9G Visa Requirements in the Philippines: Who Provides Each Document, and What Changes for Extensions and New Employers

9G Visa Requirements in the Philippines: The Documents Come From Four Sources

On this page: 9G visa requirements | What you provide | What the employer provides | AEP documents | 9G application process | Why filings get returned

Short answer: the documents for a Philippine 9G visa come from four sources, namely the applicant, the employing company, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Bureau of Immigration's own forms. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) calls the visa the Pre-arranged Employee Visa (Commercial). In the BI file the employer is the petitioner and the foreign worker is the applicant, which is why most of the checklist sits with the company rather than with the employee.

Ready to apply for a 9G? Eligibility, documents, the process and our filing support are all on the Philippines 9G work visa page.

This guide follows what the BI and DOLE publish, with a link to each source:

• The BI's 9G page lists conversion, extension, non-commercial and dependent applications, each with its own checklist and form download.
• The conversion checklist is BI Form V-NI-007. The extension checklist is BI Form V-NI-008; the file name on the BI site still says 007, but the form header reads 008.
• The BI Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition covers the 9G at pages 506 to 508 under "Conversion to/Extension of Pre-arranged Employee-Commercial (9G)". It is the most recent version we could find. The handling office is the Visa Processing Center, and the service is classified as Highly Technical.

Two points shape how you use the list. First, the AEP is itself an item on the 9G checklist, so the DOLE side has to be finished before the BI filing; the logic is explained in whether AEP or 9G comes first. Second, a checklist tells you what to file, not how long approval takes. For stage-by-stage timing see the 9G processing timeline, and for the full route from AEP to arrival formalities see the complete 9G work visa guide. The BI checklist also ends with a note that the Bureau may ask for additional supporting documents for further verification. Treat the list as the minimum, not the ceiling.

What the Applicant Provides: Authorized Stay, Credentials and Dependents' Papers

The employee's part covers four things: the passport, signatures, credentials and dependents' papers, and the authorized stay is the item most likely to stop a filing at the counter.

Passport and authorized stay. The 2026 Charter asks for the biographical page, the latest entry visa for visa-required nationals, the latest departure and arrival stamps, and a valid authorized stay of at least thirty days at the time fees are assessed. The website checklist phrases it as "latest admission with valid authorized stay." The original passport is scanned by the Central Receiving Unit and handed back, and you should bring it to any evaluation or interview. If your stay is running short, extend your visitor status first and file the 9G afterwards. How an in-country switch from visitor to worker status works is covered in converting a tourist visa to a work visa.

The application form. The CGAF must be completed in English capital letters, with "N/A" written in any item that does not apply; nothing may be left blank. The general instructions ask for two original copies: one goes in the application folder and the other is for the ACR I-Card application, filed in a separate folder. The Charter says the form must carry the original signatures of the applicant and of the employer's authorized representative.

Education and work credentials. The BI checklist does not list diplomas as a separate item, but DOLE requires them for the AEP (see section 4). The BI's general instructions say foreign documents must be originals authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post with jurisdiction over the place of issue, with an English translation if needed. In its dependents section, the Charter also accepts documents apostilled by the issuing country's authorities. The mechanics are in our apostille and authentication guide.

Situational items. An applicant practicing a profession regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission needs a PRC Special Temporary Permit, and employment in a nationalized or partly nationalized industry needs an Authority to Employ Alien from the Department of Justice. The website checklist also lists a BI Clearance Certificate and, for certain nationalities arriving on or after June 2014, a Bureau of Quarantine medical clearance. The 2026 Charter entry for the main office words these two items differently, so check with the receiving office before you file.

Dependents. A spouse or child applying at the same time needs a separate set: a CGAF, a passport with at least thirty days of valid authorized stay at fee assessment, and proof of relationship to the principal. Philippine marriage and birth certificates should come from the Philippine Statistics Authority; foreign ones must be authenticated or apostilled and translated into English. The BI's web page and checklists do not describe the age limit for children in exactly the same way, so rely on what the receiving office applies.

