From service to island life.Done right.
Clear SRRV guidance for military retirees and their families, from a veteran-run, lawyer-managed team in the Philippines.
The short answer
Do US veterans qualify for the SRRV Courtesy rate?
Many do, but the rule is narrower than the marketing. PRA’s Courtesy military track works from a DD-214 with honorable discharge plus a lifetime pension currently being received, not from retirement status alone. We screen both routes before you commit, and we will tell you plainly if Classic is your honest fit.
Situation brief
- The category
- Retired military, by the 1951 US and Philippine defense treaty.
- The real test
- A lifetime pension you receive now, at least $1,000 a month. Not the title.
- Courtesy deposit
- $1,500 at 50 and older.
- The screen
- Both routes checked, in writing, before any money moves.
Who this page is for
Military retirees drawing retired pay after 20 or more years; Chapter 61 medical retirees; retired reservists; and the spouses doing half the research. If you separated before retirement and draw VA disability compensation, the same Courtesy gate can apply to you; our disabled veterans page covers your specifics.
By service branch
The Courtesy gate is the same for every branch: a DD-214 with honorable discharge plus a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 per month, currently received. What differs is the document detail, which office issues your pension statement, and how a 20-year retiree versus a medical retiree of your branch meets it. Pick yours, or read the complete veteran SRRV guide for the full picture first.
What the PRA actually says
SRRV (Special Resident Retiree’s Visa) Courtesy for foreign nationals covers retired diplomats, officers of recognized international organizations, high achievers, and, the part that matters here, retired military service members from countries with recognized bilateral relations with the Philippines. The United States and the Philippines have maintained formal defense relations since the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. That is why US veterans may qualify for Courtesy. It is not automatic. Anyone who tells you “all veterans qualify” has not read the rule.
On paper, the category reads “retired military”. In practice, PRA’s own checklist works from two things: your DD-214, which serves as the military service record, and proof of a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 per month that you are currently receiving. DFAS retired pay and VA disability compensation both count, and retirement orders are not requested as a separate document class. The operative question is not the title on your separation paperwork; it is whether qualifying pension income is flowing now.
| Courtesy deposit | Amount |
|---|---|
| 50 and older | $1,500 |
| 40 to 49, pensioner | $3,000 |
| 40 to 49, non-pensioner | $6,000 |
Former Filipinos: $1,500 at 50 and older, $3,000 at 40 to 49.
PRA figures verified June 18, 2026Sources
The pension is the gate, not the title
The test PRA actually applies on the Courtesy military track is current receipt of lifetime pension income of at least $1,000 per month, proven with your DD-214 and a DFAS or VA benefit letter. It cuts both ways. A veteran who separated at eight years and draws $1,000 or more in VA disability compensation may fit Courtesy. A 20-year Guard retiree whose pension does not start until 60 does not fit until the payments begin, retirement letter or not. Below the gate, SRRV Classic still works: lifetime income of $800 per month single or $1,000 with dependents supports the $15,000 or $25,000 pensioner deposits rather than the non-pensioner $30,000 or $50,000.
Courtesy eligibility is assessed case by case, offices vary in strictness, and PRA itself advises confirming eligibility directly before proceeding. That is the screening we do before any money moves, in writing where it matters.
$1,000
per month, for life
That is the gate: a lifetime pension you are currently receiving, proven with your DD-214 and a DFAS or VA benefit letter. Retirement status is not the test, and the title on your separation paperwork does not decide it.
DD-214 plus benefit letter is the proof PRA works from
The full breakdown for VA disability compensation is on the disabled veterans page.
The paperwork you already have
Your DD-214 is the military service record PRA works from. Your DFAS Retiree Account Statement proves lifetime military retired pay, and VA benefit verification letters document disability compensation. We build the proof package PRA expects, apostilles included, before you book a flight.
Bringing the family
Spouse and unmarried children under 21 can join. The deposit certificate covers you plus two dependents; each additional dependent adds $15,000 to the deposit and $300 in application fees.
Worked example
Retiree, 52, with spouse and one child
- Courtesy deposit
- $1,500
- PRA processing fee
- $1,500
- Dependent fees, 2 x $300
- $600
- PRA annual fee
- $100
- Government total at filing
- $3,700
The $1,500 deposit inside that total stays yours: it is held at a PRA-accredited bank in your name and returned on visa cancellation per PRA rules.
PRA figures verified June 18, 2026Sources
Your benefits travel with you
VA disability compensation is payable abroad by direct deposit, and the Manila VA Outpatient Clinic is the only VA healthcare facility outside the United States. TRICARE Select Overseas and TRICARE For Life follow military retirees abroad, and the Foreign Medical Program can cover VA-rated, service-connected care on a reimbursement model.
None of these are GoSRRV programs, and that is the point: they are official benefits with their own rules, and we help you plan around them honestly before you commit to the move.
Your next mission:Peace of mind
We handle the SRRV process so you can focus on the lifestyle ahead.
SRRV Courtesy qualification is determined by the Philippine Retirement Authority on the documents. Many US military retirees may qualify; others fit SRRV Classic. We screen both routes before you commit, and we will tell you plainly if the SRRV is not your best option.