Immigration to use security stamps to cut red tape

Bureau of Immigration building. Photo from Bureau of Immmigration website

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration announced Friday its key personnel will start using security stamps in a bid to cut red tape and simplify and expedite the processing of petitions and applications and other transactions with the bureau by simply eliminating or reducing the number of signatures required.

Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison said the number of signatories as well as the unavailability or absence of signatories significantly add to the delay in the processing of documents in the bureau.

The use of security stamps will help address these usual snags, while ensuring the validity and authenticity of the document. The new scheme will also help identify the responsible signatory as well as protect him or her from identity theft.

“It is the bureau’s policy to simplify administrative protocol, reduce bureaucratic red tape and expedite transactions without sacrificing the integrity of the bureau’s procedures and processes,” Mison said in his order.

The measure is also aimed at stamping out fixers among authorized private individuals as well as immigration employees.

The computer-generated security stamps will be used on deportation orders, certificate of recognition, dual citizenship, mission orders, hold departure orders, alert list orders and black list orders, watch list orders, immigration lookout bulletin orders, visa cancellation and forfeiture orders, among others, Mison said.