What the Employer Provides: Signing Authority, Contract, Tax Return and Registration

The company's documents answer one question: is this a real, tax-compliant business, and is the application signed by someone with authority to sign? Under the 2026 Charter and the website checklist, the employer prepares the following:

1. Joint letter request. A letter to the Commissioner signed by both the applicant and the petitioner. It is item one on the website checklist.
2. Chain of signing authority. A certified true copy of the General Information Sheet (GIS), which identifies the executive officers named in the Articles or the latest GIS; for a sole proprietorship, the registered owner on the DTI business name certificate. If another officer or the company's legal counsel signs, attach an original board resolution, corporate secretary's certificate or special power of attorney. One district office's checklist adds that a foreign authorized representative must attach copies of their passport bio page and valid visa implementation page.
3. Employment contract or appointment. A duly acknowledged contract, or a secretary's certificate of election, appointment, assignment, secondment or deployment, stating the duration of employment, the exact compensation and other benefits, and a comprehensive description of the nature and scope of the position, with original signatures of the applicant and the authorized representative. For pay levels, see 9G salary expectations; for directors and general managers, see the 9G for executives and key technical staff.
4. Latest income tax return. A certified true copy with the matching proof of payment: an official receipt, a bank teller's validation, a BIR eFPS payment print-out or similar evidence.
5. Registration papers. Corporations and partnerships submit the SEC Certificate of Registration, the Articles of Incorporation, the GIS for the current year stamped received by the SEC, and the Mayor's Permit for the current year. Sole proprietorships submit the DTI business name certificate and the current Mayor's Permit. How the GIS is filed each year is covered in our GIS guide.
6. Headcount certification. A notarized certification of the number of foreign and Filipino employees, originally signed by the applicant and the authorized representative. The BI offers a preferred format that states both headcounts at the time of filing and certifies that the attached documents are genuine and legally obtained. The rules behind those ratios are in foreign worker ratios and understudy requirements.

Most trouble in this column comes from two "current year" items and one proof of payment: the GIS and the Mayor's Permit must be for the current year, and the tax return must travel with its payment evidence. If this is the company's first foreign hire, check these six items before the AEP is even started and fix whatever is missing.

Company papers scattered across HR, finance and legal, and not sure which one has lapsed? Have an advisor check the employer-side documents against the BI checklist first →

The DOLE Piece: The AEP Itself and What the AEP Application Needs

The BI wants a valid AEP, or a Certificate of Exclusion or Exemption, together with the original receipt; the AEP itself has its own document set, filed by the employer with DOLE's Bureau of Local Employment.

What the BI asks for. Item seven in the 2026 Charter is a certified true copy of the DOLE-issued AEP, or a Certificate of Exclusion or Exemption with validity, with the original receipt. The website conversion checklist (V-NI-007) also asks for the actual publication of the applicant's approved AEP, or failing that a Certificate of Publication from the publisher. The extension checklist (V-NI-008) has no such item. Who can use an exclusion or exemption certificate is covered in who does not need an AEP.

Where the AEP is filed. A DOLE news release dated June 10, 2026 says that under Administrative Order No. 199, series of 2026, regional offices stopped accepting, processing and issuing new and renewal AEPs from June 9, 2026, and that the DOLE Central Office now handles them, with the BLE running local publication and the labor market test through a digital platform. The BLE's AEP page now offers separate online entry points for new and renewal applications, exclusions and exemptions. For the filing changes and their dates, see the 2026 AEP online filing rules.

