Tag Archive for: Immigration

Immigration - Annual Report 2017

Immigration – Annual Report 2017

All registered foreigners must file their annual report 2017 in the first 60 days. The Dumaguete BOI is the place to go for foreigners in Negros Oriental.

BoI Annual Report 2015

BoI – Annual Report 2015

BoI Annual Report 2015

This is a friendly reminder to all our foreign friends and guests in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental and all over the Philippines. It is the time of the year for your Annual Report 2015. All registered foreigners must report in the first 60 days of 2015 to the participating BoI Office. The Dumaguete Immigration District Office is the place to go for foreigners in Negros Oriental.

If one has a child below 14 years of age it can be reported by its parent or legal guardian.

An alien may be exempt from non-appearance. Provided, the alien appeared during AR 2014 with an accomplished 2014 AR form; payment of P500 Express Lane for non – appearance; submit Special Power of Attorney (SPA) with valid government issued ID of legal representative; and the alien is without any CA 613 and/or RA 562-related deficiencies/liabilities.

Annual Report 2015

Who can apply? All registered aliens and ACR I-Card holders except Temporary Visitor’s Visa holders or Tourist Visa holders
Where to apply? BI Main Office or other participating Immigration Offices
Annual Report Online Filling System Link Annual Report Online Filling System Link click here
How to apply?
  1. Present original ACR I-Card or paper-based ACR, passport visa page of latest arrival and official receipts of previous Annual Report payment.
  2. Secure the Order of Payment Slip.
  3. Pay the required immigration fees.
  4. Get the Official Receipt.
How much does it cost? Annual Report (AR) Fee 300.00
Legal Research Fee (LRF) 10.00
for each immigration fee
except Head Tax and Fines
TOTAL 310.00

A Word of Advice

The Dumaguete Field office is quite small and very busy throughout the year. You can speed up the process by being prepared. Have all your papers ready, bring the required printouts, copies and/or pictures. Please don’t waste the time of the staff and all others waiting to report just because “you didn’t know that…“).

Don’t rely on “fixer” or other expats who heard from a friend to do it different. Plenty of expats created a huge chaos in 2014 with trying to implement their own rules how to proceed, spreading false rumors and talking nonsense all over the internet, in McDonalds and all other expat meeting points

The website of the Bureau of Immigration is very informative and all required info can be found there.

Keep in mind that it is only one or two days out of 365 and a few Peso, which enables you to stay legally as a guest in the Philippines. Think about that and proceed with a smile

LSVVE–6 Month Tourist Visa

For our foreign friends who might have heard the FALSE rumors or read some “wishful thinking” on various websites and internet forums, we feel some clarification about the Implementation of the Long-Stay Visitor Visa is needed.

Since 2013 long stay tourists can apply for a 6 month Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE), or how most foreign visitors call it, the 6 month visa. This is a good move of the BI. Plenty of long stay tourist stay in remote areas in the Philippines and travel in areas where no field office is located. They always needed to find a field office of the Bureau of Immigration and plan their travel according to their 2 month extension.

As of now (date article published), the 6 month Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension can ONLY be applied in the BI Main Office in Manila, Intramuros. Find below the content of the Memorandum Order No. RADJR-2013-007

Implementation of the Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE)

Pursuant to Memorandum Circular No, RAIDJR-2013-002, the following guidelines are hereby issued in connection with the implementation of the LSVVE:

  1. Applicability

    The LSVVE shall apply to all nationals.

  2. Extension of Tourist Visa

    Subsequent LSVVE’s may be applied for during the last thirty (30) days of the previously issued LSVVE or upon the expiry of a regular visa extension.

  3. Restriction of Extensions

    The approval of the Commissioner shall be required for visa extensions when the number of month applied for would exceed the 16-month limit.

    Foreign visitors with an accumulated total stay near the 16-month cap from the date of their latest arrival should be informed of the preceding restrictions should they apply for additional visa extensions.

    No LSVVE shall be issued to visa-required nationals whose stay exceeds twenty-four (24) month and thirty-six month for non-visa required nationals.

  4. Payment and Fees

    An additional One Hundred Peso (Php 100,00) as cost of the sticker visa shall accrue for the account of Bureau of Treasury.

    Applicable visa extension fees shall still be collected based on the schedule of fees for the entire six (6) month period.

  5. Implementation

    The initial implementation of the LSVVE shall be limited to the BI Main Office in Intramuros, Manila, until further notice.

 

Number 3 is very important. It states when reaching 16 month, one STILL need the approval of the commissioner. Due to some reasons, we would not speculate about, some might have gone away without writing a motion to get the approval of the Commissioner.

Regarding this topic we contacted the BI and asked the following (Q&A quoted from a longer mail exchange):

DINS: Does that means applicants still need to write a letter to the BoI to stay longer than 16 month?

