Company Incorporation · Branch and Representative Office
Branch Office and Representative Office registration
Enter the Philippines as your existing company. We license your foreign corporation’s branch or representative office with the SEC.
About branches and representative offices
Your company, extended into the Philippines
Both structures extend your foreign parent into the Philippines without creating a separate local corporation. A branch office carries on the parent’s business here: it can earn revenue, invoice locally and run full operations. A representative office exists for liaison, marketing support and quality control, cannot derive income in the Philippines, and is funded by remittances from the parent.
Because the parent stands directly behind the office, SEC licensing is built on parent documentation: board authorizations, financial statements and corporate records, apostilled in the home country, plus a designated resident agent in the Philippines to receive legal process. We prepare the complete file and arrange the resident agent where needed.
What we handle
Licensing, from route to release
The right structure confirmed, then the SEC license secured.
Route advice
Branch, representative office or subsidiary, compared honestly for your plans.
Parent documentation
Board resolutions, financials and records assembled with apostille guidance.
SEC licensing
The license application filed and prosecuted through to issuance.
Resident agent and setup
Resident agent designated, then BIR, permits and books completed.
How it works
Timeline and milestones
The standard path for licensing a foreign company’s branch or representative office. Timeframes are typical estimates that depend on complete documents and government agency processing, not guaranteed deadlines.
Gather parent company documents
Board resolution authorizing the Philippine office, the parent’s articles and bylaws, recent audited financial statements and the designation of a resident agent, prepared in the home country.
Name verification
The foreign company’s name is verified through the SEC eSPARC portal against names already registered in the Philippines.
Documents executed and authenticated
Parent company documents signed and apostilled or authenticated in the home country, together with the resident agent’s written acceptance and the SEC application forms.
Filing and payment with the SEC
The license application is submitted through eSPARC with proof of inward remittance where required, and the assessed SEC filing fees are settled.
SEC license issued
The SEC issues the license to transact business. The branch or representative office can legally operate in the Philippines from this point.
Barangay clearance and business permit
Barangay Clearance secured for the principal office location, followed by the Business Permit from the Mayor’s Office covering the same address.
BIR registration
TIN obtained for the office, registration fee paid, books of accounts registered and Authority to Print official receipts and invoices secured. Often run in parallel with LGU permitting.
Employer registration and bank account
SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG employer registrations completed and the office’s bank account finalized. The office is fully compliant and operational.
LGU permitting and BIR registration can often run in parallel rather than sequentially, which is typically where the total timeline is shortened.
eSPARC processing has improved in 2026: straightforward SEC filings can clear in 5-10 business days, while incomplete or inconsistent submissions restart the review clock.
Complex or foreign-owned entities can take up to 60 Days to become fully operational.
Why license through ILA
Honest route advice
Branch, representative office or subsidiary, recommended on the merits.
Documents right the first time
Apostille and format requirements handled before the SEC sees the file.
A partner on the ground
Resident agent, compliance and permits managed after licensing.
Frequently asked questions
Branch and representative office questions, answered
Should we open a branch or a representative office?
If the office will earn revenue in the Philippines, it must be a branch. If you need presence, marketing support or supplier oversight without local sales, a representative office is simpler. We also compare both against a subsidiary before you choose.
Who is liable for the office's obligations?
The foreign parent. Neither structure is a separate legal person from the parent, which is the central trade-off against incorporating a subsidiary. We walk you through what that means for your risk profile.
What funding is required?
A branch carries assigned capital requirements that depend on its market focus, while a representative office is sustained by annual remittances from the parent to cover its operating costs. We confirm the exact figures for your setup before you commit.
Extending your company into the Philippines?
Book a free consultation and we will confirm the right structure and the documents your jurisdiction needs.
