New Directive From BI regarding Foreign Passports

I went to BI for an extension today. I also have to do the in-n-out travel trip after three years this coming September. My US passport was renewed in December... OK.. here is the new hoop BI decide I should jump through with their new directive of last week...

I must now visit the Manila BI office before leaving the country. Why?

The last time I left the county three years ago my exit and entry was stamped in my old passport, so now I have to go the Manila to have that information transferred to my new passport.... NO..NO.. I can not go to Cebu, must be Manila BI. So everyone who has gotten a new passport since they had the entry and exit stamped from their last departure from the country, has to go to Manila and get information transferred to their new passport if this directive stands. (Sooner or later almost everyone will have to have this done.)

It really is "More Fun in the Philippines" trying to figure out who is benefiting from these types of new directives.... the travel industry (fares), taxis (fares), hotels (manila overnights), the bar girls of Manila (more foreigners for the short term), The short term hotels, the "new employees" in Manila who must be hired to complete this new task...WHO.. WHO..WHO... benefited from this directive to get foreigners to spend more money at the direction of the government here? There has to be someone getting something economic benefit out of this new directive.....

(Has anyone else been told this information, as I find it hard to believe that anything like this nuisance trip to Manila could be real. I am hoping that this directive will be dropped after elections, but like the extra 100 P they charge for using a "real" paper stamp instead of an ink rubber stamp on your passport for your extensions it may stand, as another way to collect money from foreigners.)

 

They asked to see my old passport after looking in my new passport and seeing no exit/entry stamps. It is not easy to deduct on their part. With a recent new passport they ask for your old one, then they look at your last exit/entry stamps, it is part of the application form information requested on your tourist visa extension. (When did you last leave the county?)

I also think they use the "sniff" test, smelling my passport and personal cologne, they realized somewhere there are more pesos to be collected here... "we can smell it." (Next time I will eat a lot of beans before my BI office run, and try to throw them off the scent of pesos)

 

That may be a good suggestion for someone else to try, I think it is too late for me. Mine was filled in and they even asked for my ACR card to get other information to fill in... seems like she was not happy with blanks this afternoon.

Of coarse if you do not do anything, there is always the chance the immigration guys at the airport will stop you, or who ever it is that checks you (and your exit clearance). They may also put your exit clearance on "hold" before giving you an exit clearance until you meet this new directive. No one at BI has mentioned a fee amount yet, and they had to have a conference in the office to figure out what they were going to tell me. When they first suggested I bend over my eye open wide ,until I realized I had dropped my pen. At the same time, a military looking guy sitting down mumbled something like "Check your six" whatever that means.

When I told them I did not want to go to Manila, they asked if I had a friend there. I replied no, I am still looking for a friend if Dumaguete.. I asked if there was someone who provided that service of getting this BI tasked done... of coarse the official answer was "no". For a friend they suggested I go to the Boulevard, but I think they will get me in trouble, and I may not need an exit clearance to get kicked out the county... hahahahaha

Maybe the first sacrificial expat that has to go to Manila could take along some other passports and see how many they could do for a friend and the split some of the costs travel costs. I personally will wait, to see if this directive is challenged or changed.

 

I am sure the local con artists er I mean travel agencies will do it for you for a fee of course but at least you may save having to go to Manila yourself.

 

So you do not like the phone numbers stapled to you passport that the younger ladies in the office leave you?

There is the one paper that is stapled stating that you have been finger printed etc. There seems to be a big concern about that paper on the BI office's part. I am not sure the immigration at the airport care about that one or not. I would suggest you be careful about the stapled papers particular the finger print one... the one from the younger ladies I would just not show any GF's or "rent a wives" as no one here seems to like competition.

 

Well for me it is good if I can go to Manila ... I went to Cebu last time and I think most of us fly out of Manila anyhow...??.....Anyway...If your going to have to leave your going to have a exit clearance stamped in your passport...(which for the life of me I do not understand) but that is the rule here

 

Well the Philippines can not afford stickers. They up their tourist visa price by 100 P, passing on the cost of the new mandatory sticker/stamp to the foreigners when they changed over to the sticker/stamps from ink stamps. Seems like that is expensive to me for a sticker stamp but they explained to me rather clearly:

President's nephew who made the stamp..... 10 P
President's cousin who designed the stamp.. 5 P
President's sister who bought the markers so the stamp could be designed... 5 P
Head of the local BI office.... 10 P
Assistant to the head of local BI office ........ 5 P
Guy at entrance to building hallway leading the BI office in wheelchair ...10 P
Guy who parked you bike outside .... 5 p.
Guy at McDonalds that told you where the BI office was located.. 5 P
Ex-friend of yours that said "More Fun in the Philippines... 5 P
Obviously only 60 P out of the hundred is accounted for as 40% of costs on any programs in the Philippines just seems to disappear in the paper work process here.