BI temporarily allows foreigners to leave PH sans ACR I-cards

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced Friday it will temporarily allow foreign nationals with approved and implemented visas but are awaiting the release of their Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-Card) to be able to leave the country.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said this is in light of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine and strict social distancing measures now being enforced.

Morente said regular procedures require departing foreigners with visas but pending ACR I-Card to secure a waiver order first from the BI’s main office in Manila.

But according to Morente, no waiver orders will be required for now.

“We will no longer be requiring ACR I-Card Waiver Orders for departing foreign nationals. With the rapid spike in COVID-19 cases, we were prompted to take additional measures to lessen person to person contact,”  he said in a statement.

Instead of the ACR I-card waiver order, Morente said the requirements to be presented at the airports are passports with valid visas, as indicated in the implementation stamp, official receipts of the ACR I-Card Waiver Application Fee and Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) with Returning Permit (RP) or Special Resident Certificate (SRC), whichever is applicable.

Morente also advised departing foreign nationals to keep these requirements as these will be needed when they enter the country again using their respective visas.

/MUF