Knowledge Base: Moving, Marrying and Retiring in the Philippines

A plain-language Philippines knowledge base for men planning to retire in, marry in or move to the Philippines. Every answer starts with the short version and then names its source. Each entry shows the date we last checked it. This is general information, not legal, immigration or financial advice. Rules change, so confirm with the Bureau of Immigration or a Philippine lawyer before you act. Last full review: October 24, 2026.

Jump to: Topic pages · Glossary

Topic pages

Visas and residency: the 13(a) marriage visa, the SRRV retirement visa, tourist stays, the Balikbayan privilege, the ACR I-Card and the Annual Report.
Marriage and family: marrying as an American, prenuptial agreements, foreign divorce, and supporting family.
Property and housing: land, condos, houses, leases, rentals, mortgages and wills.
Healthcare and insurance: Medicare abroad, PhilHealth, private and international insurance, and hospitals.
Banking and taxes: U.S. taxes, Social Security abroad, bank accounts, cost of living and work permits.
Daily life and cost of living: budgets by city, driver’s licenses, cards and ATMs, SIM cards, water, electricity and getting around.
Retiring: the SRRV and what it provides, using the deposit, working, budgets and risks.
Safety and scams: travel advisory areas, romance scams, emergency numbers and typhoon season.

Glossary

13(a) visa: the non-quota immigrant visa by marriage for the foreign spouse of a Filipino citizen. Starts as a one-year probationary visa.

Probationary visa: the first year of the 13(a), before it is converted to permanent residency.

Non-quota immigrant visa: an immigrant visa that is not limited by annual numbers. The 13(a) is one.

Bureau of Immigration (BI): the Philippine agency that handles visas and registration for foreigners in the country.

ACR I-Card: the Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card, the Bureau of Immigration’s registration card for foreign residents.

PSA: the Philippine Statistics Authority, which issues official birth and marriage certificates.

Report of Marriage: the record of a marriage that took place abroad, filed with a Philippine embassy or consulate.

Apostille: a certificate that authenticates a document, such as a birth certificate, for use in another country.

Balikbayan: a Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for at least one year, or a former Filipino. Their foreign spouse can get a one-year visa-free stay when they enter together.

SRRV: the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, for foreign nationals and former Filipinos aged 40 and over.

Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA): the agency that runs the SRRV.

Alien Employment Permit (AEP): the work permit for foreigners issued by the Department of Labor and Employment. Section 13 resident visa holders are generally exempt.

Marriage settlement: the Philippine legal term for a prenuptial agreement. It must be made before the wedding.

Absolute community of property: the default property regime for marriages since August 3, 1988, in which most property owned before and during the marriage is shared.