3 countries to duplicate RP immigration ID scheme

MANILA, Philippines - The governments of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh want to duplicate the identity card issuance scheme adopted by the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) for foreign nationals in the country, it was learned yesterday.

BI Alien Registration Division (ARD) chief Danilo Almeda and Commissioner Marcelino Libanan were informed of the plan by officials of the immigration departments of the three Asian countries when they visited the bureau’s main office in Manila recently.

Almeda said the visiting foreign officials were impressed by the success of the bureau’s ACR-I-Card project that they manifested to Libanan their intention to implement a similar scheme for foreigners in their respective countries.

Libanan accompanied the guests in touring the BI building, including the ACR I-Card center at the ground floor lobby where foreigners who were issued visas by the bureau file their application for or claim their identity cards.

Almeda added that immigration officials from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were impressed with the introduction of I-Card in monitoring the movements of foreigners in the Philippines.

“They wanted to adopt a similar scheme within their respective countries as an effective tool in border control management,” Almeda added.

Implemented five years ago, the ACR I-Card replaced the standard paper-sized alien certificate of registration (ACR) that the BI previously issued to foreigners who were issued immigrant and non-immigrant visas.

Initially, the I-Cards were issued only to holders of resident visas but the scheme was later expanded by Libanan to include tourists who are on extended stay in the country after 59 days of stay.

Also obliged to secure I-Cards now are holders of special study permit and special work permits.

An important benefit of the I-Card aside from serving as tamper-proof of the holder’s identity and legal status in the country, the I-Card also serves as a re-entry and exit permit whenever they enter or leave the country.

Permits for the reentry and exit fees, however, should still be paid by the I-Card holder either at the airports or the BI main, satellite and subports offices.

The ACR I-Card must also be presented to the BI whenever a foreigner makes his annual report to the bureau and to the immigration officers assigned in the international airports.

Statistics showed that there are more than 161,000 foreigners who are holders of active I-Cards throughout the country.

Chinese nationals account for about one-third of the I-Card holders, followed by Koreans, Americans, Indians, and Japanese.