Bi Launches Long-Stay Visa

[Thomas]

I first time I had to pay the express-lane fee I asked what it was for and the BI official told me it was to pay for the new machines used to send the data to Manila and back much faster .... it seemed to work for those that don't remember the good ol' days ...... now I go once a year and in and out in 15-20min .... no fuss no muss ..... but that is with a 13a

Being forced to pay kind of bribes to speed up I wouldn't like, but it having new cost for THEM is a good enough reason to pay the extra fee.

But some odd if they call it "express lane fee", if there isn't any "NOT express lane fee"   :)

 

(Except from in the beginning, I will probably have 13a too.)

[Jollygoodfellow]

Maybe Ilolio is not as corrupt as some other areas. The Express Lane fee is always charged in Cebu City.  Well that's the office where the employee got arrested recently for corruption. Makes me wonder if the Express Lane fee is going into his pocket since its not necessary and not on the BOI list of fees.

 

Shows clearly on the BI website the fees and include express fee. 

 

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=43

 

 

Also states on their official website.

 

NOTICE:

Effective February 15,2008 all applicants for extension (tourist visa) under the VIMS (VISA ISSUANCE MADE SIMPLE) are required to pay in addition to immigration fees, Certification fee of P500, Express fee of P500 plus Legal Research Fee of P10 for every transaction.

 

All applicants for extension are required to dress properly. Applicants wearing shorts, sandos, and slippers will not be allowed entry to Immigration Office. 

 

Updated last: February 27, 2012

[OnMyWay]

 

Maybe Ilolio is not as corrupt as some other areas. The Express Lane fee is always charged in Cebu City.  Well that's the office where the employee got arrested recently for corruption. Makes me wonder if the Express Lane fee is going into his pocket since its not necessary and not on the BOI list of fees.

 

Shows clearly on the BI website the fees and include express fee. 

 

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=43

 

 

Also states on their official website.

 

NOTICE:

Effective February 15,2008 all applicants for extension (tourist visa) under the VIMS (VISA ISSUANCE MADE SIMPLE) are required to pay in addition to immigration fees, Certification fee of P500, Express fee of P500 plus Legal Research Fee of P10 for every transaction.

 

All applicants for extension are required to dress properly. Applicants wearing shorts, sandos, and slippers will not be allowed entry to Immigration Office. 

 

Updated last: February 27, 2012

 

 

Yes, and the Express Lane fees (and all other fees) are are clearly posted on a big poster at BI in Sta Rosa, and I have never seen or heard of bribes at Sta Rosa or Ologapo BI.  No need as I think the longest wait I ever had was 90 minutes at Sta Rosa, and that was one of the occasions where they were very crowded because there are a lot of students and agents.

 

What is puzzling is the report of NOT PAYING the Express Lane fee, by Tuka.

[jpbago]

I don't understand why the express lane fee for 1 month extension is 1,000 and then for 2 month extension, it is 1,500. The extension itself is 500 for 1 month and then 1,000 for 2 months.

If the express lane fees are for upgraded equipment, it should have been called that.

In Bacolod, I pay the express lane fees when I am alone in the office and then in Cebu to get my ECC, there was maybe 100 people there and no express lane fees.

I fail to see the logic.

[Thomas]

I fail to see the logic.

Yes.

English isn't my native language, but I don't find it logic to call it "Express LANE fee" if it can't be unchosen and all have to go in same lane...  :)  

But it isn't so much money anyway, so it's surely worth it if the waiting time is reduced much.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

My first receipt has 4 charges listed: Visa waiver application fee, Visa waiver, Certificate fee, Legal research.  That is all.

 

My longest one is the ACR-I card visit.  8 fees.  Alien certificate of registration, head tax, monthly ext. fee, emigration clearance fee, monthly ext fee, certificate fee, ACR-I fee, legal research.

 

That one was p5839 so I am paying enough ha ha  i don't need any other fees. 

 

I would pay a little extra for the 6 month extension just for the time and trouble it would save me.  I would save 2 trips to immigration - that is worth something.   :tiphat:

[earthdome]

My first receipt has 4 charges listed: Visa waiver application fee, Visa waiver, Certificate fee, Legal research.  That is all.

 

My longest one is the ACR-I card visit.  8 fees.  Alien certificate of registration, head tax, monthly ext. fee, emigration clearance fee, monthly ext fee, certificate fee, ACR-I fee, legal research.

 

That one was p5839 so I am paying enough ha ha  i don't need any other fees. 

 

I would pay a little extra for the 6 month extension just for the time and trouble it would save me.  I would save 2 trips to immigration - that is worth something.   :tiphat:

 

Interesting. For a normal extension of 59 days the total fees including the express lane fees are 2830. On the visit when I got my ACR-I the total cost was approximately 7500, or about 1500 more than Tuka paid.

 

Perhaps the express lane fees are only added if the office you go to has implemented the new technology the express lane fee is targeted to pay for.

 

Or maybe the memo to add those fees never got to the BI office Tuka goes to.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I don't find it logic to call it "Express LANE fee"

 

I mentioned that to someone the other day and they replied:

 

Why is there no ham in a hamburger?  Why is there no dog in a hot dog?  Its just a name they like and English is full of such occurrences.

[Mike S]

I think the main reason they call it express lane fee is because it makes your transaction faster like driving in the express lane ... you get where you are going quicker and that is back home ...... :hystery:

 

Now if they called it For New Equipment Fee .... people would always want to know when the equipment was going to be paid off so the fee would be discontinued .... which we all know isn't going to happen as ongoing costs to maintain and replace equipment is also on going ....

 

Guess it all depends on how you look at it .... don't worry Thomas your doing OK with your translation of one of the hardest languages to learn outside of Russian ..... :mocking: :thumbsup:

:cheersty:

[jon1]

I have zero complaints with Olongapo BI. I am always in and out within 15 minutes and they are polite and professional. 

 

Has anyone run into this one? I roll in/out of country frequently, so I use the Tourist Visa. My ACR ICard expired while I was out of country last time. When renewing my 2 month extension, I asked on how to renew it. They told me that they couldn't process them right now and that the stamps in my passport were sufficient for me to leave country. No reason why they couldn't process them.

 

It almost sounds like the BI is trying to get a grip 100% on processes and validations. I wouldn't be surprised if there will be some new procedure involving the ACR ICard (I am thinking that I will keep the Official Receipt for my next one, like I do with my DL in case there is ever a question about it)...