SRRV Requirements 2026
Most articles still circulating on the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa describe a programme that no longer exists. The Philippine Retirement Authority restructured the SRRV in 2025: two of the five legacy categories were retired for new applicants, the minimum age dropped from 50 to 40, and the deposit schedule was rebuilt around a Pensioner/Non-Pensioner split rather than a single flat figure per tier. Anyone reading a 2023 or 2024 breakdown is working from superseded numbers. This post sets out the current PRA requirements as they stand for a 2026 application: the two live SRRV tracks, the exact deposit for each age and pension status, the dependant rules, the recurring annual fee most guides skip, and what the deposit can actually be converted into.
Key Takeaways
- New SRRV applications now run on only two tracks: SRRV Classic and SRRV Courtesy, with deposits as low as USD 1,500 (Courtesy, age 50+) up to USD 50,000 (Classic, Non-Pensioner, age 40 to 49).
- The minimum principal-applicant age fell from 50 to 40 under the same restructure; a dependent spouse has no age requirement of their own.
- SRRV Classic has a Pensioner route that cuts the deposit substantially, provided the applicant can show a lifetime pension of at least USD 800 a month (single) or USD 1,000 a month (family).
- Beyond the one-time deposit, every SRRV carries a one-time PRA processing fee and a recurring PRA Annual Fee (PAF) that most SRRV explainers leave out entirely.
- The deposit is not locked away for life. Under SRRV Classic it can later be converted into a condominium purchase, subject to specific PRA conditions.
What Changed in the September 2025 SRRV Restructure?
The Philippine Retirement Authority collapsed five SRRV categories down to two for new applicants. SRRV Smile and SRRV Human Touch no longer exist as application options, and SRRV Courtesy no longer carries a separate “Expanded Courtesy” sub-tier. [Inference: the restructure is widely reported by legal and relocation commentary as taking effect 1 September 2025, though the primary PRA documents themselves are dated “August 2025” and “Revised Sep 2025” rather than stating a single circular date verbatim.] What remains for anyone applying today is SRRV Classic and SRRV Courtesy, the latter split internally between Foreign Nationals and Former Filipinos.
If you already hold an SRRV Smile or SRRV Human Touch visa, this restructure does not cancel it. Those categories are simply closed to new applicants; existing holders keep their status under the terms they originally qualified under.
What Are the Two SRRV Options for New Applicants?
SRRV Classic is the standard route for any foreign national who wants to retire in the Philippines, sized by age and whether you qualify as a pensioner. SRRV Courtesy is a lower-deposit route reserved for specific groups: retired diplomats, retired officers of DFA-recognised international organisations, retired military personnel covered by a defense treaty or agreement with the Philippines, distinguished achievers in academia, business, the arts or sport (including philanthropists), and former Filipino citizens. Most expat readers of this site, particularly those planning retirement around a UK or European pension, will sit under SRRV Classic. If you are weighing the SRRV against the alternative long-stay route entirely, see SRRV vs 13A Visa for how the two compare.
What Deposit Does SRRV Classic Require?
The Classic deposit depends on two variables: your age band and whether you qualify as a pensioner. A Non-Pensioner pays substantially more than a Pensioner in the same age band, because the Pensioner route is gated on documented lifetime pension income rather than deposit size alone.
| Applicant Type | Age 40-49 | Age 50+ |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Pensioner | USD 50,000 | USD 30,000 |
| Pensioner | USD 25,000 | USD 15,000 |
The Pensioner Route: Income Requirement
To qualify for the cheaper Pensioner deposit, you must prove a lifetime pension of at least USD 800 a month for a single applicant, or USD 1,000 a month for a family application. This is the route most relevant to readers transferring a UK Defined Benefit pension, a QROPS-linked income stream, or a SIPP drawing a guaranteed annuity income, since the PRA requires the pension proof itself: apostilled or authenticated documentation showing the monthly figure and its lifetime, non-terminating nature. A pension that runs out at a fixed age, or a drawdown pot without a guaranteed income floor, will not satisfy this test on its own. For how UK pension structures map onto the SRRV route, see UK Pension Options in the Philippines: QROPS vs SIPP.
