The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has created a new office to streamline and expedite the processing of requests for clearance, certification and verification of status of foreigners and Filipinos who have or do not have derogatory or criminal record.

BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. issued a memorandum order last March 27 creating the Verification and Compliance Division (VCD). The order was subsequently approved by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

David said the VCD’s creation aims to facilitate the expeditious processing of requests for verification of immigration status of foreigners and certification of arrival and departure records of international travelers.

Also to be expedited, he added, are requests for certification of not the same person and BI clearances stating that a person is not in the bureau’s hold departure list, watchlist or blacklist.

“This new office will likewise address the need to implement a system of post audit and verification of all visa and alien registration applications,” the BI chief said in a statement.

David explained that, henceforth, the VCD shall act as the central clearance, verification and compliance-monitoring unit of the BI.

The chief functions of the VCD are the issuance of immigration clearances; recording and retrieval of derogatory records; and examination of authenticity of documents were handled by three separate offices in the bureau.

Previously, these functions were handled by three separate offices under two divisions in the BI.

Under the memorandum order, the verification and certification unit (VCU) and derogatory section under the BI administrative division were transferred under the VCD.

The erstwhile anti-fraud division was downgraded and renamed as the anti-fraud section under the VCD.###

Source:-
http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?...1577&Itemid=78