Aliens told to register by March 1

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has given all registered aliens until March 1, 2018, to report to the agency and be accounted for as mandated by law.

The agency’s Annual Report 2018 will run from Jan. 1 to March 1 next year, during which all registered aliens should report in person to the BI at Intramuros, Manila, or its field offices.

The agency made the announcement in an advisory dated Dec. 13 posted on its website, www.immigration.
gov.ph.

Under Republic Act No. 562 or the Alien Registration Act of 1950, registered aliens must personally report to the BI within the first 60 days of each year.

The annual report aims to verify if the visa holder is still alive and to allow them to correct their entries in the registration such as address, civil status or surnames for those who got married.

Registered aliens will be required to present their Alien Certificate of Registration and a confirmation number issued via the Annual Report 2018 online system.

The confirmation number is for aliens who failed to accomplish the Annual Report forms for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

In the 2017 annual report, a total of 106,036 foreigners presented themselves before the BI and its field offices in compliance with the required annual report.

Last year’s turnout was 11 percent higher than 2016’s 95,007 foreigners who complied with that year’s annual report.

The BI said parents or legal guardians of registered aliens 14 years old and below were given the duty of reporting for their minor’s charges before the BI.

Also exempt from personal appearance are those who are 65 years old and above, and those who are mentally or physically incapacitated.

An alien who returns to the Philippines with a reentry permit and who has not accomplished the annual report is also required to report within 30 days from the date of return to the country.