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Page updated:
12/16/2012 |
Immigration - Visa - Visa extension - Customs |
First you need a valid passport.
It must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond intended length of stay. You obtain the initial 21 days visa at your entry in the country (airport or port). The 38 days extension and any other extensions is given to you in any immigration office. The immigration offices can be found in all major cities and in Manila. See list below. |
 This are arrival stamps.  |
 This is a departure stamp Make sure, you are correctly dressed. This means no shorts, no sleeveless t-shirts (sandos) and no flip-flops (except in Boracay). Otherwise you risk to be refused. This poster hangs outside the door of Cagayan de Oro's Bureau of Immigration Field Office. |
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Philippines Arrival / DepartureCard |
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The new Philippines Arrival / Departure Card has been introduced on January 1, 2010.
The A/D card aims to have an accurate, timely, efficient, modern, progressive, and uniform means of recording and retrieval of the arrival and departure record of passengers. The new card should help the Bureau of Immigration exercise its law enforcement function, particularly in tracing the entry and departure of suspected terrorists, human traffickers, drug lords, arms smugglers and other persons involved in transnational crimes. But what happens when you loose the departure part of your Philippines Arrival / Departure Card? We do not yet know. But the cards are still available at departure. We think that only the departure procedure will take a bit more time, because the bar code of your arrival card and the one of your departure card do not match. |
 
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Philippines Customs |
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The Philippines Customs Declaration is given to you on all arriving flights. Fill it in before arriving. In the aircraft you have a little table annd enough time. Once you are on ground, you will find no seat and have to queue up at immigration and then wait for your luggage at the cerousel.
Customs charge 3 to 50% import duty depending of the imported article. Electronics, such as LCD TV sets or computers ar charged 15% of the value. Be careful, electronics are more expensive in the Philippines than in other countries. Customs applies local value and not the price you paid for your goods. The extensive list of customs tariffs can be found here: LawPhil But this isn't all! After having paid the import duty, you will be asked to pay 12% Value Added Tax (VAT). Overall you will pay 28.8% of taxes and duty. If you plan to bring money or currency equivalents to the Philippines, then you should be careful when the total amount exceeds USD 10,000.00. In this case, you will have to declare the money at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Unfortunately the declaration form is not available on-line. You also should not import or export Philippine Pesos of more than PHP 10,000.00. We don't know what happens, when you bring more pesos. But we ones were caught with PHP 12,000 in our pockets when leaving the country. We then were guided to the next bank counter at the airport and had to change the exceeding PHP 2000 into US Dollars. The amount was less than 50 USD! |
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To cheat or not to cheat?
We do not recommend to cheat! If you are caught, you surely have to pay a fine. But worse, if you aren't lucky, you may be refused to enter the Philippines and may even be put on the black-list. |
On the other side there are customs officers who do not say no to a little gift and let you pass. We once imported a big satellite antenna dish in a very big cardboard box. The officers at their desks behaved like bargain sellers on a local market. Each one wanted us to pass at his/her desk. We hadn't declared the dish because none of the sections in the above form asks for pressed metal items. The officer asked us to give him a Thousand pesos to let us pass. We discussed a moment and then we passed for 500 pesos only. And yes, the 500 pesos disappeared in the pocket of the Customs officer. Now you can make your own idea... |
ACR-I card |
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The Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) I-Card is now requested from any foreign person (called alien) who stays more than the 21 + 38 days. This means that tourists with a 9A visa are requested to have an ACR-I card issued, when they apply for a visa extension after the 38 days extension..
