My Annual Report 2017

[Terpe]

It rained most of last night and although the skies were grey this morning it didn't suggest heavy rain so I took the decision to get out to the Immigration Office Manila for my Annual Report.

This year it's being held from 3rd January to 3rd March.

So off I went with all my papers in hand.
Strictly speaking all that is needed is a personal appearance (unless exempt), original ACR I-card and an official receipt of Annual Report Fee from 2014

There's a little more needed for a first time report, but as this was my second I didn't need to prepare anything
Just as a back up, in addition to the stipulated documentation I also had copies of my passport biopage and pages with BI stamps.

Completing the Annual Report process is mandatory for virtually all foreigners living here. In principle it needs to be completed within the first 60 days of each new year.
Non-compliance isn't something that should be considered if you are here. The consequences can be very serious. Imprisonment and penalties get mentioned.
If you're out of country then there are other protocols that must be followed in order to secure compliance

Since I am both below 14 and over 65 years of age I could avoid personal appearance if needed. But as I'm still fit and living close to a BI office it's no problem.

My 'local' BI office is at Intramuros Manila
For me from Marikina means a 15 min LRT journey costing P25
and a 5 min jeepney ride at P7 which drops me off directly outside the BI office complex. Easy.

Depending on exactly where you live in the Philippines this annual event can vary between 'easy and cheap' and 'pain-in-the-ass and expensive' solely due to emphasis on personal appearance.
Actually, there is a 'workaround' allowed if you really really can't make the personal appearance and you have no exemption.

The cost of the Annual Report is just P310 in total comprised of the Annual Report Fee of P300.00 plus a Legal Research Fee of P10.00

Now my experience for 2017 was brill.
When I arrived everything was well organised and laid out for 4 basic steps:-

1 - Evaluation / Scanning ACR
2. - Assessment
3. - Payment Assessment
4. - Payment to Cashier

As a senior citizen an Immigration Officer was on hand to assist me. He did this by taking my ACR card and inviting me to sit down and relax whist he completed my step one as a priority.

Next off to the Assessment Officer desk for immediate attention. Nothing required by me only my ACR card

After a minute or so I'm personally escorted to the Payment Assessment desk. Again immediate priority attention. Less than a minute and only my ACR card needed.
Given a payment slip

Payment was just the same. Priority immediate attention. Just hand over my ACR card, payment slip and the P310

That was it done and dusted in just a few minutes.

Plenty of time left to enjoy a lunch and a day's shopping with my wife

I like days when everything goes exactly to plan

[stevewool]

A cheap day so far I was going to say, but the magic word sprang up " the WIFE".
But being as it was so cheap go and get that new Toyota

[jonnijon]

Quicker than your last visit to Davao then Pete

[Terpe]

Quicker than your last visit to Davao then Pete

Absolutely.
Those past experiences were the cause of my hesitancy this time around.
Hopefully the Davao office will have been sorted out by now.

How you done your AR yet ?

[jonnijon]

Absolutely.
Those past experiences were the cause of my hesitancy this time around.
Hopefully the Davao office will have been sorted out by now.

How you done your AR yet ?

Not yet Pete, but I know its the same crap, photo, form filling, passport copies. But now its new staff there as of last year it only takes about twenty mins. Plus they gave us forms last year so they can be completed prior to arrival.

[Terpe]

Not yet Pete, but I know its the same crap, photo, form filling, passport copies. But now its new staff there as of last year it only takes about twenty mins. Plus they gave us forms last year so they can be completed prior to arrival.

The difference for this time around that I was not required to fill out any forms, present any documents or really say anything.

All done in a few minutes

If, as you say, not much has changed then I wish you best of luck for a smooth AR

[fred]

Annual report usually takes me about 15 minutes...
Problem I have this year is I might have to go back to Manila to get my card renewed as that`s where it was issued... I can apply in Cebu but I`m told that they send it on with the paperwork to Manila and then Manila send it back..
Don`t think I`ll risk doing it that way!!

[imagine]

reading and i see out of country then there are other protocols that must be followed in order to secure compliance,

i don't suppose you know what these are , they didn't say anything about this in manila when i asked, got me worried now, never seem to get away from owing money to some organisation or other there, this week gov lawers, chasing up for a 10 year old credit card of the mrs, lucky only a small amount but amounts to £550 i could have used better

[Terpe]

reading and i see out of country then there are other protocols that must be followed in order to secure compliance,

i don't suppose you know what these are , they didn't say anything about this in manila when i asked, got me worried now, never seem to get away from owing money to some organisation or other there, this week gov lawers, chasing up for a 10 year old credit card of the mrs, lucky only a small amount but amounts to £550 i could have used better

Immigration informed me that If I'm ever out of the Philippines during AR period I can re-establish myself as Perm Res. by reporting to the Immigration Office with 24 hours of my latest arrival.

