Resident & Investor Visa
FAB Investor Visa (FIV) Bataan
The Bataan investor visa discussed more often since 2025 is best treated as the FAB Investor Visa. It is not a normal tourist visa and not the same as BOI-SIRV; it depends on the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan and the BI structure for Mariveles/Bataan.
Passport note: The examples are written from a Germany/Austria/Switzerland perspective. Other passports need separate checks.
Fits
Investors whose project or capital genuinely fits the Freeport Area of Bataan framework.
Minimum
RA 11453 mentions USD 75,000 in cash and/or equipment in a registered enterprise.
Limit
Without AFAB basis, registered setup, investment proof and BI implementation, it is not a clean FIV case.
Concrete requirements
- Investment: At least USD 75,000, under RA 11453 in cash and/or equipment in a registered enterprise within the FAB structure.
- Age and eligibility: RA 11453 mentions at least 18 years old and basic personal eligibility requirements.
- AFAB role: The case needs a real AFAB basis, typically endorsement and proof that the investment belongs in an AFAB-registered environment.
- BI role: BI Citizens Charter 2025 lists FAB Investor Visa under the Mariveles Immigration One-Stop-Shop framework.
- Ongoing proof: The investor must maintain and prove the investment; withdrawal can end the investor visa status.
Difference from SIRV
SIRV is the broader BOI investor route. FIV is tied to Bataan/FAB. That difference matters because an investor visa is not just an investor visa; the legal and practical framework must match the investment.
The advantage can be a route for a fitting FAB project. The risk is the same point: if the AFAB basis or investment contract is weak, the visa route is weak.
What happens to the USD 75,000
The USD 75,000 is not an immigration ticket. It is an investment whose concrete form must be checked against AFAB and BI requirements and against the actual contract. Questions about interest, repayment, lock-up, custody, sale, taxes and foreign-exchange risk are not side issues; they are central.
Process in practice
Before filing, clarify the FAB basis: registered enterprise, investment structure, AFAB endorsement and current BI requirements for Mariveles. Then come personal documents, passport, current status or entry plan, clearances, medical, dependent documents, BI forms, ACR I-Card and investment evidence.
If you are in the Philippines as a tourist, keep your 9A status clean during preparation. FIV is not a repair tool for overstay.
Questions before signing
Every FIV file should answer three levels: visa level, investment level and exit level. Visa level means AFAB confirmation, responsible BI office, required documents and annual proof. Investment level means what you own, who holds it, what rights you have and how it is documented. Exit level means what happens on sale, repayment, death, divorce, insolvency, project change or leaving the Philippines.
If one of those levels is only answered verbally, the file is too weak.
Costs and ongoing duties
The hard number is the USD 75,000 minimum investment. Add official fees, ACR I-Card, documents, translations, apostilles, medical, clearances, travel to Bataan/Mariveles, bank and remittance costs, legal or agent fees and the costs of the investment structure itself.
Bottom line
FIV is not a new easy retirement visa. It is a Bataan/AFAB investor route. It can be interesting if you genuinely want to invest in a FAB-compliant setup and the documents are strong. If you mainly want stable long-term residence, compare SRRV first. If you want investment but not specifically Bataan, compare SIRV.
Visa consultation for 99 EUR
The consultation helps identify whether FIV belongs in your comparison and which questions to ask before travelling to Bataan/Mariveles or moving money. Investment, tax and contract advice must come from qualified professionals.