Foreign residents told: Register by March 1
Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison: No extension
MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has warned all foreigners residing in the country to report to the bureau no later than March 1 to comply with the government’s alien registration requirement, or face deportation.
Immigration offices nationwide will be open for business the whole day on March 1, Saturday, to accommodate the foreigners trying to beat the deadline for registration.
“There will be no extension,” said Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison, noting that the registration process started on Jan. 2.
He said the bureau had assigned additional personnel in the processing areas and senior citizens’ lane, and more cashier windows to speed up the process.
According to Mison, foreigners who fail to personally register with the bureau will face sanctions, including the cancellation of their visas and deportation for being improperly documented.
Required by law
The annual registration process is provided for under the Alien Registration Act of 1950, which directs all foreigners to personally report to the BI within the first 60 days of every calendar year. It also aims to strictly enforce compliance with the immigration law in the interest of national security, public safety and public order.
“We encourage all foreigners to have themselves properly registered for their own protection,” Mison said.
There are 208,900 foreign nationals staying in the Philippines but hundreds of them have insufficient personal data, according to the BI database.
An application fee of P310 is required as part of the requirements for registration. If a foreigner fails to report to the bureau within the 60-day period, a P200 penalty will be imposed every month.
The new reporting system, which includes fingerprinting, notarization and a personal appearance, is part of the BI’s plan for full automation of immigration processes.
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