News You Can Use: Bi Cracks Down Fake Visas

[Call me bubba]

latest news from the BI website, i know it would never apply to our fm but its still newsworthy

 

 

BI cracks down on aliens with fake visa

 

APRIL 01, 2013

           Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel in all the airports and seaports nationwide have been ordered to arrest all foreigners caught trying to leave the country with spurious immigration stamps and fake reentry and exit permits.

            In a memorandum issued last week, Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. instructed BI employees assigned in the ports to apprehend any departing foreigner with a fake visa or fake visa extension stamp on his passport.

            Departing aliens caught in possession of spurious immigration documents such as ACR I-Card, emigration clearance certificate (ECC) and re-entry permits should also be arrested, David said.

            David also ordered the imposition of administrative penalties on any BI employee responsible for providing the spurious immigration stamps and fraudulent travel documents to foreigners.
             He said BI employees suspected of involvement in the scheme shall be referred to the bureau’s board of discipline for investigation of their possible criminal and administrative liability.

            Atty. Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI spokesperson and acting intelligence chief, said David’s memorandum was an offshoot of the recent apprehensions at the airports of foreigners with fake visa stamps and other fake BI documents.

            Mangrobang said David wants the aliens subjected to deportation proceedings, blacklisted and banned from re-entering the country.

            She described the offense committed by said foreigners as “very serious because aside causing disrespect to the integrity of the BI, they also deprived the government of much needed revenues.”

            David’s memorandum spelled out the guidelines that immigration officers should observed when encountering immigration documents suspected of being fake or fraudulent.

            The said documents shall immediately be referred to the anti-fraud section for examination and if found to be fake or fraudulent,
the foreign passenger involved shall be turned over to BI intelligence agents who will then commit him to the BI Detention Center pending deportation proceeding.

 

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1986&Itemid=78

Edited April 3, 2013 by Pittman apartments Sgn

[Dave Hounddriver]

David also ordered the imposition of administrative penalties on any BI employee responsible for providing the spurious immigration stamps and fraudulent travel documents to foreigners.

 

David wants the aliens subjected to deportation proceedings, blacklisted and banned from re-entering the country.

 

So the crooks get an 'administrative penalty' and the victims, (although they be willing victims in many cases), get banned and blacklisted.  Sounds like business as usual.  Well, at least he is trying.

[Jollygoodfellow]

David should look up some of his other proposals that he made big headlines out of like longer visas for foreigners. Anyway my guess is some have had fake stamps or extensions without knowing it from when they used to use fixers waiting to help you at the BI offices.

[i am bob]

I wonder what the next rush of Visa Runs is going to bring?  Standing room only in a 4x6 room with bars on the windows?

[JJReyes]

How can they tell if it's a fake or legit visa stamped on your passport? The BI agent upon entry uses an ink pad and an ordinary rubber stamp. No security features as far as I can observe.

[Old55]

Those Foreigners are at fault again. It's more fun. :no:

[earthdome]

How can they tell if it's a fake or legit visa stamped on your passport? The BI agent upon entry uses an ink pad and an ordinary rubber stamp. No security features as far as I can observe.

 

I get a computer printout when I renew my visa. I expect visa renewal and immigration status is tracked in computers and immigration agents use computers at the airports I have flown into. Maybe they are just being more diligent in checking the passport visa stamp versus the computer records.

[Call me bubba]

I get a computer printout when I renew my visa.

 

Would it be recommend that 1obtains carry the "printout" in addition to the OR(official receipts)

just to be "SAFE" in case of an "error"detected.

[Dave Hounddriver]

How can they tell if it's a fake or legit visa stamped on your passport?

 

I was once denied exit at Mactan airport with a legitimate ECC because I did not have the official receipt stapled to it.  I had removed it because . .  its a receipt.  I put it in a safe place with my other receipts.  Fortunately my wife was with me and explained this convincingly to the officer and he just said:  Next time leave the receipt stapled to the Exit Clearance.

 

That's how they know.

[JJReyes]

I am arriving in the Phlippines next week. Although my status is Balikbayan as a Fil-Am and my stay is only two weeks, it would be interesting to observe any changes/improvements with BI. Promise to report back to the forum.