Philippines: Annual Report Filing for Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card Holders Due March 1, 2022
January 5, 2022
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At a Glance
- Foreign nationals in the Philippines holding a valid Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-Card), such as long-term work visa holders in the Philippines, must appear at a Bureau of Immigration (BI) office by March 1, 2022 to file their Annual Report (AR).
- These individuals can also authorize their Fragomen immigration professional to file the AR on their behalf, which would waive the foreign national’s personal appearance requirement.
- Registration to comply with the 2022 Annual Report must be completed through the Online Appointment System.
- Additional fines and monetary penalties will be imposed for the non-filing or late filing of the AR. Fragomen recommends that the AR registration be completed before March 1, 2022 to avoid other adverse immigration impacts, such as delays to renewal applications.
The situation
Foreign nationals in the Philippines holding a valid Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-Card), such as long-term work visa holders, must appear at a Bureau of Immigration (BI) office by March 1, 2022 to file their Annual Report (AR). They can also authorize their Fragomen immigration professional to file the AR on their behalf, which would waive the foreign national’s personal appearance requirement.
A closer look
- Documentary requirements. Foreign nationals personally appearing at the BI office must secure an appointment schedule with the BI and present the following documents at the BI:
- Original ACR I-Card; and
- Valid passport.
- Additional documents may be required. Applications filed through an authorized representative must include the following additional documents:
- Authorization letter (for non-BI Accredited Representative);
- Valid government-issued identity card of legal representative;
- Photocopy of BI issued identity card in lieu of authorization letter for BI Accredited Agents; and
- A Special Power of Attorney.
- Pending ACR I-Card applications. Foreign nationals whose ACR I-Card is in the “under application” status and are awaiting its issuance are required to comply with the AR requirement.
Impact
- Immediate action required. To avoid any consequences related to their immigration status, affected foreign nationals should comply with the filing requirement as soon as possible. Employers and foreign nationals should notify their Fragomen immigration professional immediately if they require assistance.
- Consequences for late filing. Additional fines and monetary penalties will be imposed for the non-filing or late filing of the AR. Fragomen recommends that the AR registration be completed before March 1, 2022 to avoid other adverse immigration impacts such as delays to renewal applications.
Background
- Purpose of AR. The BI requires foreign nationals to file an AR to track their stay and status changes, if applicable, in the Philippines.
- Removal of Regulatory relief during COVID-19. The government reinstated the imposition of fines and monetary penalties for non-filing, late filing and failure to comply with compulsory notification and other reportorial requirements. These fines and penalties had been suspended last year to provide regulatory relief to promote continuity and capacity-building in all sectors of the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking ahead
It is likely that the government of the Philippines will suspend the additional late filing fees, similar to last year, if the pandemic continues to affect government office closures and travel restrictions.
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].
