# Does the fee for the ACR-I card have to be paid in USD?



## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

Hey everyone

Sorry for whats likely a silly question but I want to be sure. 

On the Visa Extension website page where the fees for a 30 day extension are shown there is this:










I'm going to be paying with cash. Does this mean I need to hand over $50 or do I carry the PHP value of that amount (which stands at $2,786 today)

Its not clear to me if they mean payment is PHP3,150 + $50 or if its PHP5,936?

I will of course carry $ just in case but the less fumbling around I do there asking THEM questions the better so I thought I'd ask on here 






Extension of Authorized Stay Beyond 59 days







immigration.gov.ph


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Nope, they convert it to pesos every day, stupid system but that's how they do it.

Cheers, Steve.


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

bigpearl said:


> Nope, they convert it to pesos every day, stupid system but that's how they do it.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


Thanks for clearing that up! Going end of the week to get the 29 day ext.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

KatanaDV20 said:


> Thanks for clearing that up! Going end of the week to get the 29 day ext.


I thought it was after the next full extension.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

when I got my ACR card I pay in US dollars. 

art


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Maybe you were lucky art, my first (12 years ago) and following ACR1 cards always billed me in Pesos at the current daily exchange rate. I remember a couple of years ago rocking up to immi at 8 am, delayed by an hour while they waited for the exchange rate to be sent to them from Manila.
Not sure how many foreigners carry US dollars either, I certainly don't, not since I cashed in my last 80 US bucks in El Nido 11 years ago with a money changer, lol because they never had any ATM machines back then.

Another thing to Katana, make sure you have plenty of change as immi expects the correct amount to be tendered, they don't like giving change, same at the airport immi.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

I've always paid for my ACR card in pesos, not only at the Main PBI branch but Satellite Office and Steve makes a good point, for what ever reason beyond me you should make sure to have the correct amount of money or plenty of smaller bills even change, you don't want anything to slow the process the worst area's would be the Satellite offices.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I was at the immigration office, and I don't remember them saying anything about me having us dollars to pay the fee. that was 12 years ago in Davao city. My ACR card has expired now. If i come back i don't know if i can renew the one I got or i have to start over again. 

art


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

bigpearl said:


> Another thing to Katana, make sure you have plenty of change as immi expects the correct amount to be tendered, they don't like giving change, same at the airport immi.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.





M.C.A. said:


> I've always paid for my ACR card in pesos, not only at the Main PBI branch but Satellite Office and Steve makes a good point, for what ever reason beyond me you should make sure to have the correct amount of money or plenty of smaller bills even change, you don't want anything to slow the process the worst area's would be the Satellite offices.


Thanks for these great tips. I will be sure to do this. Will request a bundle of smaller bills next time I exchange USD.
I've got the folders ready and a table with all the costs in ginormous font.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

art1946 said:


> I was at the immigration office, and I don't remember them saying anything about me having us dollars to pay the fee. that was 12 years ago in Davao city. My ACR card has expired now. If i come back i don't know if i can renew the one I got or i have to start over again.
> 
> art



Start from new and I'm sorry but it's US to PH conversion and a stupid system as everything else is PHP including express lane fees. How stupid to have an ACR card fee in US dollars while just as many long stayers are from other countries instead of simply saying it's 2,500 or 3,000 pesos per year? 4,000 pesos per yearn who cares and that's the fee and should be in PHP.

art, post # 5 you said you paid in US bucks. Never done that. The reality is every thing in Pesos and all others go to the back and suffer. Pesos and correct money.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## grahamw57 (May 27, 2018)

We're in the Philippines. You pay ALL fees at Immigration in pesos.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GRAHAMW57----UNLESS THEY CHANGED THE RULES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, I Paid the fee in us dollars. If you don't pay the express fee you will wait for a while.

Where does it state the person must have pesos?????????

I PAID IN US DOLLARS. I copied this from their site.

art

*ACR I-Card Fees*
*I-Card Fee* – USD 50
*Express Fee* – PHP 500
*Steps on How to get an ACR I-Card in the Philippines*
Usually, this is done together with your visa or application, but here are the steps
*STEP 1*: Gather all requirements for your application.
*STEP 2*: Go to the BI office that processes your visa or permit; you can refer here. Go to the in-charge of pre-screening and submit your documents.
*STEP 3*: Pay the fees and get an OR. Most will be asked to come back for a scheduled date.


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## grahamw57 (May 27, 2018)

I have been having visas and extensions processed in this country for 32 years, and have never been asked for dollars.

