Philippines 9G Work Visa Process: Step by Step from AEP to Visa Implementation, Documents and Common Snags

The short answer: two steps, two agencies, two separate approvals

The Philippines 9G work visa process runs in two steps handled by two different agencies. First, the employer applies to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for your Alien Employment Permit (AEP). Once the AEP is issued, the employer, as petitioner, and you, as the foreign employee, jointly file the 9G application with the Bureau of Immigration (BI). If it is approved, the visa is implemented in your passport, your ACR I-Card is processed, and from then on you file an Annual Report every year. The 9G comes from Section 9(g) of the 1940 Philippine Immigration Act (Commonwealth Act No. 613) and is a non-immigrant pre-arranged employment visa. The AEP rests on Article 40 of the Labor Code (Presidential Decree No. 442). One document cannot stand in for the other.

In BI's 2026 Citizen's Charter, the commercial 9G is listed as "Conversion to/Extension of Pre-arranged Employee-Commercial (9G)". It is handled by the Visa Processing Center and classified "Highly Technical", a higher classification than the "Complex" label the same charter gives to services such as downgrading a visa or re-stamping a visa into a new passport. Keep that in mind: it is the first reason this route should never be planned as a same-day errand. This guide covers the commercial 9G, meaning a foreign national employed by a commercial enterprise in the Philippines. The non-commercial and missionary category is a separate entry in the charter and is outside this guide.

The whole pipeline at a glance

1. Employer preparation: corporate registration and tax records, a job description, an employment contract and a headcount certification. Both agencies read the same underlying file, so a mismatch in one place causes trouble in both.
2. AEP (DOLE): DOLE examines the position and asks why the job has to be filled by a foreign national. Legally, the employer is the applicant.
3. 9G filing (BI): pre-screening at the Central Receiving Unit, payment, submission of the official receipt, a hearing, and image and fingerprint capture.
4. Approval and implementation: BI publishes agenda lists on its website. If approved, you present your passport and the official receipt for visa implementation and collect your ACR I-Card.
5. While you hold the visa: the Annual Report each year, extension before expiry, re-stamping when you change passports, and a downgrade when you leave the job.

One fact people often overlook: in BI's file, the employer is the petitioner and the employee is only the beneficiary. Most of the paperwork therefore sits on the company side, and an individual cannot complete this route alone without the employer's cooperation. If you want to understand what the status actually gives you, start with what a 9G work visa is; for a single overview that spans both permits, see the full AEP-to-9G guide. If you are on the HR side, hiring foreign nationals in the Philippines is written from the employer's viewpoint, and how to check the latest 9G policy explains how to keep up when the rules move.

A note on who we are: Yixing is a private consultancy, not a government agency, and we do not issue visas. Approval belongs to DOLE and BI. What we can do is help keep your paperwork compliant and follow the case through; see Yixing's visa and HR services.

Which route are you on? Match your situation first

"Applying for a 9G" can mean quite different things depending on where you start. Find your case below and then read the matching section.

• If you are already in the Philippines on a visitor status and the company has decided to hire you, take the initial conversion route. This uses BI Form V-NI-007 Rev 1. The AEP is newly obtained, and at filing you also attach proof that the approved AEP was published, or a Certificate of Publication from the publisher. Your authorized stay must have enough margin when fees are assessed, as explained in step two.
• If you already hold a 9G and it is about to expire, take the extension route. This uses BI Form V-NI-008 Rev 1. Company documents must be re-issued in their current-year versions and the AEP must be renewed in step, see 9G validity and renewal.
• If you are moving to a different employer, the new company prepares as for an initial conversion. Both the 9G and the AEP are tied to the employer, and there is no transfer of the old ones. The new company is a new petitioner; see whether you can apply yourself and whether you can change employers.
• If you are staying with the same employer but your job has changed, first work out how big the change is. A change of title and a real change of duties are handled very differently, see whether a job change means a new AEP and 9G.
• If you are a director or a seconded officer, you may not need an AEP, but you may need an exclusion or exemption certificate. BI's checklist accepts "an AEP, or a Certificate of Exclusion or Exemption with validity", so being exempt from an AEP does not mean submitting nothing; see whether a foreign director needs an AEP.
• If you need to start work before the 9G comes through, look at the provisional work permit route. An AEP only covers the position; it does not by itself make you lawfully able to start. The proper bridging options are separate, see the lawful ways to work in the Philippines.
• If you are bringing a spouse and children, each dependent needs a separate set of documents. See the dependents section below.
• If you are still abroad and have not entered the country, note that the BI checklists here cover conversion and extension for people already in the Philippines. The charter describes the service as converting a temporary visitor visa or another appropriate category into a 9G. Starting from overseas depends on where you are, see the three starting points for a 9G.
• If your role is unusual, the position may be argued differently. Examples are foreign language specialists in BPO, foreign chefs in restaurants and executives and technical leads. Applicants from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan also meet their own typical issues, see Hong Kong and Macau applicants and Taiwan applicants.

