Annual Report 2014

[i am bob]

The thought was that some people would come home and decide to stay... Decide to switch to what ever Visa was appropriate for them. Not another BB year. But it wasn't working... Not enough takers. So the 1 year rule was relaxed so that maybe, just maybe, this would be enough for the BB group to look into making the move more permanent and getting their proper Visas. Unfortunately nobody really saw what the idea was other than a free way to stay in the country.

I'm not saying you're wrong but that's certainly not the stated mission of the law. If you put aside the flowery rhetoric ("In recognition of your contribution blah, blah") what it's about is getting former citizens who have escaped to come back from overseas, spend their hard-earned yankee dollars, and leave. That's exactly what the Dept of Tourism, the administrator of the law, wants - more tourists, not permanent residents.

Hey Mike! I understand! Even my friend at the consulate in Toronto is not entirely sure about some things. As he will whisper very quietly when nobody else is around, what is written and what they are told are often different but make sense on their own merits.

In this case, his understanding was that some former Filipinos might be nudged into bringing their full pensions back to the country with them - if they could just be convinced to move back to the Philippines permanently. What better way than to give them a year free in country?

[franzh]

Well, after a surprisingly painful experience in doing my 2014 reporting, I learned a few lessons I thought I’d pass on to anyone who might be anxiously awaiting their immigration reporting journey. I sure wish I had known these things a month ago….

 

1. First, and most importantly, check the Bureau of Immigration Facebook page. Not the regular BofI page, the FACEBOOK page. Do it now, and do it regularly in the future. It has helpful staff that actually answer questions, and a huge amount of up to date information, including exactly which offices you can do your annual reporting at, detailed explanations of why this procedure is required this year, and other interesting news items that probably affect you in some way. Including the fact that you now have to fill out a 4 page form. If I had known this it would have saved me a 7 hour drive each way to the closest BOI office which, after assuring me that they could do annual reporting when I texted them days before I left, apologized when I arrived that they really couldn’t do it because it was a 13A visa. But they did inform me of the new form, which was nice, and gave me a blank one. Stupid me, I figured the BofI website was where the action was.

   

2. Don’t assume you can get a blank reporting form at the immigration office. The one I went to didn’t have any, if you can believe that. And make copies, because you’ll probably make mistakes and need to do it over.

 

3. Prepare as much of the reporting requirements ahead of time. This includes getting 2x2 photos (there are probably places at the mall, if you have one nearby), getting copies of the pertinent pages of your passport and ACR card (again, you can get copies of anything at the mall), printing out and making copies of the annual reporting form (I did it at an internet café in the mall, using a USB stick I downloaded to from my computer at home), and filling it out as best you can. Of course you can also log on to the BofI website at the internet café and just send it to the printer. However, I don’t recommend you get the form notarized until you get to BofI, because you’ll probably have some mistakes when you fill it out and might have to scrap it and fill out another. In any case, when I did mine the same BofI clerk checked for mistakes, and also notarized and did my thumbprints, which took all of a couple of minutes. In fact I was quite impressed at what a good job she did and told her so. Oh, and she also had glue for affixing the photos to the form, so don’t fret like I did.

 

4. Don’t forget to follow the dress code !!! I learned the hard way a couple years ago when I wore flipflops and had to borrow a pair of shoes from the guard.

 

5. When filling out the form, what I did (and it seemed to work, since she accepted my submittal without changes) is put “N/A” in the first few boxes of every line that asks for information where indeed it doesn’t apply. And since my parents are deceased, that included N/A for all of the “Parents” information, except at the end where it asks for names of deceased parents and children, which is where I entered that info. Also, for ACR card holders the ACR number they are looking for is on the front, and for me starts with an “F0000”, not the “serial number” on the back. Oh, and if your spouse is/has petitioned you for your 13A visa, be sure to include his/her info in the appropriate Petitioner section. Never occurred to me that’s what they meant on my first attempt, but lesson learned.

   

6. There are other offices which do the reporting (as shown in a post on the Facebook page) which are not nearly as difficult to get to as Intramuros, and have far less traffic and shorter lines. So I’d suggest doing a bit of research about which office is really easier for you. Oh, and according to the Facebook page Intramuros is even having special reporting days on Saturday (when it’s otherwise closed for business), so that might be a good time to go.

 

7. And finally, instead of complaining, I came to realize (at least I think…) that the BofI folks really seem to be trying to clean up their act, and they really seem to be trying to make things better after decades of, well, you fill in the blanks. And there’s a case to be made that it really is our responsibility to keep up to date on the immigration requirements and news, so I’m gonna be checking the BofI Facebook page fairly regularly.

 

Hope this helps

[MikeB]

Don’t forget to follow the dress code !!! I learned the hard way a couple years ago when I wore flipflops and had to borrow a pair of shoes from the guard.

The dress code has been changed. Flip flops and shorts are ok.

Also, for ACR card holders the ACR number they are looking for is on the front, and for me starts with an “F0000”, not the “serial number” on the back.

Good to know.