AEP documents, per the checklist on the BLE site:

• A completed and signed application form, including the Employer Registration Number (ERN);
• A copy of the foreign national's passport with a valid visa, with the original presented;
• Proof of publication in a newspaper of general circulation, plus a notarized affidavit that no applications were received or no Filipino applicants were considered;
• The original notarized employment contract, appointment or board secretary's certificate of election, listing duties, annual salary and other benefits;
• Documents proving qualifications: education, relevant work experience, professional licenses, skills certification or specialized training;
• An understudy training program or skills development program if the company enjoys incentives under the Foreign Investments Act or Public Service Act, or is registered with an investment promotion agency such as PEZA or CEZA;
• The employee's TIN (BIR Form 1904 or 1902, or an e-TIN registration copy); see getting a TIN as a foreigner;
• A certified true copy of the valid Mayor's Permit; certified copies of the SEC registration and GIS, or the DTI business name certificate for sole proprietors; PEZA registration, a PCAB license or the relevant registration for construction firms, and PAGCOR registration where applicable;
• Two 2x2 ID photos on a white background.

Depending on the job, you may also need an Authority to Employ Alien from the DOJ, a PRC Special Temporary Permit, or an Authority to Hire Foreign National from the DENR. Filings through an employer's authorized representative or an accredited agent need the authority or accreditation papers required by Department Order No. 221-A. What the AEP covers and how long it lasts is in our AEP guide.

The 9G Visa Application Process in Three Versions: First Filing, Extension and New Employer

All three situations use the same framework; the differences sit in AEP publication, the previous period's record, and who the employer is.

First application. This is the longest version of the list. All six employer items are needed, the AEP is new and goes through newspaper publication, the affidavit and the labor market test, and the BI also wants the publication or publisher's certificate for the approved AEP. Authenticating and translating foreign documents usually takes the longest, so start there.

Extension. The rest of the BI extension checklist mirrors the conversion list: joint letter, CGAF, passport and authorized stay, contract, latest tax return with proof of payment, registration papers, AEP and headcount certification. Company documents must be reissued in their current-year versions rather than recycled. On the DOLE side, the BLE checklist notes three differences for AEP renewals: the application form is notarized; an Affidavit of Undertaking may be submitted instead of publication and the training program; and the expiring AEP card must be surrendered, or an affidavit of loss with a police report filed if it is lost. Because an extension is judged on the previous period's record, timing and sequencing matter; see how to renew a 9G work visa.

Change of employer. Both the 9G and the AEP are tied to the employer, so nothing transfers. The new company becomes the petitioner and rebuilds everything, from the signing authority, contract, tax return and registration papers to a new AEP. The employee usually also needs a certificate of employment from the former employer and the papers cancelling or downgrading the old 9G. For choosing between the available routes, see changing employers on a 9G; if the former employer has closed and the papers cannot be obtained, see whether a 9G survives the company closing.

After approval. The general remarks in the Charter's 9G entry say that 9G holders must file the Annual Report within the first sixty days of every calendar year; see the BI annual report. If the employee is still abroad and about to fly in, the customs rules for baggage and cash are summarized in our Philippines customs rules overview.

Philippine 9G visa documents reordered by timing: before the AEP, on filing day, and after approval

The 9G document list can be sorted by issuer, but a more practical way is by when each item is needed: what you must have before the AEP stage, what you carry on the day you file the 9G, and what is still required after approval for implementation. Sorting by timing tells you which items must start early and which can follow, a layer the existing issuer-based checklist does not spell out.

Three points stand out. First, batch one is the company's ledger, which an individual employee cannot supply, so the project owner should be the company's HR. Second, batch two is the one-shot moment: missing items are returned on the spot, there is no 'file now, supplement later' shortcut, and whether an AEP receipt is accepted varies by desk, so do not treat it as routine. See can I file a 9G with incomplete documents. Third, batch three is the one people forget; a passport with too little validity can stall implementation after approval.

To understand how the company ledger in batch one and the immigration ledger in batch two differ, see what the 9G needs: three ledgers. For the overall order of steps see the 9G process from AEP to implementation.

Exact copy counts, formats, validity periods and translation requirements follow the current orders of the labour department, the Bureau's current announcements and the receiving office; this article makes no fixed statement on them.