The ACR-I cards are only available in some offices of the Bureau of Immigration. Please inquire here! Processing time is about 2 weeks! You will have to get your card at the BI. The advantage of this ACR-I card is that you can open a bank account, register a car or a motorbike or even get a driver license without being a permanent resident. |
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The costs of the card are composed of : |
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| ACR re-issuance (adult) Head tax Monthly extension application fee Emigration clearance certificate Monthly extension fee Certficate fee ACR-I card fee Legal research fee Express lane fee certification Express lane fee Total amount |
PHP PHP PHP PHP PHP PHP PHP PHP PHP PHP PHP |
250 250 300 700 1000 500 2322 50 500 1000 6882 |
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Emigration Clearance Certificate |
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If you stay for more than 6 months in the Philippines, you will need an exit clearance. This clearance can only be obtained in the BI offices in Manila, Cebu and Davao. |
You hav to bring:
* Three 2" x 2" colour photographs * Your Passport * Air tickets showing a confirmed reservation to leave the Philippines. They may ask to see this to check on your date of departure as ECCs should be obtained no more than 10 days prior to departure. In Cebu-City you need 40 minutes: * Go to the Reception Desk and tell the Immigration Officer sitting there that you need an Exit Clearance Certificate. She will ask to see your Passport and air ticket She will check to see if you have applied for all Extensions necessary for your stay. She will hand you a form to complete. * You complete the form and return it to the same Receptionist and hand her your three photos. She will affix the photos to the form. * You go to the "Cashier 3" window and hand in the form and your Passport. These will be checked and stamps are placed on the form; your Passport and form are handed back to you. * You now go to "Cashier 1" and again hand over your Passport and Form. If you have a 9(a) Visa in your Passport (from a Philippines Embassy abroad) you will only pay an "Express Lane" fee of PHP500. If you don't have this Visa or if you have a Visa that grants residency (9(g), 13(a) etc), you'll pay considerably more (around PHP2900 + the PHP500 "Express Lane" fee). * You now sit and wait a few minutes before you will be called to be finger-printed. This takes place next to the "Cashier 1" window. * After a few more minutes you'll be called and your Passport and ECC handed to you. That certificate you hand to the Immigration Officer just before boarding your international flight. |
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Bureau of Immigration - Main OfficeMagallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila Bureau of Immigration - District and Field Offices |
| Manila NAIA Airport Offices | Metro Manila Satellite Offices | Metro Manila Satellite Offices |
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| NAIA Terminal-1 Theodore V. Pascual - Head Supervisor, BI NAIA I Phone: 879-6081 / 852-2936 Fax (Arrival): 832-3017 Fax(Departure): 879-6083 |
BI CABANATUAN Satellite Office City Hall Compound, Kapitan Pepe Subdivision Cabanatuan City Simeon D. Eleria - Officer-in-Charge Cell: 09163548685 |
BI STA. ROSA Satellite Office Francisco Canicossa Ave. Balibago Complex Sta. Rosa, Laguna Roseo Isabelo M. Manguiat, Officer-in-charge Phone.: (049)526-5786 Fax: (049)534-5205 Cell: (0917)897-5897 |
| NAIA Terminal-2 Ma. Carmelita A. Vitan - Head Supervisor, BI NAIA II Phone: 879-5910 / 8796016 Fax (Arrival): 8796018 Fax (Departure): 8796019 |
BI CAMANAVA Satellite Office Caloocan Commercial Complex Ground flr. Plaza, Rizal St. Cor. A. Mabini Caloocan City Phone: 288-8459 Cell: 0918-343 5534 |
BI. TAYTAY RIZAL Satellite Office Old Municipal Building, Taytay, Rizal Leticia M. Fatalla, Officer-in-Charge Fax - 658-7261 Cell: 0915 578 9199 / 09178671519 |
| NAIA Terminal-3 Ma. Asuncion L. Palma Gil - Head Supervisor, BI NAIA III Tel: (trunkline) 556-4830 / 556 4844 Arrival (loc) - 8054 Departure (loc) - 8053 |