If you are unsure, answer three questions. First, what status is in your passport now and how long until it lapses. Second, who is the petitioner, and are the company's registration and tax documents current-year versions. Third, what is the status of the AEP. The answers largely decide your route and your order of work. The 9G eligibility criteria break the requirements down by company, position and person, and are worth reading alongside this section.

Before anything is filed: get the employer's file in order

Both agencies read essentially the same underlying documents, and they come from the company. Many applications are delayed not at the counter but inside the company, because nobody has gathered these papers in one go. It helps to have HR or an administrator lead an internal check before deciding when to start the AEP.

• Current-year corporate registration. A corporation or partnership needs its SEC Certificate of Registration, Articles of Incorporation and a General Information Sheet (GIS) for the current year stamped received by the SEC. A sole proprietorship needs its DTI Certificate of Registration of Business Name. The charter also asks for the Mayor's Permit for the current year.
• Latest income tax return and proof of payment. The checklist asks for the petitioner's latest Income Tax Return (ITR) with proof of payment, which can be an official receipt, a bank teller's validation slip, a BIR eFPS payment print-out or similar evidence. For a very new company that has not yet reached a filing date, how BI treats this is something to confirm with the current BI window.
• A notarized headcount certification. This states the number of foreign and Filipino employees, is signed by the applicant and the petitioner's authorized representative, and is notarized. BI's website offers a preferred format. It also tells the reviewer whether the company has a genuine local workforce.
• An employment contract or appointment document. It should state the exact compensation, the duration of employment and a comprehensive description of the nature and scope of the position. The title and pay in the contract must match what the AEP declares and what the payroll tax records show. This is where problems most often arise later.
• A clear chain of authority. Decide in advance who can sign for the company and who can file. The executive officers shown on the GIS, or the registered owner of a sole proprietorship, can sign directly. Anyone else needs a board resolution, a corporate secretary's certificate or a Special Power of Attorney.
• A job description and qualifications. This is the core of the AEP argument: what the job involves, what experience it demands and why it cannot be filled locally. It must be consistent with the contract.

Once the employer side is in order, move on to step one. If the company is still being set up, or its compliance records are patchy, fix that first and only then think about the work visa; see company setup and compliance support.

Step one: the AEP at DOLE, the gate that comes first

The Alien Employment Permit (AEP) is a permit issued by DOLE certifying that a particular foreign national may be employed by a particular Philippine company in a particular position. It answers a labor-market question: why does this job need a foreigner rather than a local. The 9G, in turn, answers a residence question. The order is AEP first, then 9G. In BI's 9G checklist the AEP is a standard requirement, and without it the filing is turned back at the receiving stage. The idea of "filing the 9G now to hold a place in the queue while the AEP is still pending" generally does not work at the window; see which to apply for first, AEP or 9G.

Which rules the AEP currently follows

According to material we have already verified, the current AEP rules are DOLE Department Order No. 248, series of 2025, in effect from 10 February 2025, followed by supplemental guidance in Department Order No. 248-A. Their core is to examine why the position must be filled by a foreigner: the job description, the qualifications, the salary level and the labor-market test, meaning newspaper publication, must together explain why no local candidate could be found. DOLE's published material refers to this process as an Economic Needs Test. Rules change by department order, so the exact requirements, the documents and the filing office should be taken from DOLE's current announcements and from your regional office.

