents to the immigration bureau.
Fingerprint registration: as required by the new regulations, to be completed within 6 days at designated immigration offices or cooperative centers.
Approval and issuance: the immigration bureau reviews the documents and background checks before issuing the visa.
Visa collection and registration: once approved, collect the visa from the immigration bureau and complete the registration for foreigners (ACR I-Card).
4. Impact on applicants
This new regulation seems to only add a time requirement but actually raises the time management demands of the application process. Foreign employees who miss the deadline due to personal reasons, improper company arrangements, or lack of policy knowledge will face:
Increased financial costs: need to pay a delay fee of 1510 pesos.
Risk of approval delays: postponed registration could affect the overall approval process.
Employment arrangement obstacles: may affect the start date, causing trouble for both the employer and the applicant.
Especially in the context of visa backlogs not fully resolved post-pandemic, the cascading effects of process delays could be more pronounced.
5. Immigration bureau advice and precautions
The Philippine Bureau of Immigration reminds:
Immediately schedule fingerprint registration after submitting the application to avoid delays due to queues, incomplete documents, or holidays.
Operate on the official website of the immigration bureau or authorized cooperative centers to avoid encountering intermediary fraud.
Employers should plan ahead to ensure that foreign employees arrive in the Philippines or go to the designated place for fingerprint registration within the specified time.
6. Conclusion
The 9G work visa is a key pass for foreigners to work legally in the Philippines, and the implementation of the new regulations reflects the tightening trend of foreign labor management in the Philippines. Both applicants and employers should pay close attention to time points and process details to avoid minor losses. For foreign professionals planning to develop in the Philippines, understanding and complying with the latest requirements not only saves time and costs but also ensures smooth career planning.