The three hidden properties of every 9G document: validity, authentication and translation

The documents that get a 9G file returned are often not missing; they exist but cannot be used. They were issued too early and expired, authenticated by the wrong route, or translated in a way that does not match the original. Every document carries three invisible properties, and checking them one by one before filing can save a whole queue.

Property one: does it have an issue-date limit

Not every document can be prepared far ahead. Many offices only accept recently issued proof, especially criminal-record certificates, health documents and company tax proof. If you obtain them too early they expire before you file and must be redone. Conversely, anything slow to authenticate should be started first. The rule is simple: items with a time limit go later, items needing authentication go earlier. The actual validity limits follow the receiving agency's current requirements, not what someone told you.

Property two: does it need authentication, and by which route

Degrees, transcripts and employment letters issued abroad usually need authentication or an apostille in the country of issue before they are accepted. The route depends on where the document comes from. Hong Kong and Macau are covered by the Hague Apostille Convention, to which the Philippines is also a party, so personal documents from there go through a single apostille step: notarisation, then an apostille from the local competent authority, and generally they can then be used directly. Taiwan is not covered by that convention and no office can issue an apostille valid for the Philippines, so Taiwan-issued personal documents usually go through obtaining the original or an official certificate, notarisation if needed, verification by Taiwan's foreign ministry consular affairs bureau, and finally verification by the Manila Economic and Cultural Office. Without that last step the labour department or the Bureau usually does not accept the paper. See Hong Kong and Macau applicants and Taiwan applicants for the comparison. For other places of issue, follow the current explanation of the Philippine authority and the issuing authority, and ask before you start.

Property three: translation and spelling

Chinese-language documents need English translations, and in some cases the translation must also be notarised or verified. More important is spelling: the English name in your passport must match every Philippine document exactly. Both the Bureau and the labour department go by the passport name, and a difference of one space or hyphen can make you look like two people. Copy the passport, including capitals and punctuation. The order matters too: take the original through notarisation and verification first, and the translation normally travels with it, not the other way round.

Put together, the three properties give you a 'document start table': one column for the document, another noting whether it expires, needs authentication, needs translation, who issues it and when to start. Fill it in and the documents stop being a black box. If you want a table filled in against your own facts, see visa and HR services.

Work visa documents differ by person: first conversion, renewal, directors and assignees, and regulated sectors

The documents for a Philippine work visa are not one fixed list. Even when everyone says 'applying for a 9G', the starting point and status change the paper a great deal. The table below compares situations and supplements the first, renewal and change-of-employer variants already covered above.

How to use the table: find your row first, then go back to the general issuer-based list and tick items. Two cautions. 'Exempt from AEP' does not mean 'nothing to submit'; the exclusion or exemption certificate has to be applied for from the labour department first, and that certificate is what you hand to the Bureau. Sector-specific extras have no single list; follow the receiving desk's current requirements rather than hearsay.

A change of role within the same company can also alter the paperwork; whether a redo is needed is covered in do a job change and the 9G need redoing. The common bottom line is that role, contract, AEP filing and tax figures must agree with one another, and any mismatch will be raised at some stage.

Ten-minute check before filing: six looks that catch the common returns at the counter

Before filing, run the 'six looks'. Each look matches a category of return and each can be done in about ten minutes.

1. Look for any 'no item, no acceptance' document. The classic is the AEP card from the labour department. Without an issued AEP the formal screening fails; positions that are excluded or exempt substitute the corresponding certificate.
2. Look at the owner and issuer of each document. Tag every paper with the agency it goes to and who issues it, and the three ledgers (labour department, immigration, internal company) separate by themselves, so you do not apply one agency's requirement to another.
3. Look at names and ID data letter by letter. Between the passport, authenticated papers, contract and forms, spelling, date of birth and passport number must not differ in unexplained ways.
4. Look at expiry and authentication. Are time-limited items still in date, and have documents needing authentication completed the whole chain?
5. Look at whether company papers are the current-year versions. On renewal or refiling, company documents must be reissued in the current-year version, and old versions are returned.
6. Look at the chain of authority. If an agent files, a special power of attorney is needed; inside the company, someone with authority must sign, supported by board or management authorisation. Otherwise the papers can exist while nobody has the power to decide.

