The Philippines is Launching a Digital Nomad Visa—What Exactly Is It?
Non-immigrant foreigners must meet certain requirements to be eligible for a digital nomad visa.
The Philippines is the latest addition to the list of the countries that issue what is known as a digital nomad visa.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) No. 86, which authorizes the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to issue digital nomad visas to non-immigrant foreigners.
A digital nomad visa is a type of visa that is issued to foreigners who wish to live and work remotely in a foreign country for a certain period of time. It is important, however, that the employers or clients of an applicant should not be situated in the issuing country. In this case, a foreign applying for a digital nomad visa in the Philippines should have employers or clients outside of the country.
According to EO No. 86, “There is a need to establish a legal framework to facilitate the entry of digital nomads in the country or foreign nationals who desire to temporarily stay in the Philippines while engaged in remote work activities for overseas employers or clients.”
The executive order also states that the validity period of a digital nomad visa should not extend one year. However, holders of the visa may renew for the same duration.
Eligibility Requirements
Non-immigrant foreigners applying for a digital nomad visa in the Philippines must comply with the following requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must show proof of remote work using digital technology
- Must show proof of sufficient income which is generated outside the Philippines
- Must show proof of no criminal record
- Must have health insurance that is valid for period of the visa
- Must be a national of a country that offers digital nomad visas to Filipinos and where the Philippines has a Foreign Service Post
- Must not pose threat to the internal or external security of the Philippines
- Must not be employed in the Philippines
According to EO No. 86, the pilot implementation of the digital nomad visa must be conducted within 60 days from the effectivity of the order. EO No. 86 was signed on April 24, 2025, by President Marcos.
Which Countries Also Have Digital Nomad Visas for Filipinos?
One of the requirements stated in EO No. 86 is that an applicant should come from a country that issues digital nomad visas to Filipinos and where the Philippines has an embassy or consulate. Which countries then qualify based on this?
Some of the Philippines’ Asian neighbors offer digital nomad visas to Filipinos, including Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan. The United Arab Emirates is likewise another Asian nation that offers such visas to Filipinos.
Outside Asia, countries like Colombia and Brazil also issue digital nomad visas for Filipinos, along with the following European countries:
- Albania
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Estonia
- Finland
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Malta
- Montenegro
- Portugal
- Romania
- Spain
Interested Filipino digital nomads should check the official government websites of the country they want to work in for requirements and application instructions.
How Are Digital Nomad Visas Beneficial for the Philippines?
As digital nomad visa holders are not considered residents and are not allowed to have employers or clients in the Philippines, income tax and other residency-related taxes do not apply to them, unless changes in legislation are made to allow this. How, then, does issuing digital nomad visas benefit the country?
Digital nomads can still contribute to the economy, particularly that of the local community they are part of. As they have to spend on housing, transportation, food, and leisure, their spending contributes to the income of local businesses and the economy as a whole.
This also means that digital nomads can also positively affect the country’s tourism as they would have to spend on restaurants, cafes, and even hotels. Barbados, for example, claimed that its Welcome Stamp, the name it gave to the one-year visa issued for digital nomads, earned the country $100 million (approximately PHP 5.5 billion) in tourism revenue within the first 10 months of the visa’s creation.
In addition to this, digital nomads can also positively affect the country’s reputation among international tourists. Allowing them to enter and stay in the Philippines to work boosts the country’s image as a modern nation that is open and welcoming not just to digital nomads, but to foreigners in general.
