There is more than one route to permanent residency — pick the wrong one and the file is wasted
Many people treat "amnesty" as a single product. It is really a family of permanent-residency routes issued through the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Immigration, including the Section 13 series. Three things decide whether it works: which route actually fits you (each has different requirements on how your status arose, your residence history and your family ties), whether your past residence in the Philippines can be evidenced (this is where most files stall), and how you keep the status once you have it (permanent residency is not a one-off; long absences from the country can put it at risk).
Programme overview and who it suits
Project Description
The "Amnesty" series is the highest level of permanent residency visa issued by the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Immigration, including the SEC13 series and other permanent residency pathways, ensuring a secure status.
Suitable for
Individuals who wish to obtain stable permanent residency status in the Philippines, or to settle or do business there long-term.
Application Instructions
The specific plan, required materials, and timeline will vary depending on the case. Please contact our consultants for a one-on-one assessment.
Where do-it-yourself applications go wrong
- Choosing a route before being assessed — a complete file on the wrong route is still the wrong route
- Residence history that cannot be proven — entry and exit records, addresses and tax records sit with different agencies, and reconstructing them at the last minute is the slowest part of the whole process
- Treating permanent residency as the finish line — there are obligations afterwards; long stays abroad and changes to your personal details all have to be handled
- Working from last year's information — acceptance practice shifts, and what was workable a year ago may not be now
Have Yixing handle it — assessment first, then the file
On this route the costly part is not the legwork but the judgement made upfront: on the wrong route, even a perfect file goes nowhere. We have handled permanent-residency cases since 2016. We begin with an assessment of your status and settle the route, then move to document pre-check, help with notarisation and authentication, filing and accompaniment to interviews, collection, and reminders on what you must do to keep the status afterwards. We tell you in advance which steps require you in person.
YIXING TRAVEL CONSULTANCY INC. · Makati, Philippines · English / Chinese / Filipino team
SEC Registration No. CS202009551 | Bureau of Immigration Accreditation No. CA-202624381-1 (valid until 30 June 2027) | DOLE-accredited · PRA-accredited
👇 Want to know how your case would go, how long it takes and what it involves? Message a Yixing advisor for a one-to-one assessment
🟢 WhatsApp / Viber +63 917 723 5555 · 💬 WeChat +63 915 709 1463 · ✈️ Telegram @visaph09
Yixing provides document guidance and filing assistance. Approval rests entirely with the Bureau of Immigration / Department of Justice; Yixing is a private consultancy with no government affiliation and does not promise outcomes. Government fees and service fees are quoted case by case by an advisor.
Frequently asked questions
Is "amnesty" one visa or a family of routes?
A family of routes. They are issued through the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Immigration and include the Section 13 series. Which one applies depends on how your status arose, your residence record and your family circumstances.
Which permanent-residency route fits me?
It depends on your current status, how long you have lived in the Philippines and how well that can be evidenced, whether you have a Filipino spouse or immediate relatives, and your plans for living and doing business here. Get assessed first and settle the route before you start gathering documents, not the other way round.
My residence records are incomplete. What then?
This is the most common sticking point. Entry and exit records, proof of address, tax and social security records are held by different agencies, and how much can be reconstructed has to be checked case by case. The earlier you start, the more room you have.
Once I have permanent residency, is it permanent forever?
No. It carries maintenance obligations: long absences from the Philippines, changes to your personal details and the renewal of expiring documents all have to be dealt with. Ignoring them can affect whether the status survives.
How long does it take?
It varies widely by route and by case, and it depends on the current schedules of the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Justice. Approval rests entirely with the government; Yixing does not promise outcomes or timelines.
Cases we have handled on this route
- Which visas actually grant permanent residency in the Philippines, and which ones only look like they do
- The Section 13 quota immigrant visa: how to get this scarce permanent residency and how it differs from 13A and SRRV
- The 47(a)(2) visa: PEZA and BOI special non-immigrant visas explained
- How long can you stay outside the Philippines on a 13A or permanent resident visa?
- How to prove how long you have lived in the Philippines: which documents actually work
- Philippine naturalisation requirements: the judicial and administrative tracks, and why so few finish