Here is the clear answer of the BI

It would mean that the foreigner would write a motion for reconsideration stating the reason/s why he or she would like to stay here longer which would be upon the approval of the Honorable Commissioner.

A very clear statement, we believe.

Our advice to our foreign friends:

As a visitor, guest or permanent resident of the Philippines, stick to the rules. Visa Extensions or any Visa related issues should be processed by the rules and regulations of the Bureau of Immigration and not some unverified rumors published in confusing manner somewhere in the worldwide web. The rules, regulations and requirements are all public. For any questions get in touch with the offices in charge, in this case, the BI Head Office in Manila.

Do yourself a favor, stick to the rules to fully enjoy your stay in the Philippines. Those who spread all those wrong information, half-truths or special deals won’t surely be around to help you if something goes wrong.

Should you have any immigration-related queries, please do not hesitate to call the BI Helpdesk Hotline at (632) 524-3824 or (632) 524-3769 Trunk line: (632) 465- 2400, visit the BI website at www.immigration.gov.ph

Bureau of immigration - Annual Report

Annual Report 2014

Bureau of immigration - Annual Report

Like each year, foreign nationals staying in the Philippines need to submit their annual report to the Bureau of Immigration. There is a new Annual Report Form, which can be downloaded here: ANNUAL REPORT .pdf NEW

Update Feb 05-2014: The Bureau of Immigration Office in Dumaguete can process “updated reports”. For more info one need to get in touch with the BoI

Submit Annual Report at the BoI in Cebu

While in the last years the annual reporting was possible in the Bureau of Immigration Satellite Office in Dumaguete, in 2014 is for the whole region VII –where Dumaguete belongs to- the Cebu office the only options.

If you stumbled upon this side from another Region, the picture below shows the offices of all regions, where one can submit the annual report form.

Bureau of Immigration Offices accepting the Annual Report 2014

Bureau of Immigration Offices accepting the Annual Report 2014

Press Release from the Bureau of Immigration

Foreign nationals staying in RP required to report at the Bureau of Immigration in person from January to February 2014

Foreign nationals are required to report in person starting this coming January 2014 up to the last day of February as a requirement for their continued stay in the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration in an official memorandum circular says.

Memorandum Circular No. SBM 2013-007 signed by BI Commissioner Siegfred B. Mison last December 12, foreign nationals staying in the Philippines are required to appear in person at the Bureau of Immigration offices within the first sixty days of the calendar year. This policy is in compliance with the Section 10 of Republic Act 562 or the Alien Registration Act. The circular aims to strictly enforce compliance of the immigration law in the interest of national security, public safety and public order.

Foreign nationals are asked to bring their ACR Icard or paper-based ACR and accomplish an application form. Applicants can download the application form from the bureau’s website (www.immigration.gov.ph) or personally get a copy from any of the BI offices nationwide. An application fee of 310 pesos is required to be paid as part of the requirements for reportage.

Travel agencies, law firms and other entities transacting with the Bureau of Immigration are prohibited from accomplishing the application form or paying the corresponding application fees on behalf of their clients, except if they fall on the exceptions as stated in the Memo Circular SBM 2013-002.

Foreign nationals who are under 14 years of age or about 65 years old, imbecile, staying in a penal institution or confined in a hospital are not required to appear in person. Those who can show sufficient proof of physical incapability to report in person can likewise send a representative to apply.

Those who are outside the country are likewise not required to appear personally for as long as he pays the application fee within thirty days upon arrival. Other applicants whose appearance has been waived by the Bureau can just send their representatives.

Application forms should be duly notarized before the ACOs or heads of departments and divisions of the bureau. The Alien Registration Division has been tasked to strictly manage the annual report, particularly the reports submitted weekly by district field offices which are now required to report on a weekly and monthly basis the number of foreign nationals within their jurisdiction.

Download the application form for the annual renewal here:

ANNUAL REPORT .pdf NEW

Our advice to our foreign friends:

As a visitor, guest or permanent resident of the Philippines, stick to the rules. Visa Extensions or any Visa related issues should be processed by the rules and regulations of the Bureau of Immigration and not some unverified rumors published in confusing manner somewhere in the worldwide web. The rules, regulations and requirements are all public. For any questions get in touch with the offices in charge, in this case, the BI Head Office in Manila.

Do yourself a favor, stick to the rules to fully enjoy your stay in the Philippines. Those who spread all those wrong information, half-truths or special deals won’t surely be around to help you if something goes wrong.

Should you have any immigration-related queries, please do not hesitate to call the BI Helpdesk Hotline at (632) 524-3824 or (632) 524-3769 Trunk line: (632) 465- 2400, visit the BI website at www.immigration.gov.ph