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(NAR) VOL. 25 NO. 3 / JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014
[ BI IMMIGRATION MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. SBM-2014-010, August 20, 2014 ]
PRESCRIBING THE USE OF SECURITY VISA STICKER (SVS) FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EXTENSION AND/OR UPDATING OF AUTHORIZED STAY OF TEMPORARY VISITORS
Date Filed: 26 August 2014
WHEREAS, under Section 9(a) of Commonwealth Act No. 613, otherwise known as the “Philippine Immigration Act of 1940”, as amended, temporary visitors coming into the Philippines for the purpose of business, pleasure or health may be admitted into the country as non-immigrants;
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) implements extensions and/or updating of temporary visitor’s visa (TVV) using the traditional stamped-on visa (wet stamp) which can easily be cloned and its impressions are susceptible to forgeries and counterfeiting;
WHEREAS, there is a necessity to incorporate higher security and accountability measures in the implementation of extension and/or updating of authorized stay of temporary visitors to achieve an accurate, efficient and fraudproof issuance of TVVs;
WHEREAS, the Security Visa Sticker (SVS) contains sufficient and tamperproof security features that are not available in the wet stamp;
WHEREAS, the implementation of approved Long-Stay Visitor’s Visa Extension (LSVVE)[1] and Special Study Permit (SSP) using the same type of Security Visa Sticker (SVS) proved successful as there has been no report of any forged or falsified LSVVE or SSP discovered or detected;
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, in relation to Sections 29 and 36, Chapter 6, Book IV, Title III of Executive Order No. 292 (Revised Administrative Code of 1987), as amended, this Immigration Memorandum Circular is hereby promulgated:
Section 1. Use of Security Visa Sticker (SVS). – BI Officers authorized to extend and/or update the authorized stay of temporary visitors shall use the BIprescribed SVS in implementing the approved TVV extension and/or updating by properly sticking the SVS in the appropriate page of the applicant’s valid passport.
Section 2. Security Visa Sticker Fee. – To defray the cost of the SVS, the BI shall assess and collect an amount of One Hundred Pesos (P100.00), Philippine currency, as SVS Fee which shall be added to the existing fees for every application of TVV extension and/or updating.
Section 3. Administrative and Technical Support. – The Finance and Management Division (FMD), Information and Communications Technology Division (ICTS) and Property Section shall extend appropriate and necessary administrative and technical support to all BI Offices responsible for the implementation of this Circular.
Section 4. Repealing Clause. – All previous issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.
Section 5. Effectivity. – This Circular shall take effect immediately upon approval.
Furnish a copy of this Order to the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR), U.P. Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.
20 August 2014
(SGD) SIEGFRED B. MISON
Commissioner
[1] Pursuant to Memorandum Circular No. RADJR-2013-002 approved on 04 April 2013 by the Secretary Leila M. De Lima, Department of Justice.