BI MAKATI EXTENSION OFFICE Board of Investment Bldg. Ground Floor, # 385 Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City Atty. Estanislao R. Canta, Officer-in-Charge Phone: 899-3830; 899-3831 /899-2766; 897-5335 Cell: 092 284 12358 |
BI PEZA EXTENSION OFFICE PEZA Building Ground Floor., Corner San Luis St. Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City Atty. Edmund F. Macaraig, Officer-in-Charge Phone: 551-9590 Fax: 5519567 Cell: 0917 373 2357 |
| BI PARANAQUE Satellite Office Ground Floor Bldg. F., Great Mall of China Bradco Avenue, Asiana Business Park, Paranaque City Aurora M. Fermin - Officer-in-Charge Phone: 707-4859 Cell: 092 280 32061 |
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Northern Luzon |
Central Luzon |
Southern Luzon |
| BI Aparri Field Office 2nd floor Melval Bldg. RF Balizi St. Apparri, Cagayan Eva M. Antiporda - ACO Phone: (078) 888-2089 or 2098 Fax: (078) 822-8288 |
BI Angeles District Office Annex 4-B Birthaphil III Jose Abad Santos Avenue Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga Heranio B. Manalo - Regional Director Phone: (045) 499-1246 Cell: 0917 510 8040 |
BI Batangas District Office Diversion Road, Barangay Bolbok Batangas City Richard Perez - ACO Phone: (043) 723-3032 |
| BI Dagupan Field Office People's Astrodome, Tapuac District Dagupan City Alberto Siapno Garcia - ACO Phone: (075) 523-4047 Cell: 0917 693 22 48 |
BI Bataan Field Office |
BI Calapan Field Office J. Luna Street Oriental Mindoro Rodolfo Cantos Serrano - Acting ACO Phone: (043) 288-2245 |
| BI Baguio Field Office #38 Military Cut Off, Baguio City Ricardo Deleon Cabochan - ACO Phone: (074) 447-0805 Cell: 0918 916 0361 |
BI Clark Field Office Clark Development Corp. Building 2127 Clark Special Economic Zone Pampanga Sylvia Estoesta - OIC Phone: (045) 599-4402 / 599-9000 local 402 Cell: 0917-858 1862 / 0920-909 5237 |
BI Legaspi Field Office 3rd floor, Velasco Building Lapu-Lapu Legaspi City Josephus Tanael Ojano - Acting ACO Phone: (052) 214-3427 / 820-5153 |
| BI Santiago Field Office 2nd floor People's Coliseum Santiago City, Isabela Victor L. Malenab - ACO Phone: (078) 682-2513 Cell: 0928 296 90 98 |
BI Diosdado Macapagal International Airport Romeo Dime - Head Supervisor Phone: (045) 599-7283 |
BI Naga Field Office Unit 7, 2nd floor, Phonecian Bldg., Panganiban Drive, Cor. Isarog St. Naga City 4400 Atty. Jose S. Tria Jr. - Acting ACO Phone: (054) 811-8265 |
| BI Tuguegarao Field Office 2nd floor Public Market Tuguegarao City, Cagayan Victor L. Malenab - Alien Control Officer Phone: (078) 846-2966 Cell: 0928 296 9098 |
BI Subic / Olongapo Foield Office 7th 87 West Tapianac Olongapo City Roberto Franciso Pelia - ACO Phone: (047) 224-2766 Fax: (047) 223-1183 |
BI Boac Field Office Boac, Marinduque 4900 Amado Buñag Ignacio III - ACO Phone: (042) 332-2475 Cell: 0920 368 1494 |
| BI Laoag Field Office Tupaz Avenue Laoag City Paulino C. Verzosa - Acting ACO Phone: (077) 770-4943 Fax: (077) 771-6855 Cell: 0917 830 3963 |
BI Lucena Field Office 2nd floor Quezon Provincial Capitol Bldg. Lucena City Napoleon Allarey Flancia - ACO Phone: (042) 710-7015 Cell: 0919 640 46 77 |
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| BI San Fernando La Union District Office Pennsylvenia Avenue, Poro Point San Fernando City, La Union Rodolfo Carolino Caagao - ACO Phone: (072) 888-4515 / 700-4370 Cell: 0906 372 2111 |
BI Puerto Princesa Field Office 2nd floor Servando Bldg. Rizal Avenue Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Rowell Valdez Aballa - ACO Phone: (048) 433-2248 Cell: 0919 425 81 80 |
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| BI Cauayan Field Office # 46 Burgos St., Cauayan City, Isabela Laurente S. Tumaliuan - ACO Phone: (078) 6523892 Cell: 0917-896-8247 |
BI San Jose Field Office |
BI Brookes Point Boarding Station Brookes Point, Palawan Rolan Aralar Lim - Officer In Charge Cell: 0919 640 4677 |
Central Visayas |
Western Visayas |
Eastern Visayas |
| BI Cebu District Office P. Burgos St., Tribunal Mandaue City Geronimo Sotto Rosas -ACO / Regional Director Phone: (032) 345-6442-4 Fax: (032) 345-6441 Airport: (032) 340-1473 / 3400-751 |
