[2022-02-16] 13A Visa Intramuros Update **Implementation to permanent Visit**

[Shol]

[2022-02-18] 13A Visa Intramuros Update **Permanent 13A Complete/Acquired :)**

Just wanted to update my "saga" as it's complete and I have a brand new yellow permanent ACR card and stamp for my passport :)

Needed to hit Window 40 and present the receipt and was given passport and had to sign their ledger or whatever and they give you declaration document as well. 

Then directed to Window 3/4 to pick up new ACR; they will ask for your old one, and you will be presented the new one after signing another ledger.

Following that I had to go and take care of my annual report also which I had secured an online appointment for the same day.  They direct you out of the main building into kind of like a shipping warehouse with a lot of boxes and it's I assume streamlined for the big push for annual reports.  You show your appointment receipt (on phone for me) and then get directed to an appraiser who checks you out and he told me after some small talk to pay 310 PHP and then you fall in line to pay that at the one cashier.   It all took about 30 minutes give or take.  

And that's it for immigration nonsense until, something else happens :)

Anyway as usual, feel to reach out here or privately as some of you have done and I will share even more specifics.

Celebrating with Tequila :)

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, Shol said:

You need the online appointment to actually go there and pay.  Though it was mentioned if you have no appointment, you can get an "instant one" though I surmised there would be an extra "unofficial" charge.

I believe and after being there today, at least in Intramuros you have to go there in person to complete this.   Not sure if you folks were referring to updating information as I didn't have to do much of anything upon arrival other than get "checked out" and then pay, and then leave :)

For sure you need an appointment in order to complete the Annual Report - the point being made is that some folk go to the office to make the appointment rather than make it online. 

For me, in order to make the appointment I had to register my details with the BI first in order to log in - that means the BI then have all my details electronically that they didn't before this year.  On the day, as you say, go, hand over passport and ACR and the cash and then get your receipt and go.  In iloilo at least.  

[Jollygoodfellow]

5 hours ago, hk blues said:

For me, in order to make the appointment I had to register my details with the BI first in order to log in - that means the BI then have all my details electronically that they didn't before this year.  On the day, as you say, go, hand over passport and ACR and the cash and then get your receipt and go.  In iloilo at least.

Yes incase anyone has missed it, this link is where you make an appointment,

https://e-services.immigration.gov.ph/

[Jollygoodfellow]

Just to add to this topic regarding booking an appointment for the BI office.

Now its been changed to fully vaxed are not required to get an appointment. Must present vax card to security. 

https://www.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration/posts/323941309773648 

[hk blues]

11 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Just to add to this topic regarding booking an appointment for the BI office.

Now its been changed to fully vaxed are not required to get an appointment. Must present vax card to security. 

https://www.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration/posts/323941309773648 

Strangely enough, that very message popped up when I was about to do my Annual Report mid-January but when I tried to confirm this a couple of days later it was no longer there.  

[Snowy79]

I just walked in to the main BI today, not even a temperature check. Just walked up to the security, told him I'm sorting my visa and got a stamp on my wrist. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

7 hours ago, hk blues said:

Strangely enough, that very message popped up when I was about to do my Annual Report mid-January but when I tried to confirm this a couple of days later it was no longer there.  

It was yesterday's BI post so should be correct. Should I say 

[hk blues]

6 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

It was yesterday's BI post so should be correct. Should I say 

Should indeed!

 

1 hour ago, Snowy79 said:

I just walked in to the main BI today, not even a temperature check. Just walked up to the security, told him I'm sorting my visa and got a stamp on my wrist. 

Here in Iloilo, we don't actually enter the BI office - everything is conducted in the waiting area outside.  Strange given the likelihood of passing Covid to someone is just as likely in the waiting area as inside with staff coming in and out to attend to clients.

Edited February 22, 2022 by hk blues

[Shol]

On 2/21/2022 at 11:50 PM, Jollygoodfellow said:

Just to add to this topic regarding booking an appointment for the BI office.

Now its been changed to fully vaxed are not required to get an appointment. Must present vax card to security. 

https://www.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration/posts/323941309773648 

Will also add to this that for annual reports, unless you want to pay more (I never had to do this but it was "suggested") you still technically need an online appointment for the annual report.  They will ask for this also before you enter the area for streamlining annual reports.

This was a discussion since originally, on my phone I couldn't find an appointment for the same day as my delivery of ACR/Passport for 13a, so the guy at window 1 actually suggested to "get an instant appointment" I believe from a fixer OR go to another office.  Thankfully, when I got home it was OK and must have been a technical glitch accessing the site on my phone for appointments. (Suggestion, use a regular PC browser, doesn't seem to work behind a VPN either at least for the bookings site.)

I did not need one for the 13A implementation, etc. But this was apparently still required only for the annual report. (As of Feb 16, 2022 (At Intramuros anyway.)

We thought it was "weird" but it was also confirmed on their hotline also.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Shol

[hk blues]

6 hours ago, Shol said:

I did not need one for the 13A implementation, etc. But this was apparently still required only for the annual report. (As of Feb 16, 2022 (At Intramuros anyway.)

We thought it was "weird" but it was also confirmed on their hotline also.

I think the logic behind this is to ensure the BI can gather key info on 13A visa holders electronically as this info is needed in order to create an account in order to log in to make the appointment.  

Just my guess.