The Bureau of Immigration (BI) will enforce its new rules on re-stamping of visas for foreigners with permanent residents status in the Philippines.
Under Immigration Administrative Circular No. SBM-2015-001, the BI requires all foreign nationals covered by Republic Act (R.A.), otherwise known as the Alien Social Integration Act of 1995, to have the new security visa stamp implemented in their passports as a requirement for reneal of their Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) - I-Card.
According to BI Spokesperson Elaine Tan, the new rules were part of the effort to upgrade the bureau's database on visa holders.
"The new guidelines intend to update the bureau's database on holders of the visa," she said in a statement.
With this, the B.I. official said that for the re-stamping of passport, visa holders are required to submit the following documents:
1. Duly accomplished RA 7919 re-stamping form;
2. Photocopy of passport pages showing: a) Bio-data page, b) Latest admission as 7919 visa holder; c) New/amended name of the applicant, if any; and
3.) Photocopy of ACR I-Card (front and back).
Tan also said that the new guidelines will be effected next month - so to say March 2015! The new rules will take effect around the second week of March, or 15 days after publication in two newspapers of general circulation.
RA 7919 granted permanent residency to illegal aliens upon compliance with certain conditions provided in the law.
(C) PNA
