Philippines student visa (9f)

Under section 9(f) of the Philippine Immigration Act, a student visa is available to a foreigner who comes solely to take up a course higher than high school, at a university, seminary, college, academy or school authorised to admit foreign students, who is at least 18 at enrolment and has sufficient means for education and support. The BI and the Commission on Higher Education publish the lists of authorised institutions. Students in medicine or dentistry may also need a Certificate of Eligibility for Admission from CHED.

First apply to the school's foreign student unit with its admission documents: an affidavit of support with bank statements from parents or a sponsor, transcripts, a copy of your passport and birth certificate, and a full medical examination with chest X-ray and hepatitis B screening. Foreign documents need an English translation and certification before authentication. If accepted, the school issues a Notice of Admission and asks the DFA Office of Consular Affairs to authorise a student visa. The DFA informs the Philippine post where you will apply, which then calls you for an interview and filing and issues the visa once the file and fee are complete.

Within seven days of arriving with a 9(f) visa, report to the school for enrolment and a competency assessment, and to the BI Student Visa Section to register and apply for the ACR I-Card. Students, like other registered aliens, file an annual report at the BI within the first 60 days of each year. When the course continues, the visa is extended at the BI; the 2014 table lists PHP 4,020 plus USD 50 for the card.

Under Foreign Service Circular 014-2018, a student who wants to visit prospective universities first and then convert in the Philippines applies at a Philippine post for a single-entry 9(a) visa, stating on the form the intent to enter a higher education institution. Besides the visitor documents, the file includes an authenticated police clearance and the school admission documents. After admission, the BI converts the status: the 2014 fee table totals PHP 9,720 including application, implementation, visa, ACR and express fees, plus USD 50 for the I-Card.