ACR 1 Card

[Peter]

I wrote
<.... ACR I-card is due renewal this coming August and we have to go to Intramuros BI HQ to do the biz. BI in Olongopo gave me the application form when I did the annual report in january and it seems as though I only need my passport and old ID card. Looks too simple a process to me. ..... >
You replied
<... have to register online now. Then you just need your ACR/ICR and p310.. >

I was referring to the ACR I-card renewal at Intramuros HQ, not the annual report, which I do in Olongopo each year.

The form Olongopo BI office gave me, only asks for the passport and old card.

So, I'll do what I normally do and take everything but the kitchen sink LOL!

Peter

[Steve & Myrlita]

Essentially bring everything you submitted for the current one. You will fill a few extras and will pay the peso equiv of $50. It will vary by exchange rate that day.

[Peter]

Essentially bring everything you submitted for the current one. You will fill a few extras and will pay the peso equiv of $50. It will vary by exchange rate that day.

We're planning to go to BI Intramuros next week, Wednesday or Thursday, to start the renewal process.

I queried them as to the current office hours earlier this morning and they confirmed it's back to the old hours. I suppose we will have to do the "Express Lane Fees" to pay the O/T. 

Quote
" Good morning! Our office hours is from 7:00am to 5:30pm. Thanks! "
Unquote

Will post our experience afterwards.

Peter

[Peter]

Well, that was quite simple. 

Yesterday, Wednesday, we traveled to BI Intramuros, from Hermosa Bataan, arriving about 06.50. just in time for the opening at 07.00.

Nice touch. They had around a dozen pkastic chairs outside, under the shelter of the building's overhang. for us 'Old Age Pensioners' to take the weight off our feet until the doors opened. Thank you BI!

Open dead on 07.00 as promised. But not all desks were fully manned, however, until well after that. 

The nitty gritty. I needed exactly what was on the checklist. Bi Olongopo had given me the forms in January while I did the annual reporting. So had the form filled in and the photocopies ready.

viz.:
1. Accomplished application form (BI Form 2014-08-010 Rev 0);
2. Original ACR I-Card (to be surrendered); and
3. Photocopy of passport bio-page, visa implementation page and latest admission with valid authorized stay.

No further photo or fingerprinting is required - only the paperwork above.

See < https://tinyurl.com/y9d8epnn  > for links to checklist and application forms.

We were directed to the paper checking desk. This is quite easy to walk past (we did LOL!) as it is just a desk with a couple of PC monitors on it, pushed against the window on the left side of the security check area. There is a big sign above it saying ACR I-card Renewal, Step 1. Especially put there for people who can read I suppose.  Duh!

After the guy checked our paperwork, he taped my I-Card to the form, signed the bottom authorisation and sent us to Window 5.

Window 5 has a sign above it, ACR Renewal Step 2.

Window 5 guy checked the bits and queried why I had come in 3 months early, as they recommend 2 months now. Told him that was what Olongopo told me in January and after checking with his boss (took about 25 minutes) he called us over, gave us an invoice to pay and sent us to Window 13 or 14.

Sign over both says "Cash payments". We did the Window 14 as 13 was not manned.
Cost.
Card Fee ($50) PhP 2,640.00
Express Lane Fee PhP 500.00
Total PhP 3,140.00

Back to Window 5 with paid up receipt. Guy put all the paperwork together and gave us a payment receipt copy and the tear off strip from the bottom of the form.
I asked him if they could send the new one to Olongopo and he said go over to Window 43.

Window 43 is normally unmanned, as this is the back clerical office window. But the nice lady on 44 (the photo lane) called through and one of the girls came out. I had to write a request letter authorising them to send it to Olongopo. She even provided a sheet of paper for me. Nice people! Did that and she said that the card would be ready in 2 to 3 weeks, but didn't know how long it took to get it to Olongopo.

Start, from handing in paperwork for checking (first guy didn't pitch up until after 8 and then a 25 minute wait for a supervisor's decision) to walking out for a taxi was around 90 minutes.

Back in SM Mall San Fernando, Pampanga, having lunch at Cafe France at 12.15. A good mornings work.

Peter

[JoeLP]

I'm surprised that the olongapo office couldn't handle that.  The "small" office in Calbayog City(maybe 5 total workers in the whole thing) can do it all. The ACR I-Card, the renewals and everything.  In fact, they can even to exit visas now.  I think those are pointless as the nearest international airport is Cebu City which with the ferry rides and driving take around 12 hours at the quickest to get to.  I always just hit immigration in Cebu before taking off. 

Granted, in the Philippines, the office is as good as the manager.  The Calbayog office is now on it's 6th manager in 5 years since I arrived.  And the first 3 were horrible and some days just didn't show up.  The 4th one was the ball buster than went and got stuff done and demanded the best of his workers and took it from an offline office to online and then started bringing in all the newest in systems and tech.  The current one is just "riding his coat tails" if you will as she just keeps what he did going. 