How the AEP and the 9G interlock

• What they are tied to. The AEP is tied to the person, the position and the employer. A change of employer, or a substantive change of duties, usually means starting the argument again. The 9G is tied to the employer as well.
• Validity. Our verified material records that an AEP is generally issued to match the employment contract, commonly from one year up to three years, subject to DOLE's current rules. BI's website lists 9G validity options of 1, 2 or 3 years. The remaining validity of the AEP materially affects how long a 9G can be granted, something many people only discover at renewal.
• What goes to BI. An initial conversion needs a photocopy of the AEP plus proof of the actual publication, or a Certificate of Publication from the publisher. The extension checklist lists only the photocopy of the AEP.
• Exclusion and exemption. Certain cases, such as personnel seconded by a foreign government or an international organization, or a person who is only a director and does not take part in day-to-day management, must first obtain an exclusion or exemption certificate from DOLE. That certificate is itself the substitute document handed to BI. The scope depends on DOLE's current rules, and you should not rely on second-hand summaries; see whether a company director needs an AEP.

Having an AEP does not mean you may start work

The AEP settles only the position. Your immigration status is still visitor or temporary status. Until the 9G is granted, the proper way to work lawfully is to obtain a provisional work permit, not to start on the basis that the AEP is in hand. The kinds of bridging permit and their conditions are covered in choosing among lawful ways to work. For the AEP itself, the full AEP guide has a separate detailed treatment.

Document tables: what to prepare, organised by who issues it

BI publishes its 9G document requirements in two forms. One is the checklist form on its website (BI Form V-NI-007 Rev 1 for initial conversion and BI Form V-NI-008 Rev 1 for extension). The other is the entry in the 2026 Citizen's Charter. The two are not worded identically. The checklist forms list a joint letter request, a BI Clearance Certificate and a quarantine clearance for certain nationalities. The charter puts more weight on the signatory's chain of authority and the company registration documents, and lists the permit for regulated professions on its own line. In practice, prepare the union of both, then let the pre-screening window at the Central Receiving Unit tell you what it wants that day. The checklist form has eleven items for the applicant and five for each dependent. The table below also includes the authorization papers that the charter spells out but the form does not list as a separate item.

Applicant and employer documents (initial conversion and extension)

Format and filing rules: many returns start here

• Fill every field in English capital letters; write N/A where a field does not apply, and never leave one blank.
• Sworn statements and affidavits must be notarized originals.
• Civil registry documents issued in the Philippines (birth, marriage, death certificates and the like) must be originals issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
• Foreign documents must be originals authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post with jurisdiction over the place of issue, or by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) when issued by an embassy in the Philippines, with an English translation if in another language. The charter's dependent entry adds that an apostille from the issuing country's competent authority is also accepted.
• Arrange documents in the order listed on the checklist and place them in a legal-size folder.
• If a representative files, attach a photocopy of the BI accreditation ID or certificate, or an original Special Power of Attorney, for each applicant, plus a photocopy of the attorney-in-fact's valid government ID.
• Bring the original passport to evaluation or interview. The form also warns that BI may ask for additional supporting documents.

By issuer: who produces what, and where it slows down

For item-by-item detail, see the 9G document checklist for initial, renewal and change-of-employer cases. If you prefer to think in terms of who produces what, what documents a 9G needs is organised that way.

Step two: how BI receives the case, from pre-screening to the hearing

BI's website writes the 9G application as a sequence of actions, and the steps are the same for initial conversion and extension. Put together, the line runs as follows:

1. Obtain the CGAF from the Public Information and Assistance Unit or from BI's website.
2. Submit the complete set of documents to the Central Receiving Unit for pre-screening.
3. Pay the required fees once pre-screening is passed.
4. Submit a copy of the official receipt.
5. Attend the hearing.
6. Go to the image and fingerprint capturing counter at the Alien Registration Division.
7. Check BI's website for the approval status.
8. If approved, submit your passport for visa implementation.
9. If approved, claim your ACR I-Card.

Pre-screening is the first gate. The Central Receiving Unit does a formal check against the checklist. If an item is missing, the file is turned back on the spot and no case number is even generated. Getting the file accepted matters far more than getting it filed fast; until pre-screening is passed, everything else is only preparation.

The hearing is not a formality. The charter states that the Visa Processing Center acts as the hearing arm of the Board of Commissioners, which is quasi-judicial. After the counter-level steps, the case folder is transmitted to the Board's agenda and records unit, and the charter's own note says the application then undergoes further evaluation or investigation before the visa is implemented. In other words, the counter-level processing times printed in the charter are not the total time from filing to holding a visa.

Where to file. BI's website says you may apply at the BI main office or at other authorized immigration offices. The main building is in Intramuros, Manila, and the unit that handles the commercial 9G is the Visa Processing Center inside it. The 2026 charter also lists pre-arranged employment entries at a number of other offices, but "can accept" does not mean "is the right place to file". Which office takes which case depends on current announcements and on the window's practice; see where to apply for a 9G, and why you ask two agencies.

