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A stay that runs past its expiry date becomes an overstay, with penalties and possible further proceedings.
Visas & immigration
Tourist Visa Extension (9A)
A tourist visa extension lets a foreign national who entered the Philippines as a temporary visitor under Section 9(a) stay longer than the initial admission. Most visitors arrive with 30 days and can extend their stay with the Bureau of Immigration, up to 36 months in total for nationals who do not need an entry visa.
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- Who it is for
- Visitors staying beyond 30 days
- Maximum stay
- 36 months, or 24 for visa-required nationals
- First extension
- 29 days
- ACR I-Card
- Required after 59 days
About the visa
Why keep your tourist visa current
Each extension has to be filed before the current authorised stay expires, and a visitor who stays beyond 59 days also needs an ACR I-Card. This guide explains how the extensions work. If you plan to stay long term, a resident visa such as the SRRV retirement visa or the 13A marriage visa usually serves you better than repeated extensions.
Each stage has its own rules
The first extension, the ACR I-Card stage and later extensions differ, and the limits depend on your nationality.
The ACR I-Card comes with it
The card is applied for together with the extension that takes you past 59 days.
It keeps a resident visa possible
Resident visas such as the SRRV and 13A are applied for while you hold a valid stay. For our resident visa clients we keep the tourist visa extended while their application is processed.
It matters when you leave
After six months in the country you need an exit clearance, which is issued from the same extension history.
Who can apply
Who can extend a tourist visa
You can extend if you were admitted to the Philippines as a temporary visitor and your authorised stay is still valid.
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Nationals who do not need an entry visa are ordinarily admitted for 30 days and can extend up to 36 months from their latest arrival.
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Visa-required nationals can ordinarily extend up to 24 months from their latest arrival.
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Different initial stays, extension periods and maximums can apply to restricted nationals, Hong Kong and Macau passport holders, Balikbayan-status holders and visitors who arrived on a 59-day visa.
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A tourist visa covers tourism, temporary business visits and certain medical purposes. It does not authorise local employment.
How it works
Tourist Visa Extension Process
The exact requirements and timing depend on your circumstances, but most applications follow these stages.
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Status check
Start from your latest arrival date, the valid-until date of your current stay, your nationality classification and your previous extensions. -
First extension
After a 30-day visa-free admission, the first extension is a 29-day visa waiver, which brings your authorised stay to 59 days. -
Second extension and ACR I-Card
To stay beyond 59 days, a two-month extension is filed together with your tourist ACR I-Card application and alien registration. -
Later extensions
Further extensions are normally filed two months at a time, each before the current stay expires. -
Filing and payment
The application and your passport are submitted to the Bureau of Immigration, which runs its clearance check and assesses the fees. -
Release
When your passport is returned, check the new expiry date, the period granted and your registration details.
Ready to Stay for the Long Term?
A resident visa lets you stay without filing an extension every two months. Answer a few questions and we'll show you the visa that fits, what it requires and whether you need a deposit.
In detail
Tourist visa extension document checklist
Every extension
Completed application form for extension of stay
Your original valid passport
Copies of your passport bio-page, latest arrival stamp and most recent extension
Your ACR I-Card, if you already have one
Official receipts for your previous extensions
Special Power of Attorney, if a representative files for you
ACR I-Card, for stays beyond 59 days
Completed ACR I-Card application form
Copies of your passport bio-page, latest admission and current authorised stay
Copies of the official receipts for your extension
Two recent 2x2 photographs with a white background, if requested
In detail
Tourist Visa Extension fees and timing
Government fees
First extension: about PHP 4,200
ACR I-Card: US$50
Later extensions: assessed by the Bureau of Immigration for the period requested
Government fees can change without notice, and the amount assessed at filing is final.
Timing
File each extension about seven days before the expiry date recorded by the Bureau of Immigration, and always before your current stay runs out.
FAQs
Tourist Visa Extension Frequently Asked Questions
With tourist visa extensions, nationals who do not need an entry visa can ordinarily stay up to 36 months from their latest arrival, and visa-required nationals up to 24 months.
The first tourist visa extension costs about PHP 4,200 in government fees, and the ACR I-Card that is needed after 59 days costs US$50. Later extensions are assessed by the Bureau of Immigration according to the period requested and your nationality.
The first tourist visa extension after a 30-day visa-free admission is a 29-day visa waiver, which brings your authorised stay to 59 days.
A tourist who stays in the Philippines for more than 59 days must have an ACR I-Card. It is applied for together with the tourist visa extension that takes you past 59 days.
File each tourist visa extension about seven days before your current authorised stay expires. The deadline runs from the date recorded by the Bureau of Immigration, not from when the last application was filed.
After the first 59 days, tourist visa extensions are normally filed two months at a time. The Bureau of Immigration's form also allows one-month and six-month requests, which are approved at its discretion.
Yes. You can walk in to our Cebu or Manila office and we will file your tourist visa extension for you. We also keep the tourist visa extended for clients whose stay has to remain valid while a longer-term visa such as an SRRV or 13A is processed.
Yes. A representative can file a tourist visa extension under a Special Power of Attorney. You may still need to appear in person for the ACR I-Card, for example for your photograph and fingerprints.
The Bureau of Immigration offers online tourist visa extensions and visa waivers through its eServices portal for eligible applicants. Some cases still need a personal appearance, passport presentation or biometrics.
No. A tourist visa does not authorise local employment. To work for a Philippine company you need the 9G working visa.
Once a tourist visa reaches its 36-month or 24-month maximum, staying longer requires leaving the Philippines or specific authority from the Bureau of Immigration, which is not automatic.
A tourist who has stayed in the Philippines for six months or more needs an exit clearance (ECC) before departure. Keep the official receipts for every tourist visa extension, because they are needed for it.
An expired tourist visa is an overstay and has to be regularised with the Bureau of Immigration, in some cases through a Motion for Reconsideration. Contact us before filing anything or travelling.
Yes. Resident visas such as the SRRV retirement visa and the 13A marriage visa are applied for while you hold a valid tourist stay, so keeping your tourist visa extensions current keeps those routes open.
No. The standard tourist visa extension sequence applies to nationals admitted visa-free for 30 days. Visa-required and restricted nationals, Hong Kong and Macau passport holders and Balikbayan-status holders can have different stays and limits, so check your admission stamp first.
Written and reviewed by the C&G immigration team. Last updated . Government requirements and fees change, so confirm the details for your case before filing.
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