You copied the above from where ?

I believe Immigration will ACCEPT (US) dollars when a tourist is applying for a 29 day extension upon arrival at NAIA.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

I renewed my ACR Card Nov 3rd, 2022. Paid in Peso. I had in hand enough coins & small & large bills to enable me to pay exactly any amount the fee might be. She never asked for dollars, only quoted me the fee in Peso. Still waiting for text msg to come pick up the new card even though I was told it would be ready by Dec 1st.

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

art, post #6. I said "maybe you were lucky". Not everyone has 50 US bucks on them and I and others have always paid in Pesos.
Misconceptions happen often here, they ask for 50 bucks but all other fees are the local currency, as said they convert every day, I recently had a disagreement with another member over visa extensions for 2 months, My receipt says 1 month visa extension 1 month but its actually for 2 months.

Do you think that the visitors from 194 other countries have US dollars in their wallets?

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

fmartin_gila said:


> I renewed my ACR Card Nov 3rd, 2022. Paid in Peso. I had in hand enough coins & small & large bills to enable me to pay exactly any amount the fee might be. She never asked for dollars, only quoted me the fee in Peso. Still waiting for text msg to come pick up the new card even though I was told it would be ready by Dec 1st.
> 
> Fred


I'd been waiting to get a text message to pick up my ACR card since May 2020. My SRRV came thru in August 2020. Around January of this year I stopped by BI on another matter and asked about my card. They had it and asked why I had not picked it up. I told them I had been waiting on a text message. 
Chances are your new ACR is there.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Quezon Expat said:


> I'd been waiting to get a text message to pick up my ACR card since May 2020. My SRRV came thru in August 2020. Around January of this year I stopped by BI on another matter and asked about my card. They had it and asked why I had not picked it up. I told them I had been waiting on a text message.
> Chances are your new ACR is there.


Will be in that area Thursday so maybe if I can remember to check.

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I pay for my ACR card and pick it up 2 months later when I renew my visa.

Quezon Expat, As an SRRV holder you don't need the ACR1 card as from my understanding you are issued with an SRRV card from the PRA, slap me if I'm wrong.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Art, if you extend at the airport then they'll more than likely accept US dollars because you haven't had time to exchange into pesos as a tourist. The online document does mention US dollars but they convert into pesos at the main office and more than likely at the Satellite Offices, so there's no need to carry US dollars for this transaction.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I remember 11 years ago when Ben and I came back to visit for 7 weeks from Australia, I had US dollars in my wallet left over from a US trip and they wouldn't accept, pesos only sir, that was immi at the airport to extend my visa for an extra 3 weeks until we returned to Oz.
Ben had to scrabble with ATM machines and 2 merchants/vendors to get the right change while I sat and patiently waited, no change sir, needs to be exact. Was it a tip they were looking for? They didn't get one.
Learned my lesson then and always exit the country with 9 or 10K (PHP) and lots of smaller denominations in paper as well as coin for my next visit.

BTW I spent my lowly 80 US bucks in El Nido Palawan (money changer) 11 years ago as they never had ATM's back then and that area never heard of Amex nor credit cards, just as well my hotel bookings and flights were done online in Pesos from my Aussie bank.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> I remember 11 years ago when Ben and I came back to visit for 7 weeks from Australia, I had US dollars in my wallet left over from a US trip and they wouldn't accept, pesos only sir, that was immi at the airport to extend my visa for an extra 3 weeks until we returned to Oz.
> Ben had to scrabble with ATM machines and 2 merchants/vendors to get the right change while I sat and patiently waited, no change sir, needs to be exact. Was it a tip they were looking for? They didn't get one.
> Learned my lesson then and always exit the country with 9 or 10K (PHP) and lots of smaller denominations in paper as well as coin for my next visit.
> 
> ...


We were in El Nido earlier in the year and there are private atm's dotted all over. Didn't find one working so luckily the bank atm was working.