BI Bacolod Field Office 2nd floor G & M Villacor Bldg. San Juan, Lusuriaga St. Bacolod City Mita Chuvy Apuhin Arguelles - ACO Phone: (034) 433-8581 |
BI Tacloban District Office City Engr. Compound Justice Romualdez St. Tacloban City 6500 Dennis Mangote - ACO Phone: (053) 325-6004 |
| BI Bohol Field Office 2nd floor Sarabia Co, Torralba Bldg. CPG Avenue Tagbilaran City 6300 Themistocles Pahang Inting - ACO Phone: (038) 235-6084 Cell: 0917 249 09 06 |
BI Boracay Field Office Villa Camella, Boracay, Malay, Aklan Marilyn Pulmones Yap - ACO Phone: (036) 288-5267 Cell: 0918-940 6344 |
BI Catbalogan Field Office #655 San Roque St. Catbalogan, Samar Pablo Tarrius Cinco - ACO Phone: (055) 251-6470 |
| BI Dumaguete Field Office Door #8 Lu Pega Bldg. 38 Dr. V. Locsin Street Dumaguete City 6200 Peter Cabatingan Bueno - ACO Phone: (035) 225-4401 Cell: 0918 280 84 25 |
BI Iloilo District Office Customs House Bldg. 2nd floor Aduana St. Iloilo City 5000 Francisco J. Artuz - Alien Control Officer / Alien Control Supervisor Phone: (033) 337-5869 Fax: (033) 509-9651 |
BI Calbayog Field Office Cinemar Traders, JV Avellino St. Calbayog City Rosario Sabarre Infante - ACO Phone: (055) 209-3310 Fax: (055) 533-9746 |
| BI Siquijor Field Office Ground Floor, Provincial Capitol Siquijor Eugenio Romey Delos Cientos - Officer In Charge Cell: 0917 477 43 98 |
BI Kalibo Field Office Municipal Bldg. Office Kalibo, Aklan Marilyn Pulmones Yap - ACO Phone: (036) 500-7601 Cell: 0918 940 63 44 |
BI Maasin Field Office Maasin City, Southern Leyte Rene Uyvico Geonzon - ACO Phone: (053) 381-4136 |
Northern Mindanao |
Southern Mindanao |
Southern Mindanao |
BI Cagayan de Oro District Office |
BI Davao District Office JP Laurel Avenue Bajada Davao City Benjamin Roble Lao - ACO Phone: (082) 228-6477 Cell: 0917 705 35 76 |
BI Bongao Field Office Ridjiki St., Bongao Tawi-Tawi Muttu N. Tinguan - ACO Cell: 0919 423 15 71 |
| BI Iligan Field Office 2nd floor, Room 203 Diocesan Centrum Bldg. Salvador T. Lluch St. Iligan City 9200 Harold Pacasum - Acting ACO Phone: (063) 221-6282 Cell: 0920 932 94 80 |
BI General Santos Field Office 2nd floor, Arcade II East Asia Royal Hotel, National Highway General Santos City Atty Ernesto Hechanova Mercado - ACO Phone: (083) 552-3442 Cell: 0917 714 1337 |
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| BI Ozamiz Field Office 3rd floor, Rizal cor. Valconcha St. Ozamiz City 7200 Manuelito S. Kaamiño - ACO Phone: (088) 521-1581 |
BI Zamboanga Field Office 2nd floor, Radja Bldg.Gov. Camins Avenue Zamboanga City 7000 Sitti Rubaina Damih Lutian - Acting ACO Phone: (062) 991-2234 Cell: 0906 667 35 56 |
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| BI Butuan / Masao Field Office 3rd floor, Rural Bank Bldg. A.D. Curato St. Corner PF Lagnada St. Butuan City Carlito Canangca-an Garrido - ACO Phone: (085) 342-5097 Cell: 0919 347 53 72 |
BI Glan Sarangani Field Office 2nd floor, Brgy. Hall, Poblacion, Glan Sarangani Province Eddie Delima - Acting ACO Phone: (083) 225-9029 |
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| BI Bislig Field Office Tarefe Drive John Bosco, Mangagoy Bislig City, Surigao del Sur 8311 Raul Millan Delos Arcos - ACO Phone: (086) 853-5192 Cell: 0918 444 24 58 |
BI Jolo Field Office 7400 Jolo, Sulu Abdusalim J. Salihuddin - Acting ACO Phone: 0917-724 0715 Cell: 0906 954 0948 |
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| BI Surigao Field Office Narciso St. Surigao City Alexis Estal Espejon - ACO Phone: (086) 826-8263 |
BI Cotabato Field Office Ground floor, Tanghal Bldg. #5 Roman Vilo St. Cotabato City Minandel Dalid, Acting ACO Phone: (064) 421-2066 Fax: (064) 421-7732 |
Visa Fees and Taxes |
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This is a Visa Extension. Get the next extension some days before the date indicated in the stamp. The Bureau of Immigration might be closed on the due date! The fees are indicated on the right side. You also get an official receipt with all fees indicated. Keep them together with your passport in a safe place. |
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The Bureau of Immigration has introduced new fees. All fees are in Philippine Pesos (PHP).
