In the Philippines, there is a deadline for all registered foreign nationals and those who hold the Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-card) to report in person to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration and pay their annual report fee every year. Foreign nationals who fail to comply may be fined or face imprisonment under the 1950 Alien Registration Act.

The Annual Report (AR) is a yearly mandatory immigration requirement that must be filed within the first 60 days of every year to maintain compliance with immigration regulations. 

Each year, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) announces the 60-day period in which those registered foreign nationals and holding a valid Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-card), are required to file their AR in person at the main or satellite office of the BI. This year's AR period began on 2 January and ended on 1 March 2018.

Third-party respresentative

Alternatively, those who are not able to present themselves to the BI in person, can  authorise a third-party representative to handle the AR process on their behalf. For those who don't have time to attend what can often be a day-long process, with lengthy waiting periods in stark office surroundings, this saves time and hassle.

If a client nominates an official representative to act on his or her behalf, the responsibility is then delegated, and the representative will present the required passport, valid ACR card and payment necessary to file the Annual Report.

With duly executed Special Power of Authority, the representative should have the experience needed to navigate the bureaucratic process, something which can be quite daunting for a novice foreign applicant.

The foreign worker's dependants, their spouse, and children over the age of 14,  must also follow the same AR process. Likewise, they can authorise a designated representative to present themselves to the BI on their behalf, helping them to handle the process quickly and efficiently.

Alien Registration Card

The issuance of Philippines Alien Registration Card applies to all foreign nationals who intend to stay in the country for longer than 59 days. Once registered for an Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR Card), it serves as a re-entry permit, Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) and Special Return Certificate (SRC). The card displays a photo of the individual, their personal details, fingerprint and signature, visa type, and other relevant information.

With the ACR Card, foreign nationals are also issued with a Special Security Registration Number (their permanent registration number while they are in the Philippines) which helps them to raise and resolve any issues with the appropriate authorities.

The AR Programme helps immigration officials to better track how many foreign nationals are legally living in the Philippines for a specific period and enables them to maintain up-to-date records.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.