Hello everyone, Will ACR Card expiration affect sec13a permanent visa? My country changed the national ID system to biometric. When I wanted to renew my expired passport at the representative office in Manila, I was told "no bio ID, no renewal" as they do not have equipment to make bio ID. I got stack as I cannot go back to my country and financially exhausted due to my offspring college expenses . ACR renewal requires valid passport. My options are none apparently unless someone of you could help me with some ideas. I have family here and I do not know if I approach the BI a deportation will be my fate which I am worried about loosing my family. I wait for your help.
Well, its hindsight now but that was your biggest mistake. The only people who can do anything for you, to the best of my knowledge, is your own embassy who may be able to issue a temporary passport, your member of parliament in your home country if the embassy will not help, or the Philippine BI who will accommodate you with a jail cell for being an illegal alien. Did I miss any? It's a harsh reality that your passport is mandatory when staying in a country where you have not officially immigrated.
If your ACR has expired you no longer have a visa, also if your do not have a valid passport your visa is also not valid.. You can solve it and i cannot understand why you cannot renew your passport????
Thank you Dave. We do not have embassy, we have a representative office. All employees are Filipino even the consul. I am not registered at this office as I am living 900++km away. I have a golden ACR sec13a it says "immigrant" and says "permanent"..is not that officially immigrated?
Our country changed, as most of other countries, the national ID system to biometric. When I was in my country on vacation, I was told that process of ID and renewal of passport take at least 60 days and they I was told that I can process everything in the Philippines. It was my mistake I trusted the officer and did not ask my wife to call the "Consulate" in Manila to verify the possibility of processing the documents here in Philippines. You mentioned I can solve it...how?...I am Moroccan ..financially now I will not be able to travel to my country and come back.. I cannot even travel and stay in Manila to discuss and solve my issue with the "consulate". I have my child at college and her dream is to be doctor and I cannot jeopardize her plan and she needs me here.. Do you think the BI would understand and give consideration to my situation for four years till my daughter get her degree?
That's a very good point. But the Philippine BI have a different definition of permanent than you or I have. That 13a visa is only permanent until your wife says she wants you gone. Many will dispute that, all the way to the deportation jail in Manila. This is Philippines and I would not want to be here with an expired passport when the BI knocked on my door and asked to see my passport and my Visa stamp, 13a or not. If you want actual proof you may want to visit one or more of the foreigners in the Manila detention center awaiting deportation for that very reason. Ask them about their story. I could tell you, but until someone sees for themselves or knows someone going through it then it's hard to believe the authorities could be so harsh. Of course, if your wife has a great relationship with you, and no one ever demands to see your passport, and you never plan to leave the country, then keep flying under the radar and good luck to you. If you pass on, (hopefully way in the future), with an expired passport then it worked for you.
It looks like this requirement isn't something new. In 2008 your country had already issued over 1 million of the "new" ID cards. I think your Embassy should be offering you some possible solutions. Maybe you could find an Embassy in a nearby country (maybe China) that has the ability to issue you a new biometric CNEI card? (Not that you can get there with an expired visa.) If I were you I would emailing your Embassy and getting all this in writing. If your passport is expired your visa is not valid, and you won't be able to leave the country to resolve the issue yourself. I don't know how "kingdoms" work so I don't know if it would be worth your time to be writing politicians/government agencies back home. Personally, if the US Embassy was pulling this crap on me I would be there every day yelling at them until they fixed the issue...or had me arrested and deported.