How the fees are built. BI's website publishes two fee schedules for the 9G, one for "Top 1,000 Corporations" and one for other companies, each priced by validity period of 1, 2 or 3 years. Other steps such as implementation and the ACR I-Card may carry their own charges. We do not state amounts here; use BI's current published schedule. For a structural explanation see what makes up 9G costs.

Who files. The petitioner is the employer. It is simplest when an executive officer named on the GIS, or the sole proprietor, signs personally. Anyone else needs a board resolution, a secretary's certificate or a Special Power of Attorney, and filing through an accredited liaison officer or agent requires the accreditation document or the authorization. If a link in that chain does not line up, the whole set can be sent back to be redone.

Step three: after approval, from the agenda list to your ACR I-Card

Check the result first

For data privacy reasons, BI does not publish applicant names online. Its "Visa Application Status" page lists PDF agenda lists by year and month, and a notice at the top asks you to compare the application number in the agenda list with the application number on your official receipt to verify approval. The other route is Visa Approval Verification on the eServices portal. How both work, and where people misread them, is covered in the section on checking progress and authenticity below.

What to bring for implementation

BI's agenda page says that after approval, visa implementation needs: a passport valid for at least six months; the official receipt for the application; for conversion visas, an updated tourist visa extension; re-stamping or revalidation documents where they apply; and a Special Power of Attorney when a representative acts for you. Because the passport is handed to BI for implementation, it will not be with you for a while, so think through any travel before you file; see whether you can leave the country while your passport is at BI.

Validity and the ACR I-Card

BI's website lists 9G validity options of 1, 2 or 3 years. What you actually receive is decided by BI, and is also shaped by how much validity your AEP has left. The CGAF is filled in two original copies, and the second is used for the ACR I-Card application, so card capture and collection travel together with the visa. Capture requires you to be present in the Philippines.

The Annual Report: an obligation people forget

The charter states that 9G holders must complete the Annual Report within the first 60 days of every calendar year. BI's eServices portal also lists "Annual Report" as an online service. Late reporting brings administrative fines, the amounts of which are as BI currently publishes. This obligation exists whether or not you are extending; if you hold a 9G, you file every year.

A new passport means re-stamping

If the visa validity stamped in the old passport is longer than the validity of the passport, a new passport means the valid visa has to be re-stamped into it. The charter lists a request letter to the head of the Board of Commissioners Implementation Unit, a certified true copy of the Board's order granting the visa or an equivalent certification, the bio pages of the old and new passports, the latest visa stamp in the old passport and the latest arrival stamp in the new one. If the old passport was lost or stolen, add a police report or an affidavit of loss. Details are in replacing a 9G after a lost passport or lost ACR I-Card.

Before you leave the job: downgrading

When you resign, are terminated, the company closes, or the visa cannot be kept up because an extension was filed late, the BI service that applies is downgrading the visa to a temporary visitor's visa (9A). The charter says you file a letter request addressed to the Commissioner stating the reason, such as resignation, termination, late filing of extension or dissolution of the company; for the commercial 9G, the request must be accompanied by a Certificate of Employment from the petitioning company. Do this before you leave the country; see why a downgrade must be done before you exit.

How long and how much: why this guide gives no fixed figures

You will find claims online of how many months a 9G takes. We do not give a fixed number of days, for three reasons.

1. Three stages, each out of your control. The first is the employer side, including authentication, notarization and translation. The second is the AEP, with its publication and approval. The third is BI's pre-screening, hearing, agenda and implementation. A request for missing documents at any stage pushes the whole line back.
2. The charter's counter-level times are not the total time. As noted above, the processing times in the charter stop where the case folder is transmitted to the Board's agenda unit; further evaluation or investigation follows.
3. Offices and periods differ widely. Our verified observation is that the AEP and the 9G together are usually counted in months, with publication periods, company re-filings and queues all stretching them. Everything depends on the agency's actual pace at the time.

If you must work backward from a deadline, the useful method is not to look for an average but to count back from the date your status runs out. Look at how long your passport stay has left, then at the charter's margin requirement for authorized stay, and then lay out authentication, notarization, the AEP and pre-screening in reverse order, leaving room for corrections at each stage. A staged breakdown is in the 9G timeline by stage, and why the same route takes such different times is in how long a 9G takes.

