Renewing 13A Permanent Resident ACR Card

[OnMyWay]

Passing along what I have learned the past few weeks, in the form of a rant!  

A few years ago, it seemed that permanent resident ACR cards, which are good for 5 years, could only be renewed at the main BI office in Intramuros.  Balanga BI where I got my permanent 13A five years ago told me that, and Olongapo said the same a year or two ago.  In the past 6 months, I became aware that some were getting the new cards at Marquee Mall BI in Angeles.  I think someone here also mentioned that they got their new ACR at a field office?

So I posted on the Angeles City expat FB group, asking for advice.  Several chimed in "Manila Only" but others said, no problem at Marquee Mall, and two guys did it in the last few weeks.  They told me what exactly I needed to bring, so I headed out to Marquee Mall this past Monday.

Upon arriving, the greeter agent asked me a few questions.  I needed to make one more copy next door, then filled out the BI form.  The greeter reviews it and sends it inside.  After 5 minutes, another agent comes out, hands me my file, and says "Your from Zambales.  You need to go to BI Olongapo."  So I initially thought, maybe this is good news and Olongapo is doing them now.  I told him, "Olongapo said they don't do them, a year or two ago".  Shrugs his shoulders and goes back inside.

So I headed to Olongapo BI.  "Sorry sir, we don't do those here.".  I told him I have all the paperwork done and Marquee Mall BI sent me here.  Silence.

I really don't understand why every office can't accept these.  All they do is review it and forward it to Intramuros, then the card is sent back for pickup.  No different than a tourist ACR.  Complete nonsense that an office, in an area where many permanent residents live. can't do this.  I looked at the BI Directory of Services and there are several that do it, but there is nothing about residency, so I don't know if Marquee Mall BI s making up rules, or not.  Some of the ones that do it are Baguio, Dagupan and Batangas.  I think Cebu too.

On the Angeles City expat group, a few mentioned a travel agent who did it for them.  Some asked "How much?" and the only response was "didn't break the bank".  They have an Olongapo branch, so I called.  12k.  Too high.  "Standard price, sir".  Realistically, they are batching work and going to Manila a few times a week.  They know how much it would cost an individual to make 2 trips to Manila to get this done, and price accordingly.  Nice big profit.  Next I contacted the highly recommended driver I use in Angeles.  His wife does the visa work for their company.  15k.  No thanks.

So next, I asked about this in our neighborhood FB group.  Many responses.  Only one had made the run to Manila themselves and he said it was a nightmare.  Everyone else had used Ela's travel in Barreto, for 10.5 k.  Called to confirm the price.  It will cost me at least 9.2 k in tolls, gas and the BI fee ($50) to do it myself, so I decided to go with Ela's.  Dropped everything off yesterday.  They have a nice clean and professional office in Barreto, at the corner of the road to Baloy Beach, if any one needs services.  I will post here when the card comes back in 4-6 weeks.

Rant over.

 

 

[hk blues]

I got mine at our local office here in Iloilo 3 years ago - there is a section somewhere on the BI website which states which service each office can offer.

[OnMyWay]

13 minutes ago, hk blues said:

I got mine at our local office here in Iloilo 3 years ago - there is a section somewhere on the BI website which states which service each office can offer.

Right, the Directory of Services.  I searched it and I think there 5-10 offices that do it.

[OnMyWay]

11 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Right, the Directory of Services.  I searched it and I think there 5-10 offices that do it.

Actually, Directory of Transactions.  Here is the link for those who might need it.

Still, as always, you need to call to verify and each office puts their own text there.  No standardization. Marquee Mall says only ACR I-Card.  Bacalod says "Issuance/Renewal of ACR I-CARD".  Baguio says "ACR I-card Issuance, Reissuance and Renewal" but with a descriptive remark "Applications are received, assessed and heard. Transmitted to main office for approval and ICard printing. BI-Baguio releases I-card".  That is not rocket science.  Any office could do it.

https://immigration.gov.ph/images/DirectoryOfTransactions/2022_Yr/05_May/2022May01_dirOfTrans.pdf

[mountainside]

24 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Any office could do it.

