The SRRV guide.What is the SRRV
The Philippine retirement visa, explained in plain English: what it grants, who it fits, what it costs, and how the two routes differ.
The short answer
What is the SRRV?
The SRRV, the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, is the Philippine Retirement Authority’s permanent-residency visa for foreign retirees aged 40 and up. It grants indefinite stay and multiple-entry travel, anchored by a refundable bank deposit held in your name, through one of two routes: Courtesy or Classic.
One visa, permanent residency
The SRRV is the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, the residency visa the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) administers for foreign retirees and former Filipino citizens. It is not a tourist visa you renew and not a points system you outgrow. Approved once, it grants permanent residency with multiple-entry privileges and indefinite stay, anchored by a refundable bank deposit held in your name. If a term here is new, the glossary has every SRRV term, defined plainly.
Eligibility starts at age 40. A legal spouse and unmarried children under 21 can join the visa, and the deposit certificate covers the principal plus two dependents. The application is filed in the Philippines, with you physically present, and PRA’s planning number for complete documents is 30 to 45 working days. US veterans weighing the lower-deposit Courtesy track can read the complete veteran SRRV guide.
PRA figures verified June 18, 2026Sources
What the visa actually grants
PRA publishes the benefits plainly, and we list them the same way, with no embellishment.
- Permanent residency with multiple-entry privileges and indefinite stay
- Exemption from Bureau of Immigration annual reporting and the ACR I-Card
- Exemption from exit and re-entry permits
- Exemption from customs duties and taxes on a one-time importation of household goods up to $7,000
- Exemption from Philippine tax on pensions and annuities
- Travel tax exemption
- No separate work or student visa or permits required
- PhilHealth special rate
- PRA assistance with other agencies
- Merchant-partner discounts
The US tax line
Philippine exemptions do not change US tax obligations. US citizens file with the IRS regardless of residence. Consult a qualified tax advisor regarding your specific situation.
PRA figures verified June 18, 2026Sources
The two routes, in one paragraph each
SRRV Courtesy
The special-category route: retired diplomats, officers of recognized international organizations, high achievers, and the military track. For US veterans, the working test is a DD-214 with honorable discharge plus a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 per month, currently being received. Deposits run $1,500 at 50 and older, $3,000 at 40 to 49.
SRRV Classic
The general route for pensioners and non-pensioners, age 40 and up. Lifetime income of $800 per month single or $1,000 with dependents supports the pensioner deposits of $15,000 (50 and older) or $25,000 (40 to 49); without pension proof, the deposits are $30,000 and $50,000.
The full criteria sit side by side on the Courtesy vs Classic comparison, and the cost guide itemizes every fee beside the deposits. Married to a Filipino citizen? The SRRV vs 13A comparison weighs the other residency route honestly.
PRA figures verified June 18, 2026Sources
The money, plainly
Two kinds of money move in an SRRV application, and they never blend. The visa deposit is yours: held at a PRA-accredited bank in your name and returned on visa cancellation per PRA rules. The fees are not: the $1,500 PRA processing fee is non-refundable if you discontinue, each dependent pays a $300 application fee, and the annual fee runs $100 on Courtesy or $360 on Classic for the principal plus two dependents.
PRA accredits marketers as optional third parties. Applicants may apply directly; no government requires you to use an agent. What we sell is screening, document discipline, filing coordination through our PRA-accredited marketer partner, and on-the-ground support, with our service fees published on the pricing page, never blended into government money.
PRA figures verified June 18, 2026Sources
Before you spend a dollar:Know your route
The two-minute screener gives you a probable route under current PRA rules. The $99 session confirms it in writing.
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.