What the costs are made of (no amounts)

• BI fees, split by company category (whether it is among the Top 1,000 Corporations) and by validity tier.
• DOLE's charges for the AEP, and the cost of newspaper publication.
• Notarization, authentication or apostille, and translation, which vary with the number of documents and the country of origin.
• If you use a professional firm, a service fee, which is agreed between the parties.

All amounts should be taken from the fee schedules BI and DOLE currently publish. We do not quote prices here.

Renewal, changing employers, changing roles, leaving: four things that go wrong after approval

The three cases side by side

Extension: nearly the same list, but freshness matters

The extension checklist, BI Form V-NI-008 Rev 1, has the same items as the initial conversion: joint letter, CGAF, passport and authorized stay, contract, latest tax return and proof of payment, company registration documents, AEP and the headcount certification, plus where applicable the regulated-profession permit, the BI Clearance Certificate and the quarantine clearance. Compared with the initial conversion, it does not list proof of publication of the AEP. Company documents must be re-issued in their current-year versions and cannot be recycled from the last term: the GIS must be the current year's and stamped received by the SEC, and the Mayor's Permit must be the current year's too. The renewal rules for the AEP itself are set separately by DOLE, so schedule the AEP ahead of the 9G; details on validity and renewal are in 9G validity and renewal. If the AEP has already expired, the 9G does not lapse automatically, but your work is already out of compliance; see whether a 9G is still valid after the AEP expires.

Changing employers: there is no transfer

Both the 9G and the AEP are tied to the employer. When you move, the new company becomes a new petitioner, and everything from the chain of authority, the contract, the tax return and the registration documents to the AEP is replaced with the new company's. The AEP is applied for afresh by the new company, and the old 9G must be handled separately. The most common accident here is the gap period: how your status is protected between jobs. Plan the order before you resign; see whether you can change employers on a 9G.

Changing roles: a three-tier test

If you have not changed companies and only the role has changed, the yardstick is whether the original job argument still stands. The framework in our verified material has three tiers. A substantive change in duties, rank, qualifications or salary structure usually means a new AEP application, and the 9G is updated as well. A mere standardisation of titles, or a correction of spelling or translation, can be dealt with by a change or correction request to the DOLE office that received the original application, with the BI file updated in step. Internal reshuffles and a move within the same jurisdiction usually leave the AEP alone, though personnel records must stay consistent with the AEP and the 9G. This is a framework, not a conclusion you can apply directly; the full discussion is in whether a job change needs a new AEP and 9G.

Leaving and company closure: do not leave your status hanging

A departing employee needs the downgrade described above. If the company shuts down or is deregistered, the 9G's effect is tied to the employer; the timing of when status lapses, the order of verification and the ways of recovery are covered in what happens to a 9G when the company closes and how status can move after an employer is deregistered. These situations involve judgment on the individual case; please consult a practising lawyer, as this guide is not legal advice.

Dependents: bringing a spouse and children

BI's 9G page says that a spouse and unmarried children under 21 may be included. The general instructions on BI's checklist forms (V-NI-007 Rev 1 and V-NI-008 Rev 1), however, speak of unmarried children below eighteen years of age. The same website therefore gives two figures, and we will not choose one for you. If a child's age falls between the two figures, confirm the current position in person at the pre-screening window.

A separate set for each dependent

• The CGAF for non-immigrant visas: signed by the dependent, or by the principal if the dependent is unable to sign, and by the employer's authorized representative; one original per dependent.
• Passport bio page and latest admission: the authorized stay needs the same margin, and the charter says at least 30 days when fees are assessed.
• Proof of relationship to the principal: a marriage or birth certificate issued in the Philippines must be a PSA original or a Local Civil Registry copy; one issued abroad must be authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post with jurisdiction, or by the DFA where an embassy in the Philippines issued it, or apostilled, with an English translation.
• A BI Clearance Certificate.
• A Bureau of Quarantine clearance, only for nationals of the countries listed in Annex A of Immigration Operations Order No. SBM-14-059-A who arrived in June 2014 or later.

Where the applicant has children, BI's website also offers a supplementary information form on the applicant's children (BOC04.QF.003). Where a dependent joins later, there is a separate "Inclusion of Dependent" checklist (BI Form V-NI-011 Rev 1). Dependent documents should keep pace with the principal's case rather than sit to one side; if the principal's case changes, the dependent part needs to be checked again too. If you are a foreign national who has married a Filipino spouse and wonder how your visa category might change, see the relationship between a 9G and marriage-based visas.

