Supreme Court E-Library
Information At Your Fingertips

Adopted: 12 August 2014
Date Filed: 15 August 2014

In the exigency of the service and pursuant to Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, otherwise known as the “Philippine Immigration Act of 1940”, applications for change of admission status from Temporary Visitor’s Visa (TVV) to Special Non-Immigrant Visa under Executive Order 226^[1], as amended by Republic Act No. 8756, including applications for extension thereof, shall be processed by the Office of the Commissioner.

Accordingly, the following rules, procedures and guidelines are hereby prescribed:

I. PROCESSING PROCEDURES

A. CENTRAL RECEIVING UNIT (CRU)

Upon determination that all the supporting documents for the application are complete and in order in accordance with the checklist of requirements and after full payment of the prescribed fees, transmit the visa application folder to the Office of the Commissioner within four (4) hours from the time the application was received.

If the applicant for change of admission status opts to voluntarily apply for an Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-Card), advise him/her to directly proceed to the ARD for biometric capturing.

B. [1] OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER (OCOM)

Within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the visa application folder, the OCOM-designated Processing Officer shall evaluate the application after which prepare and submit to the Commissioner the recommended Order therefor.

The Order shall contain the following: (1) “Recommending APPROVAL” as the desired action of the Processing Officer; (2) “APPROVED/ DISAPPROVED” as the final action by the Commissioner; and (3) date when the signature of the concerned signatory was affixed.

[2] ALIEN REGISTRATION DIVISION (ARD)

Upon appearance by the applicant for biometric capturing:

a) Retrieve the ACR I-Card application from and confirm personally with the applicant the correctness of the information provided therein;
b) Capture the applicant’s biometrics data; and
c) Submit the applicant’s biometric data and application form for preparation of the applicant’s ACR I-Card template and printing.
d) Transmit the ACR I-Card to OED.

C. COMMISSIONER

a) Act on the recommended Order;
b) Release to the OCOM Receiving Unit for transmittal to the Office of the Executive Director within the same day.

D. OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (OED)

a) Within twenty-four (24) hours from the receipt of Order, implement the approved visa in the applicant’s passport upon presentment thereof and simultaneously release his/her ACR I-Card, if any;
b) Within three (3) working days after the implementation, transmit the entire records of the application to the Verification and Compliance Division (VCD) for post-audit; and
c) Initiate the forfeiture/cancellation of approved visa and ACR I-Card that are not implemented within thirty (30) working days from posting of the action taken thereof in the BI website.

E. VCD

Conduct and complete the post-audit of all approved visa and ACR I-Card applications within three (3) months from transmittal.

II. REPEALING CAUSE

All rules, procedures, guidelines and previous issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.

III. EFFECTIVITY

This Order shall take effect immediately upon approval.

Furnish a copy of this Circular to the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR), U.P. Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.

12 August 2014

(SGD) SIEGFRED B. MISON
Commissioner