The Philippines is such a beautiful country, cultural diversity, friendly residents and a low cost of living. For this reason, more and more people are travelling to the Philippines, many of whom want to spend a decent amount of time in the country, so go there to work remotely as a digital nomad. In the world of remote work this is getting easier for people to do, however there are some important things to consider before just booking your flight and getting on the plane.
Here are three key considerations you need to make when working remotely in the Philippines when you have British citizenship, including what you need to think about in terms of visas, taxation and also cyber security, to make sure you’re abiding to the rules and also making the most of your time in the wonderful Philippines.
Visa
The Philippines have actually released a new Digital Nomad Visa, to allow people to live and work remotely in the country. This is giving people more freedom to spend a good amount of time in the country, without the pressure of needing to save or try to find work whilst you’re over there. In order to qualify for the digital nomad visa, you need to be:
- Over 18
- Working remotely for a foreign company
- Valid passport
- Show proof of income of around £24,000 per year
- Have health insurance
- No criminal record
One of the key conditions is that you can’t work or provide services for Philippine companies. You can easily apply for the visa online, you just need to upload the required documents and pay the fee of around £200-£300. If approved, you can stay for up to 1 year on the visa, and enjoy everything that The Philippines has to offer! From here, if you want to stay longer, you’ll need to look at other visa options to help make it happen, which can give you up to 3 years.
Taxation
In terms of tax, when you’re on the digital nomad visa, you won’t pay income tax to the Philippines, as long as you’re solely earning income from other countries. However, typically, you will still be liable to pay tax in your home country, particularly if your business is solely reliant on business from one particular country. Understanding the implications of this fully is essential, so talking to immigration lawyers in London will help you to fully understand the process and where you need to be paying your tax abroad.
Cyber Security
Lastly, something that shouldn’t be underestimated is your requirements in terms of cyber security. When you’re travelling in general and using public wifi networks, you’re at a much higher risk of being hacked and sensitive client data being stolen. So, it’s essential that you use private wifi networks and that all data is encrypted to ensure it’s as safe as possible. This is so important to look after your clients and maintain your reputation as a business.
