ACR iCard acr-1 card

hello everyone (california jack here) i posted some info about the immigration wanting everyone to have an acr-1 card in there posession by march 1st and this includes those who get the 59 day extension. they said all must have this card by 1st of march or no extension. it was in the newspaper 2x and the man in charge here in duma will not be back until next week for verification. does anyone know of this new directive they have put out? also, what is best for me a 13-a or trv (temporary resident visa) whats easiest to get? if you wish i will post more info on this after i talk to the officer. i tried to ask for info on the ex-pat site but no real answers. thanks.

 

ACR-I-Card regulations

Well, it seems you are not long enough in the Philippines to get the way new regulations and laws work here.

Here are the basic steps how those "law-creation" works:

1.) a group of researchers gets the contract to look for any useless law in a country somewhere in the world.

2.) another group need to calculate how much money certain people can make with that.

3.) this certain group of people have the power to implement the law right away with a deadline which can't be kept up with.

4.) couple of month later the "new" regulation got forwarded to the provinces, usually the deadline was already a few weeks earlier.

4.1.) additional it is very important that there is NO additional information spread around how any procedure works and what the requirements are. Best case scenario is to make requirements which can't be fulfilled in any legal way. (See example below)

5.) that way ensures that provincial officials can get their piece of the cake as they can charge penalties for late applications.

Example to 4.1.:
tourists can stay up to 24 month, for entering the PI an outbound ticket is required. There i no way to get a flight-ticket for a flight abroad 20 month prior the date. So you need to buy a "throw-away" ticket. Usually that i bought from a cheap local airline, who collect the money without delivering any service. So the tourists "supports" the local economy..... again...

So now back to the topic:

Yes you are correct that this ACR-I-card is required for tourists staying longer than 59 days. deadline is the 1.March.

All answers you got on the other thread are basically better than any answer you get from the local BoI. The 2 ladies there have no clue about the procedure and Sir Peter Bueno is not in Dumaguete at present.

I am sure we all get enlighten some when before 2010 ends, at least there will be a official publication of penalties for late applications. So don't get nervous, just keep your wallet handy...

cheers

Rhoody

 

thank you rhoody guess i will be making a trip to cebu and like you said pay,pay, pay and they will think of something else for us to pay huh?
california jack

 

In theory this will make it easier for you as well as the PH GOV to renew. The card becomes your visa much like it is in the states. As to weather they implement it well that another discussion.

 

nope, it is not the Visa. Staying in the PI on tourist Status will still require the 2-monthly extension.

It is a piece of plastic which is totally useless and cost about US$100 plus travel and Hotel-costs. Additional the ACR-I Card is only valid for 1 year and need to be renewed then if tourists stay longer. so another trip and expenses without any use.

 

Roody,

I just went to the B of I website and there it says that this is for temporary visitors who stay more than 6 months. This doesn't help- me and I don't mean to muddy the waters.

It would be a great service to many of us if any additional info on this or other immigration matters. Thank's j@j for bringing this up. It's the first I heard of it and I just renewed this month.

Kenny

 

Kenny,

I assume you mean this page of the BoI:
Bureau of Immigration, Philippines - COVERAGE OF THE ACR I-CARD

that does not cover tourist status. additional this page is also not updated to the new regulation for the groups mentioned there

 

Here is all I could get from a memorandum issued December 2009 :

Philippines – ACR I-Card Now Required For Additional Categories

Effective 20 December, and according to the recently issued Memorandum from the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines (Order No. MCl-09-024 dated 23 November 2009), additional categories of foreign nationals in the Philippines will be required to apply for an Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-Card).

The Memorandum also brings in the need for an emigration clearance certificate (exit approval) for foreign nationals who have been granted a total stay in the Philippines of six months or longer.

The additional categories for ACR I-Cards are as follows:
1)
Temporary visitors (including business visitors) applying for an extension of stay for over 59 days in total under section 9(a) of the Immigration Act
2)
Temporary residents with a Special Study Pass (SSP), regardless of length of stay
3)
Temporary residents with a Special Work Permit (SWP), regardless of length of stay.
Note also that if a SWP holder subsequently obtains a 9(g)/9(d) visa, the ACR I-Card tied to his/her SWP will become invalid and a new ACR I-Card will need to be applied for, linked to the 9(g)/9(d) visa. At this time, the authorities have not yet disclosed whether personal appearance is needed for the new ACR I-Card application (personal appearance for the first application is a requirement, as fingerprints and a photograph must be taken).
Previously, ACR I-Cards were not required for SSP holders, for SWP holders or for business visitors staying over 59 days. The ACR I-Card was required for 9(g)/9(g) visa holders, but was the final step in this process. From 20 December, applicants in this latter category will be required to obtain the ACR I-Card twice, once when the SWP is secured and then again when the 9(g)/9(d) visa endorsement is completed.

Note that foreign nationals already in the Philippines under one of the above three categories must make ACR I-Card applications as soon as possible in order to comply with the new regulations. Where applications have not been made, extension of stay will not be granted.


But again, they know in Dumaguete that it is existing the girls there have no clue about the procedure and Sir Peter is not here at present. I will find out next week

cheers

Rhoody

 

Here is an article from last month:

Tourists on extended stay urged to get I-card | The Philippine Star >> News >> Metro

 

I'm overloaded with non-information! :D