Tourists on extended stay urged to get I-card

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign tourists who are on extended stay in the country, or are studying, or working for a brief period in the Philippines are now obliged to secure their alien certificate of registration identity card (ACR I-Card) from the Bureau of Immigration, it was learned yesterday.

The new regulation is provided for, under a memorandum order issued by Commissioner Nonoy Libanan on Dec. 2 and which was subsequently approved by Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera.

Under the said memorandum, all temporary visitors or tourists who have extended their stay in the country, or are engaged in other activities are required to apply and obtain their ACR I-Card from the BI.

The I-Card replaced the paper-based ACR which the BI had issued to foreigners who are registered with the bureau and serves as proof of their legal residence status in the country. In proposing the new regulation, Libanan informed Devanadera that issuing the ACR I-Card to foreign tourists will enhance the capability of the BI to monitor the activities of said aliens in the country. Libanan added it will “at the same time attain the objective of establishing a singular identity card to serve as an identification and convenient transaction card for all resident foreigners and temporary visitors.”

Libanan noted that with the successful implementation by the BI of its visa-issuance-made-simple (VIMS) project, requiring tourists to secure ACR I-Cards will further enhance the registration, identification, and monitoring capability of the BI.

Lawyer Floro Balato Jr., BI spokesman, said those covered by the new regulation are non-restricted foreign nationals who were previously granted an initial authorized stay of 59 days as tourists and those who applied for special work permits and special study permits.

Balato said that SWPs are issued to tourists hired to work here temporarily for a maximum period of three months while SSPs are issued to young foreigners who are enrolled in the elementary and high school level and other special learning centers. “They (applicants) have to secure an application form at the alien registration division the bureau’s main office in Manila or in any of the field offices and subports nationwide which has an I-Card center,” Balato said.

Applicants who submit complete requirements and have paid the necessary fees are issued their I-Cards within 48 hours from the filing of their application. Previously, only foreigners who were issued resident visas, immigrant or non-immigrant, were obliged to apply for their ACR I-Card.