No ID No Entry Policy at Immigration

[Beric]

I'm not sure if this is only an issue at the main office, but has anybody else had problems with this at Immigration recently?

I have been in the Philippines for almost ten years. I had to change my visa and apply for a new ACR card, cancelling the one I already had in the process. As I have been here for so long, the only forms of ID I have are my passport and my visa.

I was made to leave my passport behind in the main office for a week while updating my visa. When I went back to collect it, I was refused entry due to not having my ID. Attempting to explain to the immigration officer that both my passport and my ACR card were inside the building and I was there to collect them got me nowhere as he insisted that I couldn't enter the building without my ID. Not even showing him the claim stubs to prove that my ID was in the building worked as he told me that I could not enter the building without already having my ID.

I attempted to report my passport as stolen to the police, but this went nowhere as the police do not consider it to be stolen.

Given that leaving our passports at immigration while visas are updated is common, I can't be the only one who has experienced a problem with this poorly thought out new policy?

[Mike J]

Welcome Beric.  Sorry to hear of your trouble with immigration.   Perhaps you can contact the Gabon Consulate and they can assist you.

https://www.embassypages.com/gabon-consulate-manila-philippines

 

[Gator]

Perhaps you can find some type of ID online, maybe from your home country, insert your photo, print it out and get it laminated. Basically photo shop an ID. I doubt the guards are that picky, they’re only doing what they’ve been told to do and want to see some form of photo ID. 

[scott h]

10 hours ago, Beric said:

I can't be the only one who has experienced a problem with this poorly thought out new policy?

I have run into this type of thing over the years (not at BI though). The easiest solution going forward is to get another ID. I have my acr, Phil drivers license and a Postal ID. The postal ID we use when we have to leave an ID at a subdivision gate or such. Relativaly easy to get at your local post office.

[OnMyWay]

10 hours ago, Beric said:

I'm not sure if this is only an issue at the main office, but has anybody else had problems with this at Immigration recently?

I have been in the Philippines for almost ten years. I had to change my visa and apply for a new ACR card, cancelling the one I already had in the process. As I have been here for so long, the only forms of ID I have are my passport and my visa.

I was made to leave my passport behind in the main office for a week while updating my visa. When I went back to collect it, I was refused entry due to not having my ID. Attempting to explain to the immigration officer that both my passport and my ACR card were inside the building and I was there to collect them got me nowhere as he insisted that I couldn't enter the building without my ID. Not even showing him the claim stubs to prove that my ID was in the building worked as he told me that I could not enter the building without already having my ID.

I attempted to report my passport as stolen to the police, but this went nowhere as the police do not consider it to be stolen.

Given that leaving our passports at immigration while visas are updated is common, I can't be the only one who has experienced a problem with this poorly thought out new policy?

The BI Facebook page is fairly good at solving problems.  Perhaps contact them there?

[Old55]

Beric, do you have a copy of your passport or ACR card? That may be enough to get in.

It's always a good idea to have a high quality paper copy and pictures on your phone. 

[MotorSarge]

On 10/6/2023 at 9:36 AM, Beric said:

I'm not sure if this is only an issue at the main office, but has anybody else had problems with this at Immigration recently?

I have been in the Philippines for almost ten years. I had to change my visa and apply for a new ACR card, cancelling the one I already had in the process. As I have been here for so long, the only forms of ID I have are my passport and my visa.

I was made to leave my passport behind in the main office for a week while updating my visa. When I went back to collect it, I was refused entry due to not having my ID. Attempting to explain to the immigration officer that both my passport and my ACR card were inside the building and I was there to collect them got me nowhere as he insisted that I couldn't enter the building without my ID. Not even showing him the claim stubs to prove that my ID was in the building worked as he told me that I could not enter the building without already having my ID.

I attempted to report my passport as stolen to the police, but this went nowhere as the police do not consider it to be stolen.

Given that leaving our passports at immigration while visas are updated is common, I can't be the only one who has experienced a problem with this poorly thought out new policy?

I can't get over how many things in the PI are absolute Baliw..

[hk blues]

6 hours ago, MotorSarge said:

I can't get over how many things in the PI are absolute Baliw..

It's fair comment but they're is almost always a way around it - it's just a matter of talking to the right person. Not always easy to do that but if you take No for an answer from the 1st person then you'll get nowhere here.

[Snowy79]

One of the perks of living in the Philippines unfortunately, as suggested contact immigration by messenger to see if you reach a sensible individual who will assist you. I had similar when collecting my passport, they wouldn't give me it unless I had ID. The fact that I looked just like my passport wasn't good enough.