According to Sec. 9(d) of the Philippine Immigration Act a foreign investor is entitled to enter the Philippines as a treaty trader. If he is a national of a country with which the Philippines has in place an agreement for the admission of treaty traders or investors. Currently, the Philippines has such an agreement with the United States, Japan and Germany. The term "treaty trader" is meant to include any treaty investor or an alien employed by a treaty investor in a supervisory/executive position.

The employee wishing to apply for 9(d) visa must be of the same nationality as the majority shareholder of the sponsoring firm.

Apart from the requirements, the foreign investor must prove that: he or his employer intends to carry out "substantial trade" between the Philippines and their country; or he intends to develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in which he or his employer has invested, or is in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital.

Substantial trade refers to a non-nationalized business in which the investment is at least US$120,000.00 as well as the equally important factor of the volume of business conducted.

Requirements

• Letter of request from the petitioning company.

• Application Form (BI Form MCL-07-01 )accomplished and duly notarized

• Secure Alien Employment Permit (AEP) from the Department of Labor and Employment

• Authenticated copy of the applicant's passport showing current valid visa

• Clearance Certificate issued by Bureau of Immigration

• Any other documents which will assist in the evaluation process

• If the applicant's spouse and/or minor unmarried children under twenty-one years of age, accompany him, submission of certified true copies of the Marriage Contract, Birth Certificate(s) (authenticated at Philippines Embassy if issued abroad).

• Authenticated copy of passport, showing valid visa, of the spouse and minor, unmarried children

Procedure

• The petitioning company must first establish (by obtaining an AEP from the DOLE), that no individual can be located in the Philippines willing and able to perform the position and service for which the foreigner is being hired.

• Must also submit a letter to the BI stating the admission of the alien will be beneficial to the public interest.

• During the approval process of the Treaty Trader Visa (9(d) visa), the proposed foreigner may apply for a Special Work Permit (SWP) which is issued for a period of three months while the 9(d) visa is being released.

• 9(g) visas are valid only for the duration of the AEP or the current employment contract (whichever is shorter).9(d) visas issued to dependents are co-terminus with the duration of the visa of the principal.

The entire 9(d) visa registration process can take 2 weeks. Foreign nationals with companies registered to Board of Investments BoI, Philippines Economic Zone Authority PEZA, and the Top 1,000 corporations are given priority.

Contact Us to Apply for Your 9(d) Treaty Trader Visa