ECC question

[gabgab]

Don't forget to have your ACR card handy as well.

[Huggybearman]

1 hour ago, jimdones said:

Don't forget to have your ACR card handy as well.

Yes, and make sure it’s the original. I keep a laminated copy of my ACR card in my wallet, usually leaving the original safely at home. As an experiment I handed the copy of the ACR together with my passport and ECC to see if it would work. It didn’t! I needed to produce the original which, fortunately of course, I did have with me.

[Shol]

When I left PH a week ago from NAIA Terminal 3 it was a madness scenario at the immigration line.  I "hoped" they wouldn't ask but I was referred to the cashier to pay 2850 for the ECC-B, so make sure you have cash. (She was nice, told me to come back to her so no line up, etc. I could tell one guy looked at me briefly with hatred cuz of that haha.)  This is in addition to the travel tax which you should get prior to even going near your check in / bag drop but make sure it's not included in the cost of your ticket. (Yeah unrelated, but why not share lol.)

The lady asked me when I will come back, and I said perhaps 6 months and that was that paid and got though.   

PS - They all asked me for the ACR card so have the original but keep it safe.

PPS - Yes, do it at the airport (for ECC-B, I think ECC-A can only do this if less than a year not 100% sure) unless you can walk to an immigration office/satellite as it's actually probably less of a hassle and pretty quick.

PPPS - If you can, walk into the airport from the bridge across near the McDonalds.  Almost no one and you can do the initial baggage screening in relative peace.  Also better yet, book a room at a nearby hotel and just leisurely stroll into the airport and avoid the anxiety of transportation to your flight :)

Edited September 19, 2022 by Shol

[gabgab]

Thanks for report Shol, was this in NAIA?

[Shol]

15 minutes ago, jimdones said:

Thanks for report Shol, was this in NAIA?

Yes sorry wasn't specific updated my post.

It was very busy but was actually impressed with how they were nice and got me through the whole thing of paying and such without much difficulty despite being creamed with foreigeners at that time :)

[gabgab]

I paid less than 1300p when I did mine at NAIA in 2020, I suppose it was an ECC-A (I just looked at receipt and it didn't mention which type of ECC it is).

I think the difference between A and B is that with A, once you leave, you invalidate your ACR card. With B, it's still valid when you return (assuming it hasn't expired). Hence B is considered 'leaving temporarily', and A is considered 'starting over if you come back'. It seems B costs more than double so if your ACR card is due to expire anyway, better opt for A. I'll try to verify that once I'm eventually doing mine.

I also wasn't even asked for my ACR when I did my ECC, which kind of makes sense considering the above. Better show up with 3000p ready in any case that's for sure.

[Gas]

3 hours ago, jimdones said:

I paid less than 1300p when I did mine at NAIA in 2020, I suppose it was an ECC-A (I just looked at receipt and it didn't mention which type of ECC it is).

I think the difference between A and B is that with A, once you leave, you invalidate your ACR card. With B, it's still valid when you return (assuming it hasn't expired). Hence B is considered 'leaving temporarily', and A is considered 'starting over if you come back'. It seems B costs more than double so if your ACR card is due to expire anyway, better opt for A. I'll try to verify that once I'm eventually doing mine.

I also wasn't even asked for my ACR when I did my ECC, which kind of makes sense considering the above. Better show up with 3000p ready in any case that's for sure.

Shol, is a permanent resident on a 13a visa.  The fees are different from a tourist ECC and nothing to do with how long he plans to be away. 

[OnMyWay]

6 hours ago, Gas said:

Shol, is a permanent resident on a 13a visa.  The fees are different from a tourist ECC and nothing to do with how long he plans to be away. 

 

9 hours ago, jimdones said:

I paid less than 1300p when I did mine at NAIA in 2020, I suppose it was an ECC-A (I just looked at receipt and it didn't mention which type of ECC it is).

I think the difference between A and B is that with A, once you leave, you invalidate your ACR card. With B, it's still valid when you return (assuming it hasn't expired). Hence B is considered 'leaving temporarily', and A is considered 'starting over if you come back'. It seems B costs more than double so if your ACR card is due to expire anyway, better opt for A. I'll try to verify that once I'm eventually doing mine.

I also wasn't even asked for my ACR when I did my ECC, which kind of makes sense considering the above. Better show up with 3000p ready in any case that's for sure.

To add to what Gas said, you don't get to choose which ECC you get.  In general terms, regular ECC is for long staying tourists and ECC-B is for permanent residents.

[Onemore52]

I left on Monday night.

As always I arrived four hours before the departure time of the flight, no problems.

 

As an old person I joined the queue for the seniors, which was long with families in line, to the right of this line I noticed another booth which had a sign saying ACR cards, so I went to that one and was attended to straight away.  I gave him my passport, acr card and my last visa extension receipt.

My hearing isn’t that good especially listening to a person with a mask on but I did manage to hear him say that I was supposed to pay my ECC 72 hours prior to depart at a BOI office but don’t worry  you can do it now. So he looked at everything especially my last visa extension and hit me for 1210 php, then directed me to go back to the passport control queue to get cleared there.

All done in 10 minutes, would have been quicker except for the families in the queue.

My fight left on time, I then spent 8 hours listening to a baby crying.

 

[Shol]

1 hour ago, Onemore52 said:

I left on Monday night.

As always I arrived four hours before the departure time of the flight, no problems.

 

As an old person I joined the queue for the seniors, which was long with families in line, to the right of this line I noticed another booth which had a sign saying ACR cards, so I went to that one and was attended to straight away.  I gave him my passport, acr card and my last visa extension receipt.

My hearing isn’t that good especially listening to a person with a mask on but I did manage to hear him say that I was supposed to pay my ECC 72 hours prior to depart at a BOI office but don’t worry  you can do it now. So he looked at everything especially my last visa extension and hit me for 1210 php, then directed me to go back to the passport control queue to get cleared there.

All done in 10 minutes, would have been quicker except for the families in the queue.

My fight left on time, I then spent 8 hours listening to a baby crying.

 

Good to hear you make it out OK.

It is different, for your particular immigration status, Which I assume is tourist or non-immigrant you pay the lower fee and are expected to pay at an office if more than a year. (Though not 100% sure if this is enforced or even "the actual process".)

For the more expensive 13aesque ECC-B I confirmed on multiple occasions that it's fine to do it always at the airport and never was questioned about that upon my departure now twice.  (Which I recommend, unless live right near an actual extension office, lol.)

Apologies if my posts have caused some confusion as I will only talk/relate my own personal experiences and that has been with just 13a or BB the last few years.

Take care :)