[Thomas]

A very good post. Write a dew more and you can get "Likes"   :)   Specialy this I found interesting

when I did mine the same BofI clerk checked for mistakes, and also notarized and did my thumbprints, which took all of a couple of minutes.

because it wouldn't be so nice if having to be in a long queue > told it need to be changed > long queue > corect  - if it don't need more corection turns  :)  -   > go elsewhere to get it notarized > long queue again...

[Steve & Myrlita]

I went to Bacolod BI 2 days ago and they checked my PP and ACR. They said sorry Sir Stephen, you will need to go to either Iloilo or Mandaue. But it's more "Fun Fun Fun" in da Filipines!

Edited January 30, 2014 by Steve & Myrlita

[Mike S]

I went to Bacolod BI 2 days ago and they checked my PP and ACR. They said sorry Sir Stephen, you will need to go to either Iloilo or Mandaue. But it's more "Fun Fun Fun" in da Filipines!

 

Yes sir Steve ALL 13a &13g visa holders must go to their branch office and not their satellite office .... a friend of mine just got back from Iloilo yesterday and here is his report ..... get ready for a bumpy ride cause the water is really rough .... 

 

From Gary .........

it was rough seas this morning when I left Bacolod at 630am! Rough ride, too, even on Weesam Express, which has First Class on the Upper Deck and usually a smooth ride. RT is P665 and you can buy in advance, which I did, with open end on the return from Iloilo. The open end ticket is valid for one year.

 

I know some BI offices open at 8am, so I was hoping Iloilo did, too. I arrived a little before 8am but the side gate to the Custom House Building was not open at 8am, 815am or 830am. That is the side of the Customs and BI office in the building that is across from the Fire Station.

As I looked more closely at 830am, I noticed people walking in and out of a gate on the other side of the building, so I walked around there. It is the down the small alley street that has all the small eateries! Nora's, Nena, etc. Sure enough, that gate was open.

 

I was number 3 in Iloilo BI. The BI guy, who normally greets those who enter the office, asked if I was there to do my annual report. Yes! I had everything in a clear folder, with my Certification Letter from BI. He was happy to see it all done. He looked over the new 4 page form I had filled up, all was good to go and he asked for my ACR I-Card and P310. He told me I would be finished soon. I sure was!

 

Fifteen minutes later, I was called to the desk by another nice BI lady, located in the waiting room, and was fingerprinted, asked if I wanted to go outside for my own notarization or let the BI Attorney do it. I told her their attorney was fine. That cost was P100. I signed the forms where required and gave up an extra 2X2 photo. I was given my annual report receipt for 2014 and I was loose and on my way!

 

Concerning the new form. As Bacolod BI instructed me, I put N in the first box and A in the second box for everything that did not apply to me. I did not put N in the first, / in the second and A in the 3rd box. It was correct! That is what BI staff in Bacolod instructed me.

 

I listed my parents by name as deceased where it was requested but put N A on the section asking for parents info, such as name, birth date, etc. Children only pertain to Dependent Children. For those with Dual Citizen Children, write Filipino American for nationality and put their foreign passport info.

 

 

Now here is an interesting report from a guy who got his 13a here in Bacolod ..... don't bother to ask why or how ..... god only knows .... :hystery: :hystery:

 

From Jim .....

Went to BI in Bacolod yesterday to see if I had to go to Iloilo or Cebu to pay my P310 and turn in the 4-page form.  The lady said, "you can go there if you want but it would be easier to do it right here."  Wow, did I ever get lucky.  The guard said I was only the 5th of 6th person he saw who could complete the form in Bacolod.

[franzh]

 

Write a dew more and you can get "Likes"   :)  

 

Wow. Really? And the reason I'd want to get "likes" is.....um..... :) :) :)

[Dave Hounddriver]

wants - more tourists, not permanent residents. 

 

I thought the same, which is why I am puzzled to see BI going to a 3 year stay for tourists. I cannot figure out why they are doing this.  I like this carrot, but I am wondering where the 'stick' is.

[MikeB]

 

wants - more tourists, not permanent residents. 

 

I thought the same, which is why I am puzzled to see BI going to a 3 year stay for tourists. I cannot figure out why they are doing this.  I like this carrot, but I am wondering where the 'stick' is.

 

No idea why they extended the tourist visa. I was referring specifically to the Dept of Tourism, the agency that directly administers the Balikbayan program. It's really a separate entity from the rest of BI. But if there was major screw up authored by some guy with a BB stamp in his passport, courtesy of a balikbayan spouse, I think it would change fast. I have found things to be very reactive here, they tend to lock the barn door after......

[Thomas]

I went to Bacolod BI 2 days ago and they checked my PP and ACR. They said sorry Sir Stephen, you will need to go to either Iloilo or Mandaue. But it's more "Fun Fun Fun" in da Filipines!

?? Including the anual report?

If I remember corect, Iloilo isn't at the list of offices they say handle such.

It's realy crap anyway VISA can't be handled anywhere at Negros island.

 

 

 

Write a few more and you can get "Likes"   :)  

 

Wow. Really? And the reason I'd want to get "likes" is.....um..... :) :) :)

Well. You can bother about the "Likes" if you bother about the "Likes"   :)

(In general outside cyberspace I don't bother what people in general think, I only bother my friends think and what I would think if someone would do same to me.)