No red tape for alien IDs, vows bureau

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration (BI) will strive to eliminate red tape in the processing of alien certificate of registration identification cards (ACR I-Cards) that foreign nationals need to prove they are in the country legally.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr., in a statement yesterday, said I-Card procedures “were being reviewed so they could be streamlined to address the concerns of visa applicants complaining about alleged delays in the issuance of their cards.”

The I-Card is issued by the BI after foreigner’s application for a resident visa is approved by the bureau’s board of commissioners.

David said the agency was also implementing measures “to ensure that documents submitted by I-Card applicants are authentic and the applicants are holders of genuine and valid visas.”

He said he had received reports that some foreigners managed to acquire I-Cards by submitting fake documents.

“The I-Cards are accountable government forms, thus, we cannot allow them to fall into the wrong hands,” David said.