Parang Spain, Dubai! 2-year PH visa for digital nomads sought

• Cebu Rep. Eduardo Rama Jr. introduces a 2-year digital nomad visa for foreigners to work remotely in the Philippines.
• House Bill 9766 allows for a 12-month initial visa, extendable for an additional 12 months.
• Eligibility requires foreign applicants to be at least 18, demonstrate sufficient income from abroad, and have international health insurance coverage.

In a bid to cash in on foreigners working remotely, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Rama Jr. has proposed the creation of a digital nomad visa that will allow them to stay in the country for two years.

Under House Bill 9766, foreigners employed in a country other than the Philippines can apply for a digital nomad visa to work in the country for a 12-month period. The visa can be renewed for another 12 months.

To qualify for the visa, a foreign applicant must be at least 18 years old, show proof of “sufficient income” generated from sources outside the Philippines, and hold a valid international health insurance policy with coverage in the Philippines.

The applicant must also not have a criminal record in his or her home country.

To date, 54 countries offer a digital nomad visa, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Dubai and Thailand.

Rama said the availability of a digital nomad visa will boost tourism development, increase the influx of cash from abroad, and enhance economic activity in the country.

“Due to the mass advancement of information and communication technologies, emergence of co-working spaces, changes in work culture and the appeal of exploring new places while maintaining careers, countries all over the world have taken advantage of this phenomenon by providing for a new visa category called the ‘Digital Nomad Visa,’” he said in the bill’s explanatory note.

During a November 2023 hearing by the House Justice Committee on a similar measure filed by Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose “Bingo” Matugas II, the Department of Foreign Affairs expressed concern on the broad definition of a “digital nomad,” saying the visa might be misused by foreign criminals or aliens interested in working in Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

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