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

bigpearl said:


> I pay for my ACR card and pick it up 2 months later when I renew my visa.
> 
> Quezon Expat, As an SRRV holder you don't need the ACR1 card as from my understanding you are issued with an SRRV card from the PRA, slap me if I'm wrong.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


Yeah I know. I was waiting to get my SRRV in hand and applied for my last ACR card which they never texted me about. 
Prior to that I always paid the extortion 'express fee' but got tired of being extorted. The 'express fee' is a scam. When I paid it I could pick up a new ACR card in an hour or two. If I didn't pay it I had to wait and sometimes make another trip or two. Logic tells they weren't ordering them from very far away if I could get one in 2 hours for 3000 more peso.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I think as a tourist extension they will accept US dollars. I still think I paid in US dollars when extending my stay there. It was a long time ago and i don't really remember for sure.

art


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

bigpearl said:


> art, post #6. I said "maybe you were lucky". Not everyone has 50 US bucks on them and I and others have always paid in Pesos.
> Misconceptions happen often here, they ask for 50 bucks but all other fees are the local currency, as said they convert every day, I recently had a disagreement with another member over visa extensions for 2 months, My receipt says 1 month visa extension 1 month but its actually for 2 months.
> 
> Do you think that the visitors from 194 other countries have US dollars in their wallets?
> ...


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey steve

So maybe the 194 other countries speak in their own languages. hahahha the workers processing extensions there speak in English. That is the 2nd language to speak. Also, if the person wanting an extension doesn't have US dollars, then they will have pesos.

they only accept pesos or US Dollars. 

art


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

My SRRV helper, James Biron, told me government offices accept USD and PHP. But we were talking about the PRA.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey Howard_Z

I have used US dollars in several government offices. I have read about other countries only using pesos to pay the fees. That is because they only accept pesos and US dollars. I have been to the Philippines 6 times. I have used US Dollars several times there to pay fees.

art


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Post # 23 art. "I really can't remember", aside as said maybe you were lucky and I am always billed in Pesos on the receipt/bill that I pay and somewhat curious to see what their newly printed receipt would say if I paid my ACR card fee with 50 US bucks as you get the bill before you pay and it's all in Pesos.

On reflection and I did mention this before, some 11/12 years ago I went to immi at the airport to extend for an extra 29 days as we were there for 7 weeks, No Pesos but 4 x US 20 buck notes, a few hundred Aussie bucks, no sir we only take Pesos and as mentioned Ben had to go to an airport ATM then purchase things we didn't need from 2 local shops to get change to pay them and get my passport stamped.

Not saying you didn't pay immi for your ACR card with 50 US bucks and everything else in Pesos, express lane fee, legal searches etc.
Let's see what happens if you ever make it back here.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey steve,

It has been several years ago when I got my ACR card. I do not remember having pesos for the fee. I remember paying the express lane fee in pesos. I might have had pesos for the ACR card also. 

art


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

All good art, you may well have paid with US dollars.

Cheers, Steve.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Picked up my renewed ACR Card Yesterday. So now with about 7 years left on my Passport, 5 years on the new ACR card, the only thing I need to think about is the annual check-in. Peace for awhile with little hassle - life is good.

Fred


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

Those of you who got your ACR - how long did it take to arrive?


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

ACR card for me on a visitor visa, Pick up the next time I extend my stay. (every 2 months) Funny thing is it seems only the banks want to see that, never asked for my ACR card except opening bank accounts. Don't really see the point except to raise revenue.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> except to raise revenue.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


👍


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

KatanaDV20 said:


> Those of you who got your ACR - how long did it take to arrive?


The 13a Visa ACR card takes from 1 - 2 months, my last visit in 2020 for the 5 year renewal the card took one month.

Another note, when I went in to pick up my ACR card, they had thousands and thousands of cards in long steel like boxes, it took them a while to find my card.


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## grahamw57 (May 27, 2018)

Yes, my 13A (Permanent) ACR-1 took about a month... processed via our local (Dagupan) office.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

KatanaDV20 said:


> Those of you who got your ACR - how long did it take to arrive?


Applied for renewal on Nov 3 - received pick-up text & picked the new card up on Dec 14.

Fred


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I also got my ACR card on a tourist visa.

art


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

That is the law here art, I've had plenty of ACR1 renewals and part of the game whether on a 9a or 13a or SRRV or SIRV visa, simply the requirement and pay we do.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

SRRV holders never need an ACR


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Groan, pedantic plus. You my learned friend still need the PRA's membership Identity card, what's the diff aside from cost. Alien certificate of registration unless married or a citizen, Israel is all over that one.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

Steve

It is printed on the back of my SRRV card that I am exempt from ACR 

This is something you have no experience with.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

The thread is turning into something else and I can see why, you two guys don't like one another I get it.... and it appears you both got some good attacks against one another in there, it looks like Howard won this one though Steve. 

So since the question has been answered and yes you can pay an ACR card with mainly pesos, no need to keep this discussion open any longer, you guys do have PM's if you want to go at it.


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