Philippines language course visa and Special Study Permit

Philippine posts direct foreigners who come for short-term, non-degree courses of about three to six months, for example language proficiency or computer courses, to apply for a 9(a) temporary visitor visa with proof of acceptance from the Philippine school. The BI's Special Study Permit is meant for foreigners who do not qualify for a student visa but want to study, which includes students under 18 and people taking short courses.

The BI fee table (updated 6 March 2014) itemises the SSP as an application fee of PHP 2,000, implementation PHP 1,000, service PHP 200, certificate PHP 500, legal research PHP 40 and three express fees of PHP 500 each, a total of PHP 5,240, plus USD 50 for the I-Card. Your stay as a visitor must also stay valid, so budget for tourist extensions: about PHP 3,030 for the first 29-day visa waiver and PHP 4,400 for each further one-month extension for adults.

EO 408 nationals can enter visa-free for 30 days. If the course is longer than 30 days, or your nationality needs a visa, you can obtain a 9(a) visa from a Philippine post, adding the school's signed acceptance letter to the visitor documents; visa-free visitors can instead extend their stay at the BI. After arrival and acceptance by the school, apply for the SSP at the BI Main Office: submit the application form and checklist documents for pre-screening, pay the assessed fees, attend the hearing if scheduled, have your photo and fingerprints taken for the ACR I-Card, and collect the SSP and the card once approved.

If the course continues, the SSP can be applied for again. For extensions the BI reuses the biometrics taken at the first application; children aged ten and under are photographed and fingerprinted at every extension, older applicants every five years. Holders of the SSP remain temporary visitors and may not work.