Common snags and refusal reasons: why files get stuck, not just what to watch for

Each item below explains why the file stalls, because knowing what the agency is actually looking at is more useful than memorising a list of warnings.

• Not enough authorized stay left. The charter asks for a valid authorized stay of at least 30 days when fees are assessed. Why it stalls: pre-screening, payment and the start of the case take time, and if your stay ends before that, the case cannot move to the next stage. The fix is to extend the visitor status first and then file the 9G.
• Company documents that are not current-year versions. The checklist wants a current-year GIS stamped received by the SEC, a current-year Mayor's Permit, and the latest tax return with matching proof of payment. Why it stalls: BI is examining the petitioner's standing, and any stale item leaves it unable to see a company that is currently in existence and trading.
• A broken chain of signing authority. Why it stalls: the petitioner is the company, and who may sign for it depends on the executive officers named on the GIS or on authorization papers. A signatory who is not on the GIS and holds no board resolution, secretary's certificate or Special Power of Attorney leaves the document's validity in doubt.
• A vague contract. The checklist wants exact compensation, duration and a comprehensive description of the position. Why it stalls: pay and duties show up together in the contract, the AEP and the tax withholding records, and when any two disagree the reviewer starts asking questions, and rounds of corrections cost the most time.
• An AEP that does not match the real job or the contract, or that has expired. Why it stalls: the AEP is tied to person, position and employer, and BI treats it as evidence that the position is lawful. If the contract now carries a new title while the AEP still shows the old one, you will be asked to explain at renewal; see the most common 9G mistakes.
• Missing proof of publication on an initial conversion. Why it stalls: on the initial conversion checklist, proof of the AEP's actual publication, or a Certificate of Publication, is its own line item. Leave it out and the file is short of an item and is turned back at pre-screening.
• Foreign documents that are not authenticated or translated. Why it stalls: BI wants originals authenticated by the embassy or the DFA, or apostilled, with an English translation where the document is not in English. This step takes the longest in the whole file, so begin it first.
• An agent who does not carry authorization. Why it stalls: an agent filing on your behalf must attach a photocopy of the BI accreditation document, or an original Special Power of Attorney, plus a photocopy of the attorney-in-fact's ID. Without them, you will be asked to complete the file at pre-screening, and the trip is wasted.
• A regulated profession without the matching permit. Why it stalls: a profession regulated by the PRC needs a Special Temporary Permit, and employment in a nationalized industry may also need the Department of Justice's authority to employ aliens. Many applicants do not realise their position falls in this bracket.
• A form filled in the wrong way. The very start of the checklist says that, to avoid summary dismissal or delay, entries must be in capital letters, N/A written where not applicable, no fields left blank and the CGAF completed in two originals. Lower case, blanks and a single copy are typical faults.
• No original passport at evaluation or interview. Why it stalls: applicants or petitioners must present the original passport at evaluation or interview, and without it that day's process cannot continue.

If a case has been refused or seems stuck, note that a refusal and a "failure" are not the same thing. Start by working out at which point it broke: whether documents were returned at the material stage, or the substantive review went against you. See what to do when a 9G is rejected, what comes next after a refusal and the different ways a 9G application fails.

The less flattering side: who this route does not suit, what is slow, and where you can waste a trip

This section sets out the facts that may count against you. We put them here because knowing where a trip will be wasted is more useful than hearing that everything can be done.

• Without a genuine employer, there is no route. The 9G is a pre-arranged employment visa, and the petitioner must be a business registered and paying taxes in the Philippines. If you only want to "get a status" and there is no actual employment relationship, a 9G does not suit you; it ties your residence to this position in this company, and if working is not your purpose, do not take this route. If the company has not yet been set up, look at company setup first.
• Affiliation is not a shortcut. Some channels suggest attaching you to someone else's company. A 9G review looks at the petitioner's standing, the position and the work you actually do, and the risk of that approach far outweighs the trouble it seems to save; see whether a 9G affiliation arrangement is reliable.
• If the job cannot explain why it must be filled by a foreigner, the AEP is hard. The AEP examines the position, not you as a person. The job description, qualifications, salary level and labor-market test must hang together, otherwise even an impressive personal record does not help.
• Short assignments do not pay off. The 9G is a long-cycle route, and the AEP and the 9G together are usually counted in months. For a few weeks of short-term work, look first at short-term work permit routes; see whether a 9G is the only way to work in the Philippines.
• An initial conversion is slower and heavier than an extension. The initial conversion has the longest checklist, the AEP is new and needs publication, and authentication and translation of foreign documents are concentrated in that one round. If time is short, what must start first is authentication and the AEP, not the filing itself.
• Your passport is with BI during implementation. Implementation requires handing over the passport, so travel plans are restricted while it is away. Think of this before you book a flight.
• Where a trip is easily wasted. A missing item, returned at pre-screening; filing at an office that does not accept that kind of case; an agent without authorization; an authorized stay that is too short. None of these is bad luck; all can be checked beforehand.
• Be wary of anyone who stands behind an outcome. Approval belongs to BI and DOLE, and no firm can replace an official decision. What we help with is document compliance and follow-through, and the outcome is for the competent authority to decide.

