When applying for travel visas, one requirement is a copy of your Annual Income Tax Return or BIR Form 2316. This is easy to submit if you are employed, but what if you're a freelancer? Not all freelancers have this because not everyone is registered at BIR.

Even though we live in the modern world, the Philippines' system is not really that advanced and organized when it comes to certain things. While some people in some countries can easily file their taxes online, I find that it is particularly challenging to do that here in the Philippines especially if you're a freelancer.

Don't get me wrong - we are catching up. Slow as it may be, still the system has improved a bit. Before it was hard to register as a freelancer because we don't really know how to classify ourselves. As freelancers, we're not employed, but we're also not technically business owners. 

I've been a freelance content writer and social media marketing specialist for several months now. And just last month, I was finally able to register as a freelancer and the process was surprisingly easy and fast. Here's how I did it.

To register as a freelancer with an existing TIN (Tax Identification Number), I only submitted these documents:

  • BIR Form 1901 - Application for Registration
  • Photocopy of my birth certificate
  • Photocopy of my valid IDs

I didn't know that my RDO in Makati doesn't have a lot of requirements so I prepared all the documents that they could possibly ask for, including the ones mentioned below. I mean, it's better to have it and not need it, right? So 

Depending on your RDO, you may also be asked to submit other documents. And I had all these available just in case:

  • Occupational Tax Receipt (OTR) - you can get this at the mayor's office
  • Community Tax Certificate (CTC) - you can get this at your barangay hall
  • Barangay Certificate stating that you are working as a freelancer
  • Photocopy of your freelancing contracts

And here's how the process of registration went:

Step 1: Go to BIR and fill the Form 1901. Fill it out as if you're applying for a new business. But instead of putting a business name, leave it blank. As for the business address, put your residential address. The BIR staff will also tell you which parts to fill out and leave blank.

Step 2: Submit the form and the other requirements.

Step 3: Pay PHP500 for the registration fee and PHP30 for Proof of Payment of the Annual Registration Fee, together with BIR Form 0605.

Step 4: You will be asked to print personalized receipts at an accredited printer. This usually costs PHP1000. However, there is an option of generic receipts from BIR for only PHP30. I decided to choose the second option because it's cheaper and faster.

Step 5: Wait for the release of your BIR 2303 Certificate of Registration. 

In my case, I got it on the same day. I was told that I could leave to have lunch first and come back after an hour, so that's what I did.

Then, they gave me the schedule and details for the seminar on how to pay and file my taxes. The seminar is via Zoom so there's no need to go back to BIR, which I thought was really convenient.

And that's it. Now I can file my taxes and submit an Annual ITR, which makes it easier for me to apply for travel visas. This will also help me establish my ties here in the Philippines, which increases my chances of getting approved for travel visas. Lastly, the BIR registration certificate is a good document to have when going through Philippine immigration. 

If you're a freelancer like me who also loves to travel, I hope that you find this blog post helpful. If you have questions, feel free to comment below and I'll try to answer if I can.