Philippines · Business / Startup
Philippines Treaty Trader/Investor (9D)
First stay: 2 yrs
Treaty Trader or Treaty Investor Visa (9D)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Treaty Trader/Investor (9D) is a business / startup route for Philippines. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- ₱9,620 ≈ $150 · +2 more
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
Government fees₱9,620 ≈ $150 · +2 more
- PHP 9,620 (≈ $150)Principal applicant fee for a 1-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa, as listed by the Bureau of Immigration.
- PHP 13,650 (≈ $220)Principal applicant fee for a 2-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa.
- $50Additional ACR I-Card fee for a 1-year visa (USD 100 for 2 years).
RenewalRenewable
Existing holders can apply for extensions for the same purpose.
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 10 years of residence
Naturalization needs continuous residence in the Philippines of at least 10 years, reduced to 5 years for some petitioners, such as those who held government office or established a new industry or useful invention.
Presence rulesStay rule
All registered foreigners must report in person to the Bureau of Immigration within the first 60 days of every calendar year.
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Treaty traders are nationals of the United States, Japan or Germany carrying on trade or commerce under an existing treaty.
- Treaty investors develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in the Philippines.
- A spouse and unmarried children under 21 may be included.
What you must show and pay3
- A fee of PHP 9,620 (≈ $150) · Principal applicant fee for a 1-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa, as listed by the Bureau of Immigration.
- A fee of PHP 13,650 (≈ $220) · Principal applicant fee for a 2-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa.
- A fee of $50 · Additional ACR I-Card fee for a 1-year visa (USD 100 for 2 years).
After you arrive1
- Extension is available to existing holders for the same purpose.
What happens at day 180
How Philippines decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 2 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 180 days in a calendar yearA non-resident alien who stays in the Philippines for an aggregate of more than 180 days during a calendar year is deemed to be doing business in the Philippines and is taxed at the graduated rates instead of the flat 25%.
- Foreign-source income
Territorial (non-residents)
All tax rules for Philippines Tax records checked
Full official text
Visa for nationals of the United States, Japan and Germany entering solely to carry on trade or commerce under a treaty of commerce and navigation, or for a foreigner developing and directing the operations of an enterprise in the Philippines. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of PHP 9,620 (≈ $150) · Principal applicant fee for a 1-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa, as listed by the Bureau of Immigration. 1
- A fee of PHP 13,650 (≈ $220) · Principal applicant fee for a 2-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa. 1
- A fee of $50 · Additional ACR I-Card fee for a 1-year visa (USD 100 for 2 years). 1
Requirements
- Treaty traders are nationals of the United States, Japan or Germany carrying on trade or commerce under an existing treaty. 1
- Treaty investors develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in the Philippines. 1
- A spouse and unmarried children under 21 may be included. 1
- Extension is available to existing holders for the same purpose. 1
Stay
- Validity is set at issue; existing holders may apply for extensions for the same purpose.
- First stay: 12 to 24 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Treaty traders must be nationals of the United States, Japan or Germany; the treaty investor branch is open to foreigners of any nationality.
Family
Spouse and unmarried children under 21 of the principal holder may be included. Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in the Philippines.
Official sources
- Treaty Trader or Treaty Investor (9D) · Bureau of Immigration of the Philippines · checked 2026-10-10
- Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442), Title II: Employment of Nonresident Aliens · Supreme Court E-Library · checked 2026-10-12
- Frequently Asked Questions · Bureau of Immigration, Philippines · checked 2026-10-12
- Commonwealth Act No. 473 (Revised Naturalization Law) · Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines · checked 2026-10-11
Treaty Trader/Investor (9D) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treaty Trader/Investor (9D) | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| SVEG job-creation visa | – | 1 yr | – |
| SMART Visa S · 2 years Thailand | Needs savings of ฿600k+ ≈ $18k | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Business Manager Japan | Needs an investment of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Golden · Entrepreneur United Arab Emirates | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Treaty Trader/Investor (9D)?
A fee of PHP 9,620 (≈ $150). Principal applicant fee for a 1-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa, as listed by the Bureau of Immigration. A fee of PHP 13,650 (≈ $220). Principal applicant fee for a 2-year treaty trader or treaty investor visa. A fee of $50. Additional ACR I-Card fee for a 1-year visa (USD 100 for 2 years).
How long can I stay on the Treaty Trader/Investor (9D)?
Validity is set at issue; existing holders may apply for extensions for the same purpose.
Can I bring my family on the Treaty Trader/Investor (9D)?
Spouse and unmarried children under 21 of the principal holder may be included.
How are Treaty Trader/Investor (9D) holders taxed in Philippines?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Treaty Trader/Investor (9D). The standard rules apply: Non-resident aliens are taxed only on income from sources within the Philippines (NIRC section 23). A non-resident alien who stays more than 180 days in a calendar year is treated as doing business in the Philippines and pays the same graduated rates as residents on that income; one who is not engaged in trade or business pays a flat 25% on gross Philippine-source income (section 25).
More in Philippines
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Treaty Trader or Treaty Investor (9D) · Bureau of Immigration of the Philippines · checked 2026-10-10
- Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442), Title II: Employment of Nonresident Aliens · Supreme Court E-Library · checked 2026-10-12
- Frequently Asked Questions · Bureau of Immigration, Philippines · checked 2026-10-12
- Commonwealth Act No. 473 (Revised Naturalization Law) · Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.