# Staying in Philippines for 6 Months, Do I Need An ACR Card?



## Scoot65 (Jan 5, 2014)

I'm currently three weeks into a 6 month stay in the Philippines. I have a Balikbayan privilege stamp giving me 12 months stay. I've read that a foreigner is supposed to get an ACR card once their stay goes past 59 days. Is this correct and does it also apply to people with BB privilege? 

Many thanks


----------



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

Scoot? I've never heard of this because it's just for one year, I wouldn't worry but if you plan on staying much longer it couldn't hurt and always remember that your status as a BB is more like a tourist so you are vulnerable when it comes to Immigration policies, police or Barangay involved issue, working, making money, you'll be easy to detain, deport and black list if things go wrong.

So the bottom line will always be your Immigration status (this is your main concern always) your status as a BB doesn't give you any special privileges other than staying here for one year.

If you want to open up a bank account or a real Internet with a landline connection then the ACR card might be helpful, the negative is that you'll have to once a year renew the ACR card but the cost is only 500 pesos. Voluntary Application for ACR card PBI


----------



## Scoot65 (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the swift reply M.C.A. 
The requirement for an ACR card at the 59 days point was mentioned a couple of times in this thread:-








Extending no visa entry past 30 days.


My first visa extension was in September to get me to 59 days the visa was 2030 pesos + 1000 for the express lane fee in Bacolod. Just renewed again last week for another 59 days it was 6731, that includes 2931 for the ACR card. You are supposed to get an ACR card once your stay goes past the 59...




www.expatforum.com





At the moment my wife and I planning on doing 6 months Phils / 6 months UK at least for the next couple of yaers or so. 

Also many thanks for the ACR link.


----------



## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

No there is no requirement as a balikbayan to have a ARC card. Balikbayan is a privilege not a visa so your status is visa free, it's like the 30 day but 360 day.


----------



## Scoot65 (Jan 5, 2014)

Gary D said:


> No there is no requirement as a balikbayan to have a ARC card. Balikbayan is a privilege not a visa so your status is visa free, it's like the 30 day but 360 day.


Thanks Gary, good explanation.


----------



## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

hey Scoot,

I got the ACR card after 59 days stay there. I was an expat from the USA. I found the ACR card to be very helpful. BDO would not open an account without it. It didn't take long at the immigration office and the price for the card was cheap. I still have the card but expired, since i came back to the USA.

art


----------



## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

As a balikbayan you can often open a joint account. PNB were no problem, we have two, a savings and an atm account. China bank just wanted to see my passport to see that I was a frequent visitor.


----------



## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

It might help some folks if the first person posting would put what ACR stands for in parentheses immediately behind the reference. Some of us aren't as hip as y'all, me.


----------



## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

AppalachianBiker said:


> It might help some folks if the first person posting would put what ACR stands for in parentheses immediately behind the reference. Some of us aren't as hip as y'all, me.


You will need to get used to initialisms in the PI, they just love them, lol.


----------



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

Good point Appalachian, and I actually didn't' know so here it is *ALIEN CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION* or ACR. Gary makes another good point, everything here is abbreviated.

Another important note is that the ACR cards for tourists aren't a big deal and only good for one year but for those of us living as Permanent Residents, 13a Visa the ACR card is good for 5 years and if it expires or we don't check in with Immigration from Jan - Feb every year then there's going to be problems = late fee's.

Another important note: Buy yourself a brief case just for your Immigration receipts because Immigration sometimes has a hiccup and there's no proof you checked in so you'll have to produce the receipt or pay dearly, two years ago I forgot to bring my brief case for my annual check in and it's a long trip for me only to find out they didn't have any proof that I checked in the year before, what happened was they gave me all the receipts they didn't keep their copy but I still had both.


----------



## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

So if I understand all of the discussion correctly, then if I have to go home to US for 2 weeks this Spring after getting my ACR card, then I Don't have to start all over when I return? Will start my 13a process sometime After return, since have to remain in country during that whole process apparently. Any advice is greatly appreciated!


----------



## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Nickleback99 said:


> So if I understand all of the discussion correctly, then if I have to go home to US for 2 weeks this Spring after getting my ACR card, then I Don't have to start all over when I return? Will start my 13a process sometime After return, since have to remain in country during that whole process apparently. Any advice is greatly appreciated!


I would think the tourist ACR card would expire when you leave the Philippines as does any remaining visa status You would always start again on re-entry as a tourist.


----------



## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I think you are right Gary, my understanding is that the ACR card is supposed to be surrendered if leaving the country, I never did with my first one and was not a problem and simply holidayed here for years on a visitor visa but always under 59 days. I'm sure when I go to Singapore next month I'll have to start the ball rolling again with ACR card,,,,, you know how it is, not many tricks missed here for more pesos.

Cheers, Steve.


----------



## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> I think you are right Gary, my understanding is that the ACR card is supposed to be surrendered if leaving the country, I never did with my first one and was not a problem and simply holidayed here for years on a visitor visa but always under 59 days. I'm sure when I go to Singapore next month I'll have to start the ball rolling again with ACR card,,,,, you know how it is, not many tricks missed here for more pesos.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


I suspect they have no way of handling an unexpired card and will just issue a new one on your second extension as usual.


----------



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

Nickleback99 said:


> So if I understand all of the discussion correctly, then if I have to go home to US for 2 weeks this Spring after getting my ACR card, then I Don't have to start all over when I return? Will start my 13a process sometime After return, since have to remain in country during that whole process apparently. Any advice is greatly appreciated!


If you start the 13a process in the Philippines it's known as Probationary, so you won't become a Permanent Resident until after a year. I'm not so sure on what will happen during the probationary period, but if done in the US you attain your Permanent Resident status immediately.

I've heard a couple different comments over the years on the probationary status so? If your retired military or Government employee retired the SRRV would be the way to go, the annual fee's for this SRRV is $10 the cost or deposit is $1500 USD and that's it. Paragraph and link below:

*SRRV EXPANDED COURTESY*
For foreign nationals, 50 years old & above, who are retired Armed Force officers of foreign countries with existing military ties and/or agreement with the Philippine Government. A monthly pension of at least US$1,000.00 and an SRR Visa deposit of US$1,500.00 are required. The SRR Visa deposit includes the principal applicant and 2 dependents. Additional dependent, entails additional SRR Visa deposit of US$15,000 each (except for former Filipinos). CHILDREN must be legitimate or legally adopted by the Principal Retiree, unmarried and below 21 years old upon joining the program.

Scroll down to the bottom area and you'll see this as the last SRRV offered. PRA website SRRV another link to the PRA marketers who handle your SRRV PRA Marketers

Howard has been sharing his experience with PRA respresentative James Biron so maybe ask him for the contact information, his contact information is on one of the threads  but which one? I'll see if I can find it in the mean time and I do remember that James Biron James Biron Law Firm uses the "WhatsApp" application.

If the SRRV isn't for you then if you go the 13a Visa route, once you get past the one year probationary your card is good for 5 years so as long as the card doesn't expire you're okay but you do have to pay the fines for being gone and they amount to 5000 pesos per year.


----------

