Aliens have until 1st week of March to report to BI

Bureau of Immigration INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration has given all registered aliens until the first week of March to report to the agency and be accounted for as mandated by law.

The agency’s Annual Report 2017 will run from January 3 to March 3 this year, during which all registered aliens should report in person to the BI at Intramuros, Manila or its field offices.

The agency made the announcement in an advisory posted on its website, www.immigration.gov.ph.

Under Republic Act 562 or the Alien Registration Act of 1950, registered aliens must report to the BI in person within the first 60 days of each year.

“This requirement also ensures that the visa holder is still alive and allows them to correct their entries in our registration such as address, civil status or surnames for those who got married,” said BI spokesperson Tonette Mangrobang.

Parents or legal guardian of registered aliens 14 years old and below are given the duty of reporting for their minor charges before the BI.

“Failure to comply shall result in imposition of administrative fine or imprisonment at the option of the commissioner of the BI,” the BI said.

Registered aliens will be required to present their Alien Certificate of Registration, and a confirmation number issued via the Annual Report 2017 online system.

The confirmation number is for aliens who failed to accomplish the Annual Report 2014 form and AR 2015 and 2016 online form.

An alien required to report at the BI may be exempted from personal appearance provided that he personally appeared in at least one of the Annual Reports held in 2014, 2015, or 2016 with an accomplished Annual Report form; presents an official receipt of the latest Annual Report fee paid; paid a P500 express lane fee for non-appearance; presents a Special Power of Attorney with a valid government-issued ID of a legal representative; presents a valid passport; and presents an undertaking to fulfill obligations in case of aliens with liabilities.

An alien who returns to the Philippines with a re-entry permit and who has not accomplished the Annual Report is also required to report within 30 days from the date of return to the country.

According to the BI, personal appearance is required for all native-born Indonesians with paper-based Alien Certificate of Registrations, classified as “illegal entrants,” for the updating of records.

Annual Report 2017 application forms and guidelines, the list of participating BI field offices, the online encoding system and other information may be accessed at www.immigration.gov.ph.

The BI encouraged registered aliens to report and remit payments at the Annual Report 2017 BI designated offices, which will include the new BI satellite office at the SM Aura mall in Taguig City.  SFM