[piozam13]

1.  I was browsing through BI updates and I thought we now can apply for 13a at the Angeles City branch.  Has anyone dealt with them?

2.  While on BB visa, one cannot enroll in PhilHealth.  ACR 1 is required.  Do you know if this has changed?

3.  What is required to get ACR 1?

Maraming salamat.   

[Lee2]

1.  I was browsing through BI updates and I thought we now can apply for 13a at the Angeles City branch.  Has anyone dealt with them?

2.  While on BB visa, one cannot enroll in PhilHealth.  ACR 1 is required.  Do you know if this has changed?

3.  What is required to get ACR 1?

Maraming salamat.

You can get a VOLUNTARY APPLICATION FOR ACR I-CARD I do not know if that would work for PhilHealth or not but you can ask them or they might not know the difference, although voluntary cards are red. http://www.immigration.gov.ph/faqs/acr-i-card

[David690]

You can get a VOLUNTARY APPLICATION FOR ACR I-CARD I do not know if that would work for PhilHealth or not but you can ask them or they might not know the difference, although voluntary cards are red. http://www.immigration.gov.ph/faqs/acr-i-card

I am on BB and applied for my ACR card back in February.  Still nothing.....I have visited BI here in Davao several times, always the same response...Still not issued from Manila.  Last visit they asked me to email them a copy of my passport and application receipt, which I duly did.  Nothing till now.  Anybody else applied recently?

[JoeLP]

I made mention of the horrible managers I had to deal with.  Thankfully I always keep receipts.  2 times in 5 years I did not get my ACR I-card.  The blame game from the managers were it was always Manila's fault.  Well, when I needed to go to leave after 3 years of being here...I NEEDED that ACR I-Card.  So when I called Manila, they made it clear(to Tina, I had a hard time talking to them and she took over the conversation) that they sent it and my manager should have had it. 

This was a manager who would just not show up for whatever reason on random days.  Tina had her cell phone number and we had to work it out that when we were on the trip to Manila we met her at the NAIA to get the card(that she had on her at her home) and to get a signature from her because one of the days she didn't show up her workers did my extension but none of them had the power to sign it and she was removed from her job and sent to work immigration at the NAIA.  So she also had to sign my extension sticker in my passport.

The truth behind why you don't have your stuff yet could be Manila, but in my experience it's probably has something to do with the local staff at your local office. 

On a somewhat separate issue, but linked...I still don't have my drivers license from last year and I'm due to get it renewed in August.  I still have the receipt and that "paper license" and keep them on hand at all time.  I doubt the issue is in Manila...but when I go to the local office, they have no clue where it is. 

It's always more fun in the Philippines.

[Peter]

I'm surprised that the olongapo office couldn't handle that.  The "small" office in Calbayog City(maybe 5 total workers in the whole thing) can do it all. The ACR I-Card, the renewals and everything.  In fact, they can even to exit visas now.  I think those are pointless as the nearest international airport is Cebu City which with the ferry rides and driving take around 12 hours at the quickest to get to.  I always just hit immigration in Cebu before taking off. 

Granted, in the Philippines, the office is as good as the manager.  The Calbayog office is now on it's 6th manager in 5 years since I arrived.  And the first 3 were horrible and some days just didn't show up.  The 4th one was the ball buster than went and got stuff done and demanded the best of his workers and took it from an offline office to online and then started bringing in all the newest in systems and tech.  The current one is just "riding his coat tails" if you will as she just keeps what he did going.

JoeLP

The Olongopo office is also very small, around 5 or 6 people, as well as being physically small. Only the staff CR is not in sight from the "customer" side when looking in. 

A BI link, for anyone who is interested, is <  https://tinyurl.com/yc9wy27k   > for the latest (April 2018) updated BI list of Subport permitted transactions.

I notice that some offices are allowd to process the ACR I-Card, some can process tourist ACR cards only and some can receive the paperwork, but have to send to Manila for the card.
Then there are others that can't have anything at all to do with ACR I-cards. Seems like the old (UK) "post code lottery" syndrome. LOL!

Peter

[JoeLP]

