CFO urges global Filipinos to embrace nomad visa program

“We want the world, and especially our kababayans abroad, to see our country as a competitive remote work destination,” he added. (Pexels Photo)

By Marita Moaje, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is calling on global Filipinos and their international networks to take full advantage of the country’s new Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) program.

Signed under Executive Order 86 on April 24 by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the DNV establishes a legal framework to facilitate the entry of digital nomads or professionals, including foreign nationals working remotely for clients or employers outside the Philippines, to temporarily reside in the country while continuing their employment from abroad using digital technologies.

CFO Chairperson Secretary Dante Ang II, in a statement on Tuesday, said the initiative taps into the growing global trend of location-independent work, offering foreigners and returning Filipinos a new way to connect with the Philippines.

“The Philippines offers the perfect blend of digital connectivity, affordability, and cultural richness,” Ang said.

“We want the world, and especially our kababayans abroad, to see our country as a competitive remote work destination,” he added.

The Philippines was recently ranked by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as the seventh fastest-growing remote work hub in 2023, underscoring the country’s increasing appeal to tech-savvy professionals around the world.

The CFO views the DNV program as an opportunity to further strengthen connections between overseas Filipinos and their homeland.

Ang said that by encouraging global Filipinos to promote the DNV within their international circles, the Philippines could be a perfect hub for global digital workers while empowering local communities with new economic activity.

The CFO also said that the DNV aligns with broader national goals of digital transformation and inclusive growth, leveraging the country’s strengths, its lower cost of living, abundant tourist attractions, and a thriving remote work culture.

Foreigners applying for DNV must be at least 18 years old; must show proof of remote work using digital technology and sufficient income generated outside the Philippines; and must show proof of no criminal record.

An applicant must have health insurance valid for the DNV period; must be a national of a country that offers DNVs to Filipinos and where the Philippines has a Foreign Service Post (FSP); must not pose any threat to the internal or external security of the Philippines; and must not be employed in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, foreigners who are nationals of countries that offer DNVs to Filipinos but do not have a Philippine FSP may apply for DNV in the nearest country where a Philippine FSP is located.

Successful DNV holders will be allowed to stay in the Philippines for up to one year, renewable for another year, and may be granted multiple entry privileges during the visa’s validity.

With the recent issuance of EO 86, the CFO said Republic Act (RA) 9225, more popularly known as the Philippine Dual Citizen Law, becomes even more meaningful for overseas Filipinos who wish to return and fully engage in the country’s evolving digital economy.

Through dual citizenship, they can legally stay in the Philippines long-term and enjoy full civil, economic, and political rights, whether for remote work, entrepreneurship, or retirement.

RA 9225 enables former natural-born Filipinos to reacquire their Philippine citizenship without renouncing their foreign nationality.

“We at the CFO will continue to bridge global Filipinos with the homeland – not just through heritage and culture, but also through opportunities like the DNV that empower both individual lives and our national economy,” Ang said.