The Non-Pensioner Route: Deposit Only
If you cannot document a qualifying lifetime pension, or simply prefer not to, the Non-Pensioner route accepts a larger one-time deposit instead, with no ongoing income proof required. This is the more common route for applicants living off investment income, rental income, or a portfolio without a fixed annuity structure. What that deposit can later be redeployed into is covered separately in SRRV Deposit Investment Options.
What Deposit Does SRRV Courtesy Require?
SRRV Courtesy splits into two distinct groups with different qualifying proof, though the deposit structure across both follows the same age logic.
SRRV Courtesy, Foreign Nationals
A qualifying foreign national aged 50 or above deposits a flat USD 1,500, regardless of pensioner status. For the 40-49 age band, the figure depends on pensioner status: USD 6,000 for a Non-Pensioner, USD 3,000 for a Pensioner. Applicants in the 40-49 band must additionally show proof of a monthly pension or equivalent benefit of at least USD 1,000.
| Applicant Type | Age 40-49 | Age 50+ |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Pensioner | USD 6,000 | USD 1,500 |
| Pensioner | USD 3,000 | USD 1,500 |
SRRV Courtesy, Former Filipinos
A former Filipino citizen deposits USD 3,000 if aged 40-49, or USD 1,500 if aged 50 or above. Qualifying proof is a Philippine passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a PSA birth certificate showing Filipino citizenship. There is no separate pensioner/non-pensioner split under this category.
Who Qualifies for SRRV Courtesy?
Beyond former Filipino citizens, SRRV Courtesy (Foreign Nationals) is reserved for: retired diplomats from foreign services; retired officers of international organisations recognised by the Department of Foreign Affairs, such as the UN, ADB, World Bank, IMF or WTO; retired military personnel whose service falls under a defense treaty or agreement with the Philippines; and high achievers in academia, business, the arts, culture, music, sport or philanthropy. If none of these apply, Classic is the applicable track regardless of how modest your intended budget is.
What Are the Age Requirements?
The principal applicant must be at least 40 years old, down from the previous 50-year threshold. [Inference not required here: this is a directly sourced figure.] A dependent spouse carries no independent age requirement. A dependent child must be unmarried, either legitimate or legally adopted, and under 21 years of age. Note that an older PRA Citizen’s Charter document still on the PRA site shows the pre-restructure rule of “at least 50 years old” for the principal applicant; that document predates the August/September 2025 restructure and should not be relied on for current age or deposit figures.
What About Dependants?
Every deposit tier above already covers the principal applicant plus up to two dependants at no extra deposit cost. Beyond two dependants, each additional dependant requires a further USD 15,000 visa deposit, and this applies uniformly across both Classic and Courtesy.
What Fees Apply Beyond the Deposit?
The visa deposit is the headline figure, but it is not the only cost. Two further fees apply, one at application and one annually for the life of the visa, and the annual figure in particular is rarely mentioned in SRRV explainers.
The one-time PRA processing fee is USD 1,500 for the principal applicant and USD 300 for each spouse or dependent applicant. This fee is non-refundable if the application is subsequently discontinued.
The PRA Annual Fee (PAF) is a recurring cost that varies by track: USD 360 a year under SRRV Classic, USD 100 a year under SRRV Courtesy (Foreign Nationals), and USD 50 a year under SRRV Courtesy (Former Filipinos). Each of these figures covers the principal plus up to two dependants. Beyond that, Classic adds USD 100 per additional dependant, while both Courtesy tracks add USD 10 per additional dependant.
| Fee | Classic | Courtesy (Foreign Nationals) | Courtesy (Former Filipinos) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRA Processing Fee (principal) | USD 1,500 | USD 1,500 | USD 1,500 |
| PRA Processing Fee (per dependant) | USD 300 | USD 300 | USD 300 |
| PRA Annual Fee (PAF) | USD 360/yr | USD 100/yr | USD 50/yr |
| PAF per extra dependant (beyond 2) | USD 100/yr | USD 10/yr | USD 10/yr |
Can the Deposit Be Used for Anything Else?