After the six looks, make your own file: a scan of every document, sorted into labour department, immigration and internal folders, with the filing date and receipt number. It is normal for originals to be checked, but the normal practice is on-the-spot checking or a short loan against a receipt, not holding originals for long. If you change employer or hit a problem, this file saves a lot of time.

If any of the six looks fails, do not file in the hope of luck. A missing item is returned at once with no case number and costs a whole queue. To tell a counter return from a denial or a mismatch, see what to do when 9G documents are returned, and for the several shapes failure takes see six forms of failed 9G applications. After filing, official ways to check progress are explained in how to check a 9G or AEP.

The downside: the costliest assumptions on the document side

Document preparation looks like the most certain part of the process, yet it hides the most assumptions. These are the costs that are most often underestimated.

• Assuming one list fits everyone. Desks differ, and sector-specific extras have no single list, so follow the receiving desk's current requirements. A generic list cannot know where you are, whether the company has done this before, or whether you bring family.
• Assuming documents are the employee's job. Most of the paper sits with the company: tax papers, headcount proof and contract wording are things an individual cannot fix. If the company is still being set up or its compliance papers have gaps, fix compliance first; see compliance services.
• Assuming you can file first and supplement later. Missing items are returned on the spot with no case number, and one return means another full queue.
• Assuming authentication can wait until you arrive. It takes longest and must start before you travel, otherwise the whole project is pushed back.
• Assuming nothing is left after you start the job. The first week has its own formalities, see your first week at a new job in the Philippines, and when the job ends the status has to be downgraded, see downgrading a 9G.

Approval belongs to the immigration and labour authorities. Yixing is a private consultancy, not an approving body; we help with document compliance and follow-up, and no one can promise the result. For individual cases involving enforcement, removal or labour disputes, consult a practising lawyer; this article is not legal advice. If you want help organising documents by issuer, see visa and HR services.

For the full process see the 9G and AEP guide, and for the time each stage takes see how long the 9G takes.

Official sources and last check for the document section

The official pages relevant to this addition:

• Bureau of Immigration FAQs: the basis of the 9G, the petitioner and beneficiary relationship and the validity options come from this page.
• Department of Labor and Employment website: AEP rules and documents follow the department's current orders and announcements.

Where each stands: the Bureau FAQ page was read successfully in October 2026, and the 9G points were checked against it; that page does not set out a full document checklist. The Department of Labor and Employment website was tried in October 2026 but returned an access refusal (403) and could not be read, so AEP rules are subject to the competent authority's current announcements. Checklist items, form numbers and authentication routes rely on previously verified articles on this site, and copy counts, formats, validity and translation requirements follow the receiving agency's current requirements.

For legal disputes or case-specific judgment, consult a practising lawyer; this article is not legal advice.

How to ask for documents correctly: three questions that produce the right list

Do not ask 'what documents do I need'. Ask three more specific questions and the list you get will be the right one. The method comes from practice and also works as a script for talking to HR or an adviser.

Question one: which agency is this document for? Tag each paper with its destination and the three ledgers separate themselves, so one agency's requirement is not mistaken for another's.

Question two: who issues this document, and what do I have to do? Most papers are issued by the company, and your task is only to confirm someone is responsible; a few are issued by you, and those are your real to-do list.

Question three: does it expire, and does it need authentication? Items with expiry go later; items needing authentication go earlier. The order of preparation is decided on the spot.

Once the three questions are answered, write the result as a two-column table: on the left 'who issues', on the right 'when to start'. That table fits your case better than any generic list, because a generic list cannot know where you are, whether the company has handled this before or whether you bring family. Two final reminders. Do not leave originals with anyone for a long time; checking an original on the spot, or a short loan with a receipt, is normal, but prolonged holding is not. And keep a scan of everything you hand over, stored by ledger. When you change employer or run into trouble, that archive saves a great deal of time. All details such as copies, formats, validity and translation follow the labour department's current orders, the Bureau's current publication and the receiving office's announcements.

