# House Bill 7680 The "New" Bureau Of Immigration Modernization Act (Draft)



## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Interesting to me is Sections 40 and 46. For those of us on 13a Visa, our ACR cards state "permanent resident". But according to section 46, those even in section 40 will face a loss of status if they are gone for more than 1 year & have not applied for an extension, interesting!. No more permanent resident status?? No ACR card requirements mentioned, perhaps that will come later??



























House Bill 7680 The "New" Bureau Of Immigration Modernization Act (Draft)
SOURCE: Congress-House-Bill-7680 (1).pdf

Congress lauded for prioritizing Bureau of Immigration modernization
July 24, 2021
SOURCE ARTICLE: Congress lauded for prioritizing Bureau of Immigration modernization


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

That is not new - most of that bill is not new. It is just codifying decades of EOs into a coherent law.

With the current 13a, I get a 'permanent' resident ACR. But it is only permanent as long as my 13a is valid. When I leave the country, my ECC is around p2,700 because it includes the 'return authorization'. The RA is what keeps our 13a current, while out of the country. The RA is good for one year, but is only single use.

If I stay gone for more than one year at a stretch, the RA expires, which makes the 13a expire, which makes the ACR is no longer valid.

Same as it ever was. Too many random YouTubers are spreading fear, just to get views.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Tukaram said:


> If I stay gone for more than one year at a stretch, the RA expires, which makes the 13a expire, which makes the ACR is no longer valid.


This looks like a fix for that, not sure how new it is though:



Hey_Joe said:


> View attachment 100092


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

What is the purpose of the ACR card anyway? I have never used it. I don't even bother to go back to pick it up at the BI office. Last one I was issued I picked it up from BI when I applied for my 13a permanent. So it basically had only two months left on it until expiration. They didn't care too much that I just got it then.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Tukaram said:


> That is not new - most of that bill is not new. It is just codifying decades of EOs into a coherent law.
> 
> With the current 13a, I get a 'permanent' resident ACR. But it is only permanent as long as my 13a is valid. When I leave the country, my ECC is around p2,700 because it includes the 'return authorization'. The RA is what keeps our 13a current, while out of the country. The RA is good for one year, but is only single use.
> 
> ...


I just looked at several of my past ECC's & there is nothing listed about it's good for 1 year. I never heard nor read in any immigration law that they expire after 1 year for those on a 13a.

A friend with a 13a stayed out of the country for more than 1 year to receive cancer treatment. He returned, no problem, went to Immigration & they told him he just had to check in for his annual. .

Can you post a photo of your ECC (RA?) that states it expires after 1 year?

ECC expires after 1 month.


*Does the ECC have validity? Will I be able to use this multiple times?*

The ECC is valid for one (1) month from the date of issue, however, you may only use this once regardless of its validity.

SOURCE: Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC)


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Zep said:


> What is the purpose of the ACR card anyway? I have never used it. I don't even bother to go back to pick it up at the BI office. Last one I was issued I picked it up from BI when I applied for my 13a permanent. So it basically had only two months left on it until expiration. They didn't care too much that I just got it then.


Some examples where I had to show my ACR card

Every time i show up at the US Airport ticket counter in the US to check in for my return flight to the PI they tell me I need an onward ticket or they cannot process me because I have a 1 way ticket. I show them my ACR card, they look at their airline rules on their computer and they reply ok, you're good because you have your ACR 13a permanent resident card. 

Every annual, Immigration asks for my ACR card.

PNP asked for my ACR when I went for Covid Travel passes and at PNP checkpoints. Banks ask for my ACR card.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Zep said:


> What is the purpose of the ACR card anyway?


Photo ID, for example when using a credit card, opening any kind of account, etc


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

> The ECC-B, Mison said, is being issued by the Bureau to holders of Immigrant and Non-Immigrant visas with valid ACR I-Cards and are leaving the country temporarily. It is a single-use receipt issued to evidence their Special Return Certificate (SRC) (for Non-Immigrants) or Reentry Permit (RP) (for Immigrants) which is valid for one (1) year. It may be secured at the BI Main Office or in the airport upon departure.
> 
> Source: ALIENS TOLD: SECURE AN ECC BEFORE LEAVING PHL


I have been here over 8 years. This has been the rule, even before I got here. I know 2 expats personally that lost their 13a by not following it. You can get an extension, particularly for medical reasons, but you are supposed to get the extension in advance. YMMV.

I prefer to get my information from actual government sources, not random YouTubers, blogs, or forums.


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

Zep said:


> What is the purpose of the ACR card anyway? I have never used it. I don't even bother to go back to pick it up at the BI office. Last one I was issued I picked it up from BI when I applied for my 13a permanent. So it basically had only two months left on it until expiration. They didn't care too much that I just got it then.


How do you check in annually from Jan - Feb without your ACR 13a card? Used for opening a bank account, Internet provider ect.. If I'm reading you correctly, if not I apologize in advance.

The ACR card is a way of traveling around your local area without bringing your passport, it also has a computer chip with all your information; Now if you don't check in annually with either the Main PBI office or one of it's authorized Satellite Offices from Jan - Feb you'll be assessed some hefty fee's when you renew your card again, you'll go from your annual check in fee of 310 pesos to 3,600 pesos+ each year that missed checking in with your ACR card.

I found out the hard way about not checking in on the correct date, but I didn't know at the time, I got my 13a through Chicago in the US and so it was all done by mail and I didn't read the brochure that came with my Immigrant package (told not to open my package), so I had no idea that I had to check in from Jan - Feb and so I was paying some excess fees yearly when I'd report annually on the day my plan landed, and then when I left the Philippines for 3 years I got a whopping 14,000 peso bill for not having someone check in for me while I was gone.

