Our visa downgrade assistance provides the critical legal transition required for foreign nationals moving from a long-term immigrant or non-immigrant status back to a 9(a) Temporary Visitor (Tourist) Visa. We ensure that the departure from a specific visa category due to changes in immigration status is officially recorded, thus protecting future eligibility to re-enter the country.
What You Should Know About Visa Downgrades in the Philippines
Visa downgrading is the administrative reversal of an immigration status. When the qualifying conditions of a long-term visa cease to exist (e.g., resignation from a company or annulment of marriage), the visa holder is legally required to downgrade to a tourist visa status.
Generally, the process involves the cancellation of the current ACR I-Card and the grant of a 59-day stay as a tourist to wind up affairs for departure or transition to a new visa. Here are some critical scenarios that require visa downgrade:
Employment Termination or Resignation
For 9(g) or 47(a)(2) PEZA visa holders, the right to stay is tied to the employer. Upon leaving the company, the law requires an immediate downgrade to avoid being out of status.
Company Closure or Restructuring
Employees’ work visas must also be downgraded if the employer ceases operations. This was notably observed in the 2024 POGO purge, where the Bureau of Immigration (BI) set strict deadlines for thousands of workers to downgrade and depart.
Completion of Studies
Foreign students holding a 9(f) Visa must downgrade upon graduation or withdrawal from the academic programs to transition to a tourist status before leaving the country.
Dissolution of Marriage
For 13(a) and TRV visa holders, a legal separation, annulment, or the death of the Filipino spouse terminates the eligibility for the spousal visa, which necessitates a downgrade.
Change in Visa Status
Transitioning to another visa type, such as moving from a 9(g) Work Visa to a 13(a) Dependent Visa, requires a temporary downgrade. Most residency visas can only be applied for from a 9(a) tourist status.
Voluntary Program Exit
Retirees wishing to cancel their SRRV or investors withdrawing from the SIRV program must undergo a formal visa cancellation and downgrading process to recover their bank deposits and clear their immigration records.
What Duran & Duran-Schulze Law Does
Duran & Duran-Schulze Law acts as a technical counsel to ensure that the exit from a visa category is clean and compliant. We manage the delicate timeline of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), ensuring that request letters and supporting documents (such as the AEP cancellation or marriage decree) are submitted before incurring any overstaying fines.
Our Visa Downgrade Assistance
We provide a comprehensive management of the visa status reversion process in the Philippines. Our visa downgrade assistance covers:
Document Preparation and Filing
We draft formal request letters to the BI Commissioner and compile the necessary attachments, including the passport, ACR I-Card, and proof of status change (e.g., employment resignation letter, marriage decree, or graduation certificate).
Work Permit Cancellation Coordination
For work visa holders, we coordinate with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or PEZA to ensure that the AEP is cancelled concurrently, as the BI will not approve a downgrade without the permit cancellation.
ACR I-Card Surrender and Cancellation
We manage the formal surrender of the ACR I-Card and facilitate the issuance of the Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) for those leaving the country, ensuring no hold departure orders are in place.
Status Monitoring and Passport Stamping
We monitor the 3-4 week processing period and handle the final passport submission for the implementation of the 9(a) Tourist Visa stamp. We ensure that clients are informed of the new last day of stay to prevent accidental overstaying.
How to Get Started
For inquiries on requirements, processes, and fees, contact Duran & Duran-Schulze Law at (+632) 8478 5826, (+63) 917 194 0482, or info@duranschulze.com, or simply complete the form on this page. Our office is located at 1210 High Street South Corporate Plaza Tower 2, 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines.
Need to Consult a Lawyer?
You can book an online or in-person consultation with Atty. March. Choose a 30-minute or 1-hour session, fill out the form with your information and preferred schedule, pay the fee via PayPal, and meet with the attorney at the scheduled time.
Atty. Marie Christine Duran-Schulze
Managing Partner [Read Profile]
Business and Corporate Law, Family Law, Litigation, Immigration Laws, Real Estate, Labor Management, and HR Services
Visa Downgrading FAQs
For your reference and guidance, here are some frequently asked questions about visa downgrading in the Philippines:
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) may issue an OTL as part of the downgrade, requiring the foreign national to depart the country within a set period (usually 15 to 59 days).
No. Once the downgrade is filed, your work authorization (9g or PEZA) is technically suspended. Working on a 9(a) tourist status is a violation of immigration laws and can lead to deportation.
Typically, the process takes 3-4 weeks. During this period, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will hold your passport for the implementation of the cancellation stamp and the new tourist visa.
You will remain on the BI records as “active” with your previous employer. This can cause significant issues when you try to return to the Philippines or apply for a new work visa, often resulting in heavy fines for late filing.
Yes, but you must first complete the downgrade to a 9(a) tourist visa. Once you have processed the reversion and cancelled your Alien Employment Permit (AEP), your new employer can file a new petition for a 9(g) work visa.
Yes. Commonly, dependent visas are derivatives of the principal’s visa. If the principal downgrades, all dependents must also undergo the visa downgrading process to maintain a valid legal status.
Yes. If you intend to leave the country after downgrading, you must secure an ECC-A. This certificate proves you have no pending obligations or derogatory records in the Philippines.
