This section was cut and pasted from the Bureau of Immigration and is pretty clear.


For the information and guidance of all concerned , the following are the guidelines for the implementation of the ACR I-Card Project of the Bureau of immigration under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Agreement dated December 18, 2003:

1. Statement of policy - There is an imperative need to modernize and improve efficiency and security of its alien registration, identification and monitoring system in light of the  increasing traffic in the countries numerous ports and increased threat of terrorists, transnational criminals and aliens with criminal records, through the implementation of an automated, accurate, fraud-proof and tamper-proof registration identification and monitoring of registered aliens in the country.

2. Coverage - All registered aliens, including their dependents, who have been duly issued paper based Alien Certificates of Registration (ACRs) and all other aliens who are required to register under the Alien Registration Act.3. Definition of Terms:

a. Agreement refers to the BOT Agreement dated December 18, 2003 including its relevant annexes and such amendments as may be executed thereafter in accordance there under.

b. Registered alien - refers to a person who is neither a national or citizen of the Republic of the Philippines who was valid granted a visa and correspondingly issued an Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR).c. Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR ) - is an accountable form issued to the following:

1. Native born

2. Permanent resident under Section 13 and its sub sections

3. Temporary visitor - one who is coming for business or pleasure or for reasons of health if his stay exceeds six (6) months

4. Treaty trader under Section 9(d)

5. Temporary student under Section 9(f)

6. Pre-arranged employee under Section 9(g) and other special laws.

7. Special resident investor under EO 226 and EO 63

8. Such other aliens as may required by law to register

9. For those who are required to register but exempted from immigration fees, they may opt to avail of the ACR I-Card subject to payment of the card fee.

c. ACR Identity Card or ACR I-Card - it is a microchip-based credit card-sized identification card issued to registered alien replacing the paper-based ACR issued to him/her. It has an embedded computer chip with biometric security features capable of data management and can be updated electronically. It is fraud and tamper proof/resistant with the following data:

1. Personal information such as name, age, date of birth, place of birth, address etc.

2. Photograph

3. Date and status of admission

4. Visa type granted

5. Biometric information ( 2 digitalized fingerprint templates)

6. Signature

7. ACR and ICR / CRTV / CRTT / CRTS and CRPE numbers

8. Travel details

9. Payment of immigration fee details

10. Emigration Clearance Certificate ( ECC ) / Special Return Certificate ( SCR ) / Re-entry Permit (RP)

d. Alien Registration - the process of accurately recording the entry admission, personal circumstances, residence, exit and death of non-citizens in the Philippines. It involves the documentation of all aliens, whether admitted under nonimmigrant and immigrant status, through the issuance of such forms as are necessary to precisely chronicle their stay and activities in the Philippines.

4. ACR I-Card Committee- For purposes of implementing the ACR I-Card Project, a Committee shall be created to check on the validity of the immigration status of and genuineness of the ACR submitted by the applicant as well as to verify all the data entered therein. Upon its verification, it shall endorse the issuance of ACR I-Card. The ACR I-Card Committee in shall be composed of five (5) members, namely:

a. Associate Commissioner in charge of IT projects or its duly designated Representative as Chair.

b. Chief of the Alien Registration Division (ARD) as Vice Chair.

c. Two (2) ARD personnel to be designated by the Chief , ARD and one (1) from the office of the Executive Director to be designated by the Executive Director.The Chief ARD and the Executive Director are hereby directed to name their nominees to the Committee within (48) hours from receipt a copy hereof

5. Place of Application - Applications for insurance of ACR I-Card shall be made at the Main Office, Bureau of Immigration, Intramuros, Manila. Registered Aliens residing outside Metro Manila shall have the option of applying for ACR I-Card at the district port nearest to them when the system has already been set up in such district port. In the meantime, all application shall be made in Manila.

