Renew Permanent resident card

My renewal documents were submitted personally to the Cebu Immigration office by a Filipino representing me about 1 week ago. I was left with the impression that I will need to travel to Manila and deal directly with the FBI office at the Embassy which includes fingerprinting. I am still not clear whether this would include the completion of Philippine Embassy certification. Any information to the contrary would be greatly appreciated.

 

I spoke with the US Embassy today as well as the FBI office at the embassy and the result was as follows. The local FBI office can not provide a police clearance and you are required to obtain and present an original police clearance from your last state of residence. The police clearance must be certified by the Philippine embassy in your area of jurisdiction after which the document can be presented to the Philippine immigration office with your renewal application. It is possible to eliminate Philippine embassy certification by completing an affidavit at the US Embassy in Manila but an appointment in advance is required and they could not guarantee that immigration would accept the affidavit. Fingerprinting is required as well and can be done at the local NBI office. The purpose for the police clearance apparently is to weed out undesirable expats residing in The Philippines.

 

Well it might weed out a few undesirables, and likely some desirables as well when they make it so difficult... I wonder what the percentage is of 13A visa holders that fall into their classification of undesirable. Seems to me the more undesirable ones will not be effected by this much at all...

Larry.

 

This sounds to me like you would need to return to the U.S. to get this clearance and then travel to the RoP Consulate that services your area to get it authenticated?

 

Absolutely spot on, this is what we from the UK are finding, it has to be a personal Visit, For me a No Starter, I left the UK over 20 years ago, Been here 2 years, so WHO the hell knows about me??

SPAIN Ha ha, the translation of the Spanish Police Clearance was not accepted. What next??

 

HA HA,,,so for me, lets see what this entails....We live in China, so a flight from China to Manila, then to Cotabato (my wifes home), then I would have to fly back to Manila, then to the states, then to Arkansas to get the state police clearance, then fly to Chicago to get the RoP Consulate Official Okey Dokey, then fly back to Manila from Chicago. I do know that getting a police clearance isn't just a walk in the door and ask for it. It could take up to 15 days to receive it, so now I have hotel and meal bills on top of the other costs.

I've noticed that Mercury Drug Stores now sells KY in 55 gallon drums.....now I know why!

The only way I will be living in the Phils under these rules is with a Balikbayan one year visa. Otherwise, phuckem! I'll go support some other countries economy!

 

Here is the actual law:

(Memorandum Order No. RADJR-2012-028)
WHEREAS, the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 (CA 613), as amended, mandates the Bureau as the agency principally responsible for the administration and enforcement of alien admission and registration laws;
WHEREAS, there is a need to ensure that the applicant for immigrant visas has no record of any derogatory information against him in any law enforcement agency;
WHEREAS, Sec. 3, CA 613, authorizes the Commissioner to issue such rules and regulations and from time to time, issue such instructions, not inconsistent with laws, as he shall deem best calculated to carry out the provisions of immigration laws; NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the provisions of existing laws, applicants for immigrant visas including applicants for temporary resident visa shall submit the following clearances:
a. If the applicant has been in the Philippines for less than six (6) months, he shall attach to his application a Police Clearance from his country of origin or residence duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate at the place of issuance or nearest to it, with English translation, if written in another foreign language.
b. If the applicant has been in the Philippines for six (6) months or more, he shall, in addition to the Police Clearance from his country of origin or residence prior to his arrival in the Philippines, attach to his application a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance. (Source: Philippine Bureau of Immigration website.)

 

Just additional INFO; My husband processed his 13A (Permanent /Immigrant) annual renewal in Dumaguete Immigration office last July 2013. The cost is 310.00pesos but he was 3 months delayed and they charged 1,000 pesos as Fine. They asked only the ICR card, no additional documents required.

Here's the breakdown;

ANNUAL REPORT:300.00
ANNUAL REPORT FINE: 1,000.00
LEGAL RESEARCH FEE: 10.00
TOTAL: 1,310.00


:dnr:

 

Here's are total the breakdown i spent for my husband's Permanent Visa(board/lodging/transport etc. not included).
1.) we went twice to the Cebu Immigration office spent less than 1,000pesos, then submitted all required documents to the Immigration Liaason contact less than 20,000.00 pesos.
2.) Got his Permanent Card ahead of time.
3.) If he stays in the Phils and doesn't go out abroad,he only has to pay 310.00 pesos per year.
4.) If he goes out of the country then there's Clearance fees more or less 1,600 pesos. Once we were able to go out without paying at the airport immigration! heheheh sometimes you got lucky! and also, Once i came in with my daughter's passport and nobody the immigration diddn't noticed! it was in manila past midnight arrival time!O-|

 

Ok, so only new applicants it seems...

Annual registration is not an application for immigrant visa...

Neither is renewal of ACR card...

Been here 13 years, they know more about me here than the police back in my home country...