After approval: which documents you still need to keep alive

Filing is not the end of the document story. Several items must stay current for as long as you hold the 9G, and letting them lapse is a quiet way of creating the next problem. This section lists what to keep alive and why, using only points already verified.

• The passport. Implementation needs a passport valid for at least six months, and later renewals will again look at remaining validity. If you replace the passport during the term, the link to your existing status has to be handled separately rather than assumed.
• The ACR I-Card. The card is applied for together with the visa, and the biometric collection requires you to attend in person inside the Philippines. Keep the card details consistent with the passport and visa record.
• The annual report. The Bureau's charter says 9G holders must complete the annual report within the first 60 days of each calendar year. It applies whether or not you are renewing that year, and the Bureau also offers it as an online service in its portal.
• The AEP. Because the AEP and the 9G are checked separately, an expired AEP leaves you in violation if you keep working, even though the 9G does not expire automatically. The renewal window for the AEP is the 60 calendar days before expiry. See the AEP guide.
• Your own archive. Keep scans of everything filed, sorted by labour department, immigration and internal folders, with receipt numbers. When you renew or change employer, you will start from this archive.

The practical habit is to set reminders against the earliest of these dates rather than relying on the employer to remember. The employer is the petitioner and has the main responsibility, but it is the employee whose status is at stake if something lapses. If you are moving jobs, the permits tied to the old employer need to be dealt with before the new filing; see changing employer on a 9G. If you are leaving the country for good, handle the status formally; see downgrading a 9G before you leave.

None of this removes the agencies' discretion, and no one can promise a result. It simply keeps you from losing a valid status through an overlooked date.

Why Filings Get Returned: A Pre-Filing Check Against the Official Instructions

The BI checklist opens with a warning that applications not prepared as instructed may face summary dismissal or delay. Checking the general instructions and checklist items against each other, these are the eleven points most worth reviewing before you file:

1. Forms: the CGAF is not in English capitals, blank items are not marked N/A, or only one original was prepared instead of two.
2. Folder: documents are not arranged in checklist order or not placed in a legal-size (8.5 x 14 inch) folder.
3. Notarization: affidavits or certifications are not originals or not notarized; the headcount certification is the usual culprit.
4. Signatory: the person signing is not an officer named in the GIS or Articles, and no board resolution, secretary's certificate or SPA fills the gap.
5. Current-year documents: the GIS is not for the current year or lacks the SEC received stamp, or the Mayor's Permit is out of date.
6. Tax return: the ITR was filed without an official receipt, bank validation or eFPS print-out.
7. Contract: the duration, exact compensation or description of the position is missing, or original signatures are absent.
8. AEP: the permit has lapsed, or a first application lacks the publication proof. If the two permits have fallen out of step, see whether a 9G still holds after the AEP expires.
9. Authorized stay: fewer than thirty days remain when fees are assessed.
10. Document origin: foreign documents are not authenticated or translated, or Philippine civil registry documents are not PSA-issued.
11. Representatives: a filing through a representative lacks a copy of the BI accreditation ID certificate, or an original SPA for each applicant with a copy of the attorney-in-fact's government ID.

A returned filing and a denial are different things. For the difference between a counter refusal, a deadline to complete and a formal denial, and how to fix each, see what to do when the BI returns your documents. If you already hold a denial order, see what to do after a 9G denial.

For eligibility, the full process and filing support from the start, see Yixing's Philippines 9G work visa page.

This guide reflects the checklists published by the BI and DOLE as of September 2026 and is not legal advice. Checklists, form versions and filing requirements change, so always rely on what the agencies currently publish. Yixing is a private consultancy with no affiliation to the BI or DOLE; we can review documents and plan timelines before filing, but we do not promise any approval outcome.