Foreign Nationals Holding ACR I-Cards Must Appear at Bureau of Immigration by March 3, 2018

Executive Summary
Foreign nationals holding a valid Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card must file their Annual Report in person at a Bureau of Immigration main or satellite office from January 3, 2018 through March 3, 2018.

The situation
Each year, foreign nationals holding a valid Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-card) and under a long-term visa are required to file their Annual Report (AR) in person at a Bureau of Immigration (BI) main or satellite office.  The deadline for the next round of AR filings is between January 3, 2018 and March 3, 2018.

• Filing requirements. Foreign nationals must present the following documents in person at the BI:
  • Original ACR I-card;
  • Official receipt for payment of PhP 310 fee;
  • Printed confirmation number issued via the online system, which is accessible through the BI website;
  • An undertaking to fulfill BI obligations for foreign nationals who must comply with certain obligations under the Commonwealth Act, which regulates personal information updating, among other actions related to foreign workers.
• Verification of information. At the time of filing AR documents, BI officials may verify that previous AR payments have been settled and any arrears on last year’s fees paid before they accept payment for the new AR.
• Exemptions. Foreign nationals who are exempt from appearing in person include:
  • Foreign nationals under the age of 14;
  • Foreign nationals 65 and older;
  • Foreign nationals who are mentally or physically incapacitated, and have been deemed as such by the Chief of the BI Alien Regulation Division.
• Consequences for failing to comply. Foreign nationals who do not file their AR within the designated period will be required to:
  • Submit a Motion for Reconsideration for late payment of AR;
  • Pay a PhP 500 Motion for Reconsideration fee and PhP 10 Late Report fee; and
  • Pay a fine of PHP 200 per each month that they are in arrears, up to a maximum of PhP 2,000 per year.

Background
The AR is an annual mandatory immigration requirement that must be filed within the first 60 days of every year to maintain compliance with immigration regulations.

We worked closely with Follosco, Morallos & Herce in Manila to prepare this alert. It is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].