By Goetz Kohlberg - living in Cebu City, Philippines since 2014. Last updated: 1 June 2026.

Couple in a tropical resort as a symbol of Easy Living with SRRV

SRRV Classic Philippines

Finally allowed to stay. For as long as you want.

Plainly: If you seriously want to live in the Philippines and are not just taking a long vacation, for most expats there is no way around SRRV Classic. From age 40, with or without a pension, alone or with family. It is the visa that simply works.

You notice the real difference in everyday life: no BI appointment every two months, no 36-month limit breathing down your neck, uncomplicated entry and exit at any time. With Sir Romeo and Home901, you have an experienced and reliable agent at your side - confirmed by more than a dozen of my clients who have already gone this route with him. He knows the PRA processes and keeps the sequence clean.

SRRV CHECK 99 EUR Does this fit you? Book consultation via Ko-fi

Who for?From age 40, single or family, pensioner or non-pensioner. Fits most people.

What does it take off your plate?BI running around, ACR I-Card, Annual Report, ECC and Travel Tax. That brings peace.

What happens to your money?The deposit of USD 15,000 to 50,000 remains yours. Refundable.

SRRV Classic in 30 Seconds

You enter as a tourist, we get your documents into shape, you pay the PRA fees and place the matching dollar security deposit with an accredited bank. The path is clear when the documents are prepared cleanly.

From then on, you are out of tourist mode: You live here, come and go as you want - and between annual renewals you simply no longer have to deal with the usual bureaucracy.

PRA SRRVisa information from the Philippine Retirement Authority

1. The security deposit: your money - not gone, just parked

Many misunderstand this: The security deposit is not a fee. It is a security deposit - your money is held safely in US dollars at a PRA-accredited Philippine bank. If you give up the SRRV at some point, you get the full amount back. It is that simple.

50+ with pension

USD 15,000

Pension from USD 800 single or USD 1,000 with dependents.

50+ without pension proof

USD 30,000

Without lifetime pension proof: higher deposit, same SRRV Classic status.

40 to 49 with pension

USD 25,000

With documented pension, entry is possible from age 40.

40 to 49 without pension proof

USD 50,000

Also possible from age 40: higher deposit, same residence comfort.

Fully refundableNo matter why you later give up the SRRV - whether because of marriage and switching to 13A or simply because your plans change: the deposit is released through the PRA process and you get it back in full.

Can work for youInstead of just sitting in the bank, the deposit can flow into permitted investments under PRA rules - a condo, a long-term lease or a sublease model. In the best case, the security deposit becomes a home or even rental income.

2. The fees: once and once per year

Unlike the tourist visa, SRRV has no hidden items and no nasty surprises at the BI counter. There are two blocks: once at application, then once annually.

One-time at application

USD 1,500PRA Processing Fee for you as principal applicant

+USD 300per spouse or child to be included in the SRRV

on site there are alsosmall one-time amounts for medical check, photos, copies and local clearances. Predictable and negligible compared with the SRRV.

Recurring annually

USD 360Annual Membership Fee - for you plus up to 2 family members

+USD 100for each additional dependent from the third onward

Renewal as a complete packageSir Romeo and Home901 handle the annual renewal for you - you do not have to clarify the annual renewal with the PRA on your own.

Family included

Who counts as a dependent?Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included in the visa.

You + 2 dependentsThis classic family setup is already included in the USD 360 annual fee.

Larger familyFrom the third dependent onward, an additional deposit under PRA rules is added - we calculate that cleanly for you in your SRRV check.

SRRV Classic or tourist visa - what fits you?

The tourist visa is great when you are just arriving and want to see whether the Philippines will really become your new home. But as soon as you know "yes, I am staying", the tourist visa quickly becomes a brake: every two months at BI, forced out after 36 months. That is exactly where SRRV Classic comes in.

SRRV Classic

USD 360 per year - for you plus up to 2 dependents.

Stay indefinitely. Multiple entry. SRRV ACR/ID as resident instead of Temporary Visitor ACR in tourist status. No BI Annual Report. No ECC running around before every departure. No Travel Tax. Simply peace of mind.

9A tourist visa

approx. USD 580 per year - based on sample calculation at USD 1 = PHP 60.

Maximum 36 months, then out. In between, to BI every two months, plus ACR I-Card, plus CRTV from month seven, plus ECC for every departure after a longer stay. It works - but over time it is stress.

What do you bring from your home country, what do we do together here?

No worries, you do not have to guess what you need. There are two clear stacks: one that you bring from your home country, and one that we handle together on site.

What you bring from your home country

Passport and family documentsPassport plus - if family is included - marriage and birth certificates. With translation and apostille/authentication if needed.

Police clearance certificateNo older than 6 months at submission. Apply early - the version for use abroad takes a little lead time.

Pension proof (if pensioner tier)Lifetime pension: from USD 800 as single or USD 1,000 with dependents. A notice or confirmation is enough.

Prepare bankThink in advance which foreign account the inward remittance for the deposit will come from. That saves stress later.

What we handle on site in PH

Keep your stay under controlWe make sure your tourist status stays clean during processing and is extended in time.

BI Clearance and NBIThe BICC is part of the basics. NBI is added if you have already been in PH for more than 90 days before.

Medical, photos, PRA formsMedical Certificate, 2x2 photos, application forms - we assemble the file and check every sheet before submission.

PRA bank and depositLetter of Introduction, remittance, bank certificate, final submission - Sir Romeo coordinates the sequence with the bank and PRA.

Bottom line: SRRV Classic is your best bet

If you want to test for one or two years - take the tourist visa, completely fine. But if you really want to live here, SRRV Classic is the solution that gives you the most peace: no 36-month limit, no authority trips every two months and far less stress on entry and exit.

USD 360 per year is manageable. And your deposit is not gone - it is your capital, which under PRA rules can even flow into your own apartment. That is Easy Living in the Philippines, honestly calculated.

Frequently asked questions about the SRRV Classic

From what age can I get the SRRV Classic?

From age 40. Between 40 and 49 entry is possible with a higher security deposit, from 50 with a lower one - each with or without proof of pension.

How high is the security deposit for the SRRV Classic?

It depends on age and proof of pension: USD 15,000 (from 50 with pension), USD 30,000 (from 50 without proof of pension), USD 25,000 (40 to 49 with pension) and USD 50,000 (40 to 49 without proof of pension).

Is the deposit lost?

No. The security deposit is not a fee but a security in US dollars held at a PRA-accredited bank. When you return the SRRV it is refunded in full and can, under PRA rules, be converted into your own home.

What does the SRRV Classic cost?

One-time there is the PRA Processing Fee of USD 1,500, plus USD 300 per spouse or child. Annually it is USD 360 membership fee including up to two dependents, plus USD 100 per additional dependent from the third onward. On top come small, one-time local costs for the medical check, photos and clearances.

What proof of pension do I need?

For the pensioner tier a lifelong pension from USD 800 as a single applicant or from USD 1,000 with dependents.

Who can be included as a dependent on the visa?

Your spouse and unmarried children under 21. You plus two dependents are included in the annual fee; from the third dependent an additional deposit applies under PRA rules.

What does the SRRV take off my plate compared to the tourist visa?

No BI appointment every two months and no 36-month limit. ACR I-Card, Annual Report, ECC and Travel Tax are eliminated. You have multiple entry and may stay indefinitely.

Sources and checkpoint: The current details from the Philippine Retirement Authority on SRRVisa, the PRA rules on Servicing Requests and Conversion of Visa Deposit into Active Investment as well as the current BI fee status for 9A stays are binding. Fees and operational requirements can change; before applying or extending with BI, always check the current processing status.