Under SRRV Classic, the visa deposit can later be converted into an active property investment by purchasing a condominium unit, but only within a defined set of PRA conditions. Conversion is not available immediately: it opens 30 days after the SRRV is issued. The condominium’s total value must be at least USD 50,000, and the deposit can only be applied as the final payment on the unit, with the remaining balance settled separately and required to be no larger than the deposit itself. For pre-selling units, the project must be a PRA-accredited retirement facility. Release of the deposit is a one-time event, paid directly to the developer, and is subject to PRA Investment Unit evaluation, approval, and an on-site inspection before funds move. For a fuller treatment of what qualifies and how the conversion process runs in practice, see SRRV Deposit Investment Options.
This conversion mechanism is specific to the deposit itself. It does not change the separate holding structures worth considering for the rest of an expat portfolio; for that, UCITS vs US ETFs for Expats in Southeast Asia covers the tax-efficiency question most SRRV holders eventually face once the visa is settled.
What Disqualifies an Applicant?
Operators or workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) or Internet Gaming Licensees (IGL) are disqualified from SRRV application under Executive Order 74, series of 2024. If such involvement is discovered after a visa has already been issued, the visa is subject to immediate cancellation. Treat this as a hard exclusion with no documentation workaround.
What Documents and Timeline Should You Expect?
Every SRRV application, regardless of track, requires broadly the same core documentation: a passport with a tourist visa valid for at least 30 more days; the completed SRRV application form; a PRA medical certificate valid for six months; police clearance for the principal, spouse and any dependants aged 18 or above, apostilled or authenticated and translated into English where needed; an NBI clearance for anyone who has already spent 90 or more days in the Philippines before filing; a Bureau of Immigration Clearance Certificate; the certificate of visa deposit itself; proof-of-relationship documents for a spouse or child dependant; and eight recent 2x2 photographs.
Applicants must be physically present in the Philippines for the entire application process. The PRA states an overall processing period of 30 to 45 working days from the date all documentary requirements are received complete. A separate PRA process document cites a 10-working-day turnaround for the PRA’s own head-office processing stage specifically, which excludes Bureau of Immigration processing time; the two figures describe different stages of the same pipeline rather than contradicting each other. Build the longer window into any relocation plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the SRRV deposit be withdrawn?
The deposit is a visa-linked requirement rather than a savings account, so it is not designed for casual withdrawal while the visa remains active. Under SRRV Classic specifically, it can instead be converted into a condominium purchase once the 30-day post-issuance waiting period has passed, subject to the PRA’s evaluation, approval and inspection process.
Is there an income requirement to qualify as an SRRV Pensioner?
Yes. Under SRRV Classic, a Pensioner applicant must show a lifetime pension of at least USD 800 a month for a single applicant or USD 1,000 a month for a family application, with the pension proof apostilled or authenticated. Under SRRV Courtesy (Foreign Nationals), applicants aged 40 to 49 must additionally show proof of pension or equivalent benefit of at least USD 1,000 a month.
Can I still apply under SRRV Smile or SRRV Human Touch?
No. Both categories were closed to new applicants as part of the 2025 restructure. Only SRRV Classic and SRRV Courtesy remain open for new applications.
What happens to existing SRRV Smile or Human Touch visa holders?
Existing holders are not affected by the restructure; the categories are closed to new applicants only, not cancelled for those already holding them under the prior terms.
How long does SRRV processing actually take?
The PRA cites 30 to 45 working days overall from the date a complete application is received, though a separate process document notes the PRA head-office stage itself can turn around in as little as 10 working days, excluding Bureau of Immigration processing time.
Do I get my processing fee back if I discontinue my application?
No. The PRA processing fee already paid is stated as non-refundable if an application is discontinued.
Does the deposit figure already cover my spouse and children?
Yes, up to two dependants are already included in every deposit tier listed above. A third or subsequent dependant requires an additional USD 15,000 visa deposit each.
If you are weighing the SRRV against the practical mechanics of funding it from a UK pension, or want the deposit and ongoing fee schedule mapped against your specific numbers, Ciprian is happy to talk it through, no obligation attached. For the wider financial-planning picture around a Philippine retirement move, see Wealth Management for Expats in the Philippines and the Philippines Expat Finance Guide.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, immigration or legal advice. Bratu Capital is an introducer in collaboration with NEBA (BVI) Ltd and does not provide regulated financial advice directly. Speak to a licensed Philippine immigration professional for SRRV filing itself.