BI reminds aliens of I-Card deadline Leila Salaverria Inquirer
November 14, 2006
THE BUREAU of Immigration reminded foreigners residing in the Philippines that they only had until Wednesday to secure their I-Cards lest they be arrested and deported for being undocumented aliens.
The deadline, which was moved several times, would no longer be extended, acting Immigration Commissioner Roy Almoro said Tuesday.
In a statement, Almoro said the bureau had given foreigners enough time to get their I-Cards, which replaces the paper Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) required of all foreign nationals residing in the country.
The I-Card, resembling an ATM card and which the BI has touted to be tamper-proof, is proof of a foreigner’s legal residence status. I-Card holders need not secure exit or reentry permits from the BI when leaving the country.
Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr. had earlier warned that aliens without an I-Card could be deported for violating the country’s immigration laws.
As of Monday, Almoro said, over 96,066 aliens had applied for the I-Card since the bureau launched the project last year. The number of applicants has exceeded the BI’s target of 87,000 applicants, he added.
BI technical assistant Manuel Arbas reminded those who had applied for I-Cards but had not claimed them to pick them up. He said some 6,000 I-Cards were unclaimed.
He said aliens also need to get I-Cards because these are required when renewing or extending their visas. He said the paper ACRs would not be accepted for visa renewal.