6. Procedure for the issuance of ACR-I Card

a. Applicant shall submit ACR I-Card application form at window 1 of the ACR I-Card Area. To be attached in the application form are the following:

1. Original copies of the ACR and ICR/CRTV/CRTT/CRTS/CRPE and

2. Order granting his/her visa if he/she still has a copy

b. Applicant shall then proceed to the designated counter of the Alien Registration Division (ARD) and secure an Order of Payment Slip (OPS)

c. The Applicant shall proceed to the designated Cashier and pay the card fee of US $50.00 or its Peso equivalent as posted in the major daily broadsheets at the time of payment.. In paying, the applicant shall present to the said Cashier a duly issued Order of Payment Slip (OPS).

d. Upon payment, the applicant shall proceed to Windows 1.2 and 1.6 for data capturing (picture, fingerprint and signature).

e. The application and the submitted documents shall be forwarded to the ACR I-Card Committee, through the ARD for verification.

f. If the application is verified appropriate by the committee, it shall endorse the issuance of an ACR I-Card, otherwise, the Committee shall make the appropriate action against the applicant.

g. On a date specified in the claim stub, applicant shall be issued his ACR I-Card at the ARD.

7. Fee- The ACR I-Card cost US$50.00 or its Philippine Peso equivalent as posted in the major daily broadsheets at the time of payment.

8. Renewal of ACR I-Card - Renewal of the ACR I-Card shall be done yearly simultaneous with the payment of the annual report fee.

9. Benefits derived from the ACR I-Card - Renewal of the ACR I-Card holders shall have the following benefits:

1. They are provided special immigration booths at the ports of entry without going through the regular immigration control lines with an estimated time of 10 seconds only for their entry and exit.

2. They are assured that they are holding a genuinely issued ACR

3. They receive faster and more efficient service.

4. More convenient with the tamper and faud-proof / resistant credit card sized ACR I-Card. No more paper-based ACR and ICR/CRTV/CRTT/CRTS/CRPE, ECC, SRC and Re-entry permit.

10. Special Arrangement - The ACR I-Card Committee may, if circumstances warrant, authorize that the data capturing (picture taking, fingerprinting and signing) be done at the residence of the applicant in view of his/ her physical incapacity.

11. Mandatory compliance - All registered aliens are enjoined to apply for and change their paper-based ACR to a tamper and fraud-proof ACRI-Card with biometric security features. They have until June 30, 2004 within which to change their paper based ACRs.

12. Penalty for non-compliance - Any registered alien who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 5 hereof within the period of time specified therein shall be subject to an administrative fine of five hundred pesos (P500.00) for every month or fraction thereof of delay, the total sum of which in no case exceed two thousand pesos (P2,000.00). After December 31, 2004, any registered alien found in possession of a paper-based ACR shall be deemed not properly documented and maybe proceeded against under pertinent provisions of the Immigration Act of 1940 or Alien Registration Act of 1950, both as amended.

13. Dissemination - All heads of Immigration districts and Alien Registration and Control Officers shall give this implementing
guidelines the widest publicity possible in their respective territorial jurisdiction.

14. Publication - Such implementing guidelines shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation and shall take effect after (15) days from publication. Manila, 24 February 2004
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How to get Alien Registration Card for those with the present 13(A) Permanent Resident Visa, for those married to Filipina /os This is a new procedure implemented only in Manila at this time, March 14.

Hi everybody thought I post my experiences about ACR I Card issuing procedures.

Monday, March 14, 2004 I arrived at Bureau of Immigrations at 0915 hours. The building was packed, but well organized.

REF: http://www.immigration.gov.ph/acr-icard.php . This site fails to instruct Applicant's are required to submit copies of their passport and passport page with 13a Visa.

What the Bureau of Immigration requires.

• Complete Bureau of Immigration's or Alien Certification of Registration Identity Card application form.

• Applicant's original (8 x 11) Alien Certificate of Registration and one Xerox copy.

• One Xerox copy of your passport. (Very first page where applicant's passport picture and signature is.)

• One Xerox copy of passport page that indicates you have a 13a
Visa

STEP ONE: Go to Window 1 and submit the required documents to attendant. After you submit required documentation, you will be instructed to have a sit and wait for you're named to be called again. When I was there, the average waiting time was between thirty and forty minutes.

NOTE: Immigrations will require you're original Alien Certificate of Registration. This document will be returned to you, when your ACR I Card is issue to you. I suggest you have a Xerox copy of this document on hand. Have Window 1 attendant rubber stamp your copy with the "RECEIVED" stamp they regular use and have them certify it is a true copy and sign it. You never know, you may require it later for some other purpose.