Thanks for sharing your experience.  You're much better informed and connected than I was when I lived in SBFZ on an SRRV a few years ago.  I'm weighing and re-weighing returning to the Philippines on another SRRV vs a US-issued 13A vs balikbayan.  It's posts like this that really help me in sorting things out.  It looks like you've made the best possible decision about getting the card renewed.  Like you, I wouldn't look forward to two trips to Baguio or Manila just to get that task accomplished.

[BrettGC]

Echoing Mountainside's comments in that I'm currently deciding between 13a and SRRV so your initial post @OnMyWay is very useful.  I'm currently about 70/30 in favour of the SRRV at the moment.  The main reason being is that given some people's negative experiences with BI recently, not just forum members but other expats I know, the less you have to deal with them the better.  Personally I've had nothing but positive interactions but we're not planning on staying where Dumaguete is our local office forever.  The staff at Dumaguete office have been great but seems the exception rather than the rule.

Edited February 25, 2023 by BrettGC

[hk blues]

25 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

Echoing Mountainside's comments in that I'm currently deciding between 13a and SRRV so your initial post @OnMyWay is very useful.  I'm currently about 70/30 in favour of the SRRV at the moment.  The main reason being is that given some people's negative experiences with BI recently, not just forum members but other expats I know, the less you have to deal with them the better.  Personally I've had nothing but positive interactions but we're not planning on staying where Dumaguete is our local office forever.  The staff at Dumaguete office have been great but seems the exception rather than the rule.

Whilst I understand the experience is something to consider, the actual amount of interaction required on a 13a is minimal - 10 minutes once a year to do the AR and then maybe an hour or so once every 5 years to renew the ACR.  I wouldn't let that sway you t.b.h.

For me, the biggest advantage of the SRRV would be that it's within your control i.e. on a 13a if your wife passes before you then you have work to do to remain here.  

 

[OnMyWay]

17 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Whilst I understand the experience is something to consider, the actual amount of interaction required on a 13a is minimal - 10 minutes once a year to do the AR and then maybe an hour or so once every 5 years to renew the ACR.  I wouldn't let that sway you t.b.h.

For me, the biggest advantage of the SRRV would be that it's within your control i.e. on a 13a if your wife passes before you then you have work to do to remain here.  

 

Agree on the 13a, but....

49 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

I'm currently deciding between 13a and SRRV

I believe Brett can get the military SRRV.  For me, then it is a no brainer.  The huge deposits were what kept me from the SRRV.

[BrettGC]

1 minute ago, OnMyWay said:

Agree on the 13a, but....

I believe Brett can get the military SRRV.  For me, then it is a no brainer.  The huge deposits were what kept me from the SRRV.

Yes, I'm eligible for the military version. 

[mountainside]

6 hours ago, BrettGC said:

I'm currently about 70/30 in favour of the SRRV at the moment.

 

5 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

For me, the biggest advantage of the SRRV would be that it's within your control i.e. on a 13a if your wife passes before you then you have work to do to remain here. 

 

5 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

believe Brett can get the military SRRV.  For me, then it is a no brainer.

 

5 hours ago, BrettGC said:

Yes, I'm eligible for the military version.

I had the military SRRV as a single man.  The whole experience was great from beginning to end.  Even little things like being able to use the diplomatic lane when entering Philippine airports put a smile on my face.  But now I'm married, and should I die before my wife, it will very difficult for my wife to get the $1500 deposit, given Philippine mandatory distribution rules for estates, and the difficulty of probating an American will in Philippine courts.  So I have to view it as a $2900 application fee rather than a $1400 fee.  Nonetheless, I'm leaning toward paying the $2900.  I may well gather my apostilled documents here in the US, enter as a balikbayan, and get everything processed at the Cebu City PRA office.