TOURIST (NON-RESTRICTED) ADMITTED INITIALLY FOR 21 DAYS MAY BE EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER 38 DAYS
| Visa Waiver |
500.00 |
| Visa Waiver Application Fee | 1,000.00 |
| Certification Fee | 500.00 |
| Express fee (Certification) | 500.00 |
| Express fee (For processing) |
500.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each item |
10.00 |
AFTER 59 DAYS OF STAY (INITIAL 21 DAYS + 38 DAYS EXTENSION)
| Every month of extension |
500.00 |
| Fine for overstaying for every month or a portion thereof |
500.00 |
| Application Fee (every two months for non-restricted) (every month for restricted) |
300.00 |
| Alien Certificate of Registration Fee Adult - 14 years aboveMinor - 14 years below |
1,000.00 500.00 |
| Re-issuance of ACR for (2nd entry of every entry after 59 days) Adult - 14 years above Minor - 14 years below (Re-acert) |
250.00 150.00 |
| Head tax (over 16 years old) |
250.00 |
| Certification Fee |
500.00 |
| Express fee (Certification) | 500.00 |
| Express fee (For processing) | 500.00 |
| Emigration Clearance Certificate Fee |
700.00 |
| Certificate of Exemption Fee (below 14 years old) | 200.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each item | 10.00 |
| Express Lane Fee (For processing of I-Card) | 500.00 |
| Additional Payment for I-Card | USD 50 |
AFTER 6 MONTHS OF STAY
| Every Month of Extension |
500.00 |
| Certificate of Residence (Temporary Visitor) |
1,400.00 |
| Application Fee (After 6 mos. to secure regular Emigration Clearance Certificate at the Alien Registration Division) |
700.00 |
| Certification Fee |
500.00 |
| Express Fee (Certification) |
500.00 |
| Express Fee (For processing) |
500.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each item | 10.00 |
ANNUAL REPORT FEE
| Arrival on or before November 2 of the proceeding year | 300.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) | 10.00 |
| Monthly fine for delayed Annual Report | 200.00 |
HOLDERS OF MACAU-PORTUGUESE AND HONGKONG-BRITISH (SAR) PASSPORT ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE PHILIPPINES WITHOUT VISA FOR SEVEN (7) DAYS
| First Extension - 14 days |
500.00 |
| Application Fee |
300.00 |
| Certification Fee |
500.00 |
| Express fee (Certification) | 500.00 |
| Express fee (For processing) | 500.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each item | 10.00 |
SECOND EXTENSION
| Visa Waiver Application Fee |
1,000.00 |
| Visa Waiver Fee |
500.00 |
| Certification Fee |
500.00 |
| Express fee (Certification) | 500.00 |
| Express fee (For processing) | 500.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each item | 10.00 |
DOWNGRADING OF STATUS FROM ANOTHER CATEGORY TO 9A
| Amendment Fee | 500.00 |
| Visa Fee |
1,000.00 |
| Extension Fee |
500.00 |
| Application Fee |
300.00 |
| Emmigration Clearance Certificate |
700.00 |
| Certificate Fee |
500.00 |
| Express fee (Certification) | 500.00 |
| Express fee (For processing) | 500.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each item | 10.00 |
MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
| Motion for Reconsideration (MR Fee) |
500.00 |
| Administrative Fine (for every year of overstay however 18 months overstay considered two years) |
5,000.00 |
| Certification Fee (For every transaction) | 500.00 |
| Express fee (Certification) | 500.00 |
| Express fee (For every month extension) | 500.00 |
| Legal Research Fee (LRF) for each item | 10.00 |
NOTICE:
Effective February 15,2008 all applicants for extension (tourist visa) under the VIMS (VISA ISSUANCE MADE SIMPLE) are required to pay in addition to immigration fees, Certification fee of P500, Express fee of P500 plus Legal Research Fee of P50 for every transaction.
All applicants for extension are required to dress properly. Applicants wearing shorts, sandos, and slippers will not be allowed entry to Immigration Office.
Hint 1
Do not apply for a visa in your home country (if not needed, see here.). We often have seen that the immigration officers at the airport do not look at your visa and allow you only the usual 21 days stay. If this happens, you need to get a new visa or 38 days extension and pay twice.
Hint 2
Do not run out of a valid visa. You need to renew your visa or get an extension before the expiry date. Otherwise you are considered as an illegal immigrant. If you are lucky, you have to get a new visa or extension and pay a fine and legal taxes. But you may also visit the jail and be expulsed as "persona non grata".
Hint 3
Go rather to a small Field Office than to the Main Office or an office in a big city. In a small field office you get your visa extension within 10 to 15 minutes, because there are only 2 or 3 officers and staff. In the large offices such in Manila, Cebu City orCagayan de Oro, there are 15 or more officers and staff. Everybody seems to be very important and examines your passport and papers. The procedure may take an hour or even more.
For more information and other kinds of visa we recommend to visit the website of the