I don't think the size of the office matters as much as the manager.  When I first arrived here, the immigration office was in Calbayog City in the local sporting arena.  They actually had a very nice setup, but only one man who ran the whole thing.  Talking guest bathroom, faculty bathroom, 2 offices, a desk with area behind it for extra workers and the whole thing.  That only lasted for a few visits.  Again, only ever say one guy there.  Then he was replaces with another person.  This guy moved it to Catbalogan City and put it in a regular office building setup with his own outside door.  This guy lasted almost a year.  He did have one female helper(I think a love interest from the way they carried on sometimes when we entered the building) but then he moved on or was replaced.
This next one was the female who would just not show up some days to work.  But at first she got things going a little bit.  She moved it back to Calbayog and got a street office.  She got 3 workers to help her out and after about a year or so she just wouldn't go to office.  Or, she'd make a trip once every 2 weeks to Catarman and operate out of the large provincial capital building setup.  She still left the other office open with the other guys working in it.  She's the one that didn't sign my extensions or didn't get my card and all those issues and she was removed by force and sent to work at the NAIA to do work there.
Then the guy that followed her.  He actually laid off 2 workers because by the time she left the previous manager had 5 guys working under her.  And he moved the office to a very nice setup, yet very small in the convention center.  I has a man room with an office in the corner.  That's it.  You want a bathroom you need to go down into the convention center and use those bathrooms.  This office is on the 2nd level.
But, he's the one that changed everything.  Made it online and got all the most recent tools and setups going.  He got even the exit visa thing set up at that location.  It's pretty impressive what this little office has going for it considering when I talk to the 3 guys still working under the current manager telling me there are times they go 3 days with no one coming in and will play cards and stuff. 
Now, the current manager did get rid of 2 of those remaining 3 guys, and brought in a very professional acting/dressing dude to be the financial officer.  The dude wears a badge and uniform and everything.  But, the office is back to 2 guys and a female manager who, as I said before is keeping everything the guy before her set up, and actually improved the professionalism of the staff a bit.  She also was able to get a nice 45" TV setup on a nice wall bracket that allows it to show through the plate glass window form the main room into her office, or get turned so the guests can see it. 
So my local office went from a large, very nice arena located office with only one worker, to a small tiny office with no bathroom of it's own with 3 very effected and professional workers that make just about everything that can go on in an office that isn't located in Manila can do.  The guy who made all the improvements made that location one of the first locations out side of Intramuros to get the 6 month stickers.  He didn't leave because they wanted someone else to take over, he left because he used it as a stepping stone and last I heard he's in charge of an office in Iloilo.  Bet he's improving that trying to move on to something bigger.

[M.C.A.]

I'm on a "13A" and my 5 year, ACR I-card is due renewal this coming August and we have to go to Intramuros BI HQ to do the biz.

BI in Olongopo gave me the application form when I did the annual report in january and it seems as though I only need my passport and old ID card. Looks too simple a process to me. 

Has anyone renewed their 5 year ACR card lately? If so, what paperwork is required?

TIA,

Peter

Peter, there's more to renew your Permanent Resident card than just showing up with passport and an ID.  Shortcut below with information and the documents must be printed on legal sized paper 8.5 x 14"  this paper is not as easy to find as you might think I had to travel near a University to get this sized paper from an office supply outlet, you'll notice other expats running around the Immigration office with these folders with the two hole punch and documents in order. 
http://www.immigration.gov.ph/services/alien-registration/renewal-of-acr-i-card

I've never been asked but I've talked with expats that have been asked for their receipts, I now have a cheap plastic briefcase (sold here) that I store all my receipts in.  Oh and don't forget they won't be able to make this a one day event,    if everything is in order it will take about 2 hours plus and then there's a number you'll have to call to see when your card is ready for pickup, it's usually from 2 weeks - 2 months for that process.

Sorry should have kept reading this has already happened.

[piozam13]

You can get a VOLUNTARY APPLICATION FOR ACR I-CARD I do not know if that would work for PhilHealth or not but you can ask them or they might not know the difference, although voluntary cards are red. http://www.immigration.gov.ph/faqs/acr-i-card

maraming salamat

[Peter]

Peter, there's more to renew your Permanent Resident card than just showing up with passport and an ID.  .....................

................................................


.......................... Sorry should have kept reading this has already happened.

M.C.A.

It was really simple. If I had shown up with my passport and old ACR I-card, I could have done the business, albeit in a longer time frame, as I would have to run about getting photocopies of the relevant PP pages.

The form I got from Olongopo in January, was an A4 copy of an original (with big letters on the top saying NOT TO BE COPIED  ) . But it was accepted. As were the A4 PP copies I printed at home, all on one page of A4 (yeah cheapskate I hear you all say. LOL!)
The guy on the "Step 1" desk put everything together in the required white folder (for free, unlike last time when I had to pay for a folder.)

I did take my passport and 6 years' worth of annual report receipts, along with the original paperwork from BI granting permanent 13A residency just in case, but nothing more was needed. The only thing I forgot was the need to write a letter asking for the card to be sent to the office of my choice for pick up.

Hopefully in 5 years time it could be even simpler. 

Peter

[Steve & Myrlita]

For those who have to renew your 5 year ACR-I Card, I just renewed mine today and got a nasty surprise. If you have already had your card for 10 years, they hit you with a mandatory ACR-I replacement fee. With that magical express fee, it comes to an additional P1610 whacking me with a whopping P4720. This was a big jump from P2320 back in 2014. I had to obtain additional funds as I was not prepared for that surprise. Next surprise was that want recent 2x2 pics only. Mine were 2 yrs old and they rejected them. I had to go to SM Photo line and get new ones. Praise God this is only once every 5 years. This happened in Iloilo. Their new location is in the Iloilo Bus Ctr across from McDonald's Megaworld Blvd. Just got home from that God forsaken city! The less I see it the better. OK Rant Over!