So when you renew your 13a ACR card every 5 years it should only cost 3000 peso's total with the added 500 express fee.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

M.C.A. said:


> How do you check in annually from Jan - Feb without your ACR 13a card?


I have not done that yet. They were a little pissed when I showed up to convert my 13a temp to permanent. I told them no one said I needed to check in when it would have only been 6 months since I was issued the temp 13a. So I guess this will be a reason I need it for annual check-ins.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

M.C.A. said:


> The ACR card is a way of traveling around your local area without bringing your passport, it also has a computer chip with all your information;


The last ACR card I was issued was not even readable. Plus no one (banks, police) even know what an ACR card is. I just use my PI drivers license for ID.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Zep said:


> Plus no one (banks, police) even know what an ACR card is.


They all know what it is because it's your required government ID as a foreigner. They just don't know it's called "ACR".


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

Zep said:


> The last ACR card I was issued was not even readable. Plus no one (banks, police) even know what an ACR card is. I just use my PI drivers license for ID.


That's.....? Well, I was required to show my Permanent Resident Card in order to open up my PNB Bank Account and then also when I applied for my telecom provider both Globe and PLDT, I live out in the Provincial area's Luzon and they know what an ACR card is.

For sure the Philippine Drivers License is a valid ID but and it may never happen we are supposed to have that ACR card on us when outside our Municipality especially when traveling, lets say you get into an accident or a confrontation, the authorities might ask to see if your here legally.

The annual check in from Jan - Feb will only be 310 pesos and keep your receipts if not the next year they'll fine you 3,600 pesos, they nearly got me this year but ... I had to go all the way back home and retrieve last years receipt so I went back a week later. 

I'd also recommend to everyone to buy a brief case (low cost plastic brief case) dedicated to just the Bureau Of Immigration and it's receipts.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

M.C.A. said:


> The annual check in from Jan - Feb will only be 310 pesos and keep your receipts if not the next year they'll fine you 3,600 pesos, they nearly got me this year but ... I had to go all the way back home and retrieve last years receipt so I went back a week later.


Thanks for the info about the receipt as I never would have thought to bring it. I will just wrap it around my ACR card with a rubber band and throw them in my drawer until annual check in time.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> keep your receipts if not the next year they'll fine you 3,600 pesos


They just started the "keep all your receipts" rule with 9a visa extensions too, maybe after all the income from fines they can upgrade beyond paper-based record keeping.


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

Zep said:


> Thanks for the info about the receipt as I never would have thought to bring it. I will just wrap it around my ACR card with a rubber band and throw them in my drawer until annual check in time.


It's a long trip for us to the Sta Rosa PBI Satellite Office so with all the stops and different modes of public transportation, it took us (I, wife and son) about 1.5 hrs to get there and only to find out they didn't have last years receipt, they could fix all that for me for only 3,600 pesos , so we ended up making it a mall run and I came back a week later with the receipt and the fee was now 310 pesos.

I use a clear plastic brief case that will hold the 8.5 x 14" folder they sell these at the school supply store for about 200 pesos, it's real handy.

Another time I was behind a fellow Expat at the Main Office and he was asked for his receipts and he got really angry, he didn't know he had to keep those. For some reason if the main server has a data drop/failure that day it might not get recorded, and so if you show up for your ACR renewal 5 year mark and they don't have it filed they won't say anything but you'll just end up paying much more for your ACR renewal.

On one of my annual check-ins at the Main Office the Bureau Officer asked where was my wife and she was with me that time.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> On one of my annual check-ins at the Main Office the Bureau Officer asked where was my wife and she was with me that time.


So you need to bring the receipts and the wife, good to know.


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

Shadowman said:


> So you need to bring the receipts and the wife, good to know.


I'm not sure you have to bring the wife but for sure you'll need your receipts if they say they don't have them on file or missing one it could end up being a long trip for nothing.

I really don't know where this Immigration Officer would have taken the conversation next if I said my wife was at home, she's usually with me but on a couple check-ins I was with my son and another time with my grand child.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

What you need to remember is the 13a is requested by your wife, yes you probably do all the paperwork. The reason they want to see your wife is one, to check you still have one and two your not abusing her, they can cancel the 13a for both reasons.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Gary D said:


> What you need to remember is the 13a is requested by your wife, yes you probably do all the paperwork. The reason they want to see your wife is one, to check you still have one and two your not abusing her, they can cancel the 13a for both reasons.


Correct, the 13a is not automatic after marriage, it is the Filipina spouse who must request it at BI.

Asawa came home from a friends birthday party a few weeks ago & shared a story from a wife of a foreigner who requested the 13a for her husband, his 9a expired so he returned to his country to sell everything. The wife found undeniable proof that the foreigner has a kabit (girlfriend) so the wife went to immigration and was able to successfully withdraw the application for the husbands 13a and now she wants nothing to do with him.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Hey_Joe said:


> Correct, the 13a is not automatic after marriage, it is the Filipina spouse who must request it at BI.
> 
> Asawa came home from a friends birthday party a few weeks ago & shared a story from a wife of a foreigner who requested the 13a for her husband, his 9a expired so he returned to his country to sell everything. The wife found undeniable proof that the foreigner has a kabit (girlfriend) so the wife went to immigration and was able to successfully withdraw the application for the husbands 13a and now she wants nothing to do with him.


I wonder how much she made? Just a thought.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I always say to my wife that if I get a Kabit that she should vet her first 🤔 😁🤣


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Gary D said:


> I always say to my wife that if I get a Kabit that she should vet her first 🤔 😁🤣


60/40 or split the difference?

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> 60/40 or split the difference?
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


Just to make sure she is only after my body and not my money.


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