Marcos orders drafting of nomad visa directive

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to issue an executive order (EO) to implement nomad visas immediately without tax incentives, a tourism advisory body said on Friday.

The Private Sector Advisory Council-Tourism Sector Group (PSAC-TSG) said it had recommended the move during a meeting with the President on Wednesday.

The tax incentives that could lead to increased take-up of the nomad visas can follow via a related bill to be passed by Congress, it added.

«PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos) supports this interim solution and has directed the Office of the Executive Secretary to draft the EO and select a pilot country for the initiative,» the PSAC-TSG said.

It said there was an urgent need to expedite the process for the issuance of nomad visas «in order for the Philippines to capitalize on the opportunity to attract long-standing foreign tourists and boost tourism arrivals.»

A nomad visa is a permit that allows a person to work remotely in a foreign country.

The PSAC-TSG said that neighboring countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia «are already benefiting from this growing trend.»

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LT Group President and Chief Executive Officer Lucio Tan III, who was present during the meeting with Marcos, said, «We need to issue nomad visas quickly to attract long-stay tourists.»

House Bill 8165, or the Digital Nomad Act, which seeks to grant a 12-month visa, is currently at the committee level.

Under the proposed legislation, «an alien who is employed in a country other than the Republic of the Philippines, may, upon making an application to the BI (Bureau of Immigration), be granted a digital nomad visa to work in the Philippines for a period of 12 months, renewable for another 12 months.»

Recipients must be at least 18 years old, can show proof of sufficient income generated outside the Philippines and have valid health insurance covering the period for which the visa is granted.

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He or she must have no criminal record in their home country or should not be considered a threat to the Philippines.

Digital nomad visa holders will not be listed as a resident of the Philippines for taxation purposes, and the income they receive from their