For anything involving a legal dispute or a judgment on your individual case, please consult a practising lawyer; this guide is not legal advice.

Checking progress and authenticity: two official entry points and one blind spot

Start with the domain. BI is at immigration.gov.ph, DOLE is at dole.gov.ph and its Bureau of Local Employment is at ble.dole.gov.ph. Philippine government sites all end in gov.ph. Any page that claims an "inside channel" or asks you to send money to a personal account should be judged first by its domain.

Entry point one: the agenda list

BI's "Visa Application Status" page lists agenda PDFs by year and month. Open the PDF for the relevant date and use your browser's search function to look for the application number on your official receipt. The columns include the application number, the number of dependents, the visa type and the validity, and no names. A 9G entry reads "9G COMMERCIAL", with the type of transaction in brackets, telling you whether it is a conversion, an extension or an inclusion of dependents. The commonest misreading: later in the same PDF there is a "DENIAL/DISAPPROVAL" column, and refused applications appear on the list too. After finding your number, always check which column it sits in; finding the number alone does not mean approval.

Entry point two: Visa Approval Verification on eServices

The Visa Approval Verification page on the eServices portal lets you look up an approval record with the receipt number or the application ID, and the result shows the petitioner. A 9G is initiated by the employer, so the petitioner shown should be the company that is processing your work visa. The Online Verification tool on the portal's home page searches by reference number and covers online transactions made through eServices. The online services the portal lists include the Annual Report, tourist visa extension, visa waiver and student visa conversion; the 9G is not among them, so verifying a 9G relies mainly on approval verification and the agenda list. If nothing comes up, do not jump to a conclusion. First check the number for typing errors, then cross-check with the agenda list.

The blind spot: the AEP

Our verified finding is that there is currently no public online lookup or verification system for the AEP. The Bureau of Local Employment's website has an AEP inquiry form, but no function to enter a number and see whether an AEP is genuine. Verifying an AEP therefore means checking the physical card against the employer's contract, and asking the DOLE regional office directly, in line with DOLE's current guidance. For more on online checks for both documents, see 9G and AEP online status checks.

Judging who is handling your case

First separate two things. You may use the official channels yourself, or authorize an agent who holds BI accreditation as a liaison officer or a Special Power of Attorney to file; whoever does it, approval rests with BI and DOLE. When choosing a service provider, compare against how to ask which 9G agency is good and whether 9G intermediaries are reliable; for whether the rules have changed, see how to check the latest 9G policy. If you want someone to handle document compliance and follow-up together, you can learn about Yixing's visa and HR services. We are a private consultancy, not an official body.

Official sources and last check

The official pages this guide draws on are listed below. All are Philippine government domains.

• Bureau of Immigration: Pre-arranged Employment Visa (9G) page
• Bureau of Immigration: Visa Application Status (agenda lists)
• Bureau of Immigration: Citizen's Charter
• Bureau of Immigration: eServices portal
• DOLE Bureau of Local Employment: Alien Employment Regulation
• DOLE: Department Order No. 248-A (supplemental guidelines)

The AEP's detailed document list, its validity and the categories of exemption are not restated item by item here; please rely on DOLE's current announcements and your regional office. BI's own requirements may also change, so follow BI's current announcements.

Last checked: September 2026.

About this guide and Yixing

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Yixing is a private consulting company registered in the Philippines (SEC Reg. No. CS202009551; BI Accreditation No. CA-202624381-1). This guide does not name or rate other providers and does not promise any outcome; approval rests with the competent authority, and the rules in force are those it currently publishes. For legal disputes or case-specific judgments, consult a practising lawyer — this is not legal advice.