STEP TWO: Biometrics Process. Once your name is called, you will either report to Window 4 or 5 as instructed on loud speaker. This particular station will take a digital photo of you in three different facial positions and will electronically scan your finger prints. After this process is completed, the attendant will instruct you once again to have a sit until your name is called. He or she will keep your documents and return them back to Window 2.

STEP THREE: Window 2 attendant will call your name to release a Pay Order and the previously submitted documents. The Window attendant will instruct you to pay ACR I Card fees at Cashier One, get a Xerox copy of your receipt and return to Window 2 with all previous documents in hand

STEP FOUR: Make payment at Cashier 1. I paid in Pesos, so I paid 2,712 Pesos for my card. After you make payment, remember to make Xerox copy of receipt for the attendant at Window 2. Return toWindow 2 with all previous documents in hand. Resubmit the required documents and cashier receipt. You show them the original receipt and give them the Xerox copy. After the attendant accepts documents and receipt, he or she will give you an Applicant's Claim Stub with a controlled number on it. The attendant will then instruct you to call the telephone number on the claim stub in thirty days to determine of your ACR I Card is ready for release.

LOCATION FOR ACR I CARD PICK UP: The smaller white building to the left of the Bureau of Immigration where the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Foundation and Equitable Bank is house. ACR I Cards are picked up on the third floor of this building in the Alien Registration Division (ARD) office.

For me the ACR I Card application process was very easy. The whole process from start to end took exactly one hour and fifteen minutes. I was very impress with the Bureau of Immigration's speedy and efficient process procedures.

It is important to note, I spoke with many expats who informed me they waited up to sixty days after submitted their application before receiving their cards.

I hope my experiences will enlighten others and make the process simply for them. Good luck [Ken Rice Ermita Manila]
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A reminder that VFW Post 124 Baguio is sponsoring a visit by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration Monday from 8am to 5pm to assist in issuing the new ACR ID Cards.

All Expats w/ ACRs : Per the below Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. AFF-05-014 all Expats holding Alien Certificate of Residency documents must replace them with the new microchip based ACR-I card no later than 31 DEC 05. Towards this, the VFW Post 124 in Baguio City has coordinated with the BI for an Outreach Visit in Baguio to accept applications for the new card. Since the VFW is hosting the visit of at least six BI personnel plus paying for their transportation and accommodation expense there will be a P300 fee accessed to each applicant to reimburse their cost. This is much cheaper than the current requirement for Expats to travel to Manila to submit an application and travel a second time to Manila to pick up their card. Those who have not applied for their card by 31 DEC will be subject to a P500 fine for each month of delay up to four months and possible deportation thereafter for not complying with Philippine BI regulations. For those planning on attending the following is germane:

1. Time: 21 November 2005 (Monday) 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

2. Place: Forest Inn, #12 Lagarda Road, Baguio City

3. Cost: $50 equivalent in pesos at that day's rate plus the P300 fee.

4. Documents Required: Passport, original of ACR & ICR (if applicable), xerox copy of ACR/ICR.

[Note: You will not receive your paper ACR/ICR back so you may want to xerox an extra copy for yourself for any future need for proof of residency at the time it was issued]

5. Photo and fingerprints will be obtained on site using the BI computer.

6. ACR-I cards will be forwarded in approximately two months to the Baguio BI satellite office behind City Hall for pickup.

7. Renewal and fee will be required annually.

8. POC in Baguio: (74) 446-0251 or 442-7135
JD (In Baguio)
 

What is an ACR-I Card? (latest news, Dec 17, 2005)

It's a replacement for the paper Alien Certificate of Registration. It consists of a credit card sized plastic card, containing digitized fingerprints, two photographs, digitized signature and various personal details. Supposed to be machine readable at all ports of arrival and departure.

Unfortunately the system for reading the cards is not yet properly in place. The whole project is dogged by various problems and complaints from Embassies and Chambers of Commerce of various countries, and is now delayed until mid April 2006. The main complaint is about the cost of the card, currently $50 per year. [George]