Are you planning to return for any length of time ?
You would normally receive a 1 year BB visa free stamp when entering with your spouse.

[imagine]

Immigration informed me that If I'm ever out of the Philippines during AR period I can re-establish myself as Perm Res. by reporting to the Immigration Office with 24 hours of my latest arrival.

Are you planning to return for any length of time ?
You would normally receive a 1 year BB visa free stamp when entering with your spouse.

ok thanks peter, didnt fancy a skint in jail should i go visit at some point lol,

see theres a difference in what we both were told, i was told at manila immigration that the permanent rc wouldnt expire,

i will only go back if i dont get residency here for Lolita, because by the time that decision is made , then the irish residency will no longer be active, 6 month out of country

[Terpe]

ok thanks peter, didnt fancy a skint in jail should i go visit at some point lol,

see theres a difference in what we both were told, i was told at manila immigration that the permanent rc wouldnt expire,

i will only go back if i dont get residency here for Lolita, because by the time that decision is made , then the irish residency will no longer be active, 6 month out of country

It's quite true that your Perm Res will only need renewing after 5 years.
However, without strictly following your re-entry rules you could end up losing it.
You'll need to present your 13a ACR and be sure that your entry stamp clearly states 13a before moving away from the immigration desk.
If a mistake was made in your entry stamp it can be corrected at the desk, but I'm told despite a mistake it can never be corrected once you've left the desk.

Now, your immigration shows that your AR has been missed for 'n' times.
I have no idea what should be done in that case. Maybe just pay the missing AR fees plus penalties........For that scenario I'd advise further research.

Anyway on the positive side you may well find some delays etc getting a Residence Card issued. But hang on in there and eventually it'll get sorted.

[fred]

Not much info on leaving temporarily on a 13a and Ive never done it but it costs about 2,500 for exit and you should get a ECC-B (Special Return Certificate)andreceipt which they say is valid for a year..
I assume that you should return while its still valid and then you need to report 30 days after return. If that means you are late reporting,I think the fines amount to about 200.00 PHP per month..
If you return after more than a year,I guess they can cancel your residency at the airport and give you the 30 day tourist stamp..
There may be ways around it but no idea what they are.

[imagine]

Not much info on leaving temporarily on a 13a and Ive never done it but it costs about 2,500 for exit and you should get a ECC-B (Special Return Certificate)andreceipt which they say is valid for a year..
I assume that you should return while its still valid and then you need to report 30 days after return. If that means you are late reporting,I think the fines amount to about 200.00 PHP per month..
If you return after more than a year,I guess they can cancel your residency at the airport and give you the 30 day tourist stamp..
There may be ways around it but no idea what they are.

never got this ECC-B (Special Return Certificate)and receipt

i anticipate trouble when the day comes i go back for a visit

[imagine]

It's quite true that your Perm Res will only need renewing after 5 years.
However, without strictly following your re-entry rules you could end up losing it.
You'll need to present your 13a ACR and be sure that your entry stamp clearly states 13a before moving away from the immigration desk.
If a mistake was made in your entry stamp it can be corrected at the desk, but I'm told despite a mistake it can never be corrected once you've left the desk.

Now, your immigration shows that your AR has been missed for 'n' times.
I have no idea what should be done in that case. Maybe just pay the missing AR fees plus penalties........For that scenario I'd advise further research.

Anyway on the positive side you may well find some delays etc getting a Residence Card issued. But hang on in there and eventually it'll get sorted.

i got visions of being arrested for moneys owed once i step foot in the airport

[fred]

i got visions of being arrested for moneys owed once i step foot in the airport

What money owed??
I just read on another site where the guy spends 3 years away but his card is still valid..He paid 14k in fines but says its only 2k per year these days..
You have done nothing illegal you daft bugger!!..

[imagine]

What money owed??
I just read on another site where the guy spends 3 years away but his card is still valid..He paid 14k in fines but says its only 2k per year these days..
You have done nothing illegal you daft bugger!!..

like this guy you mention 3 years away 14k in fines
lol

there getting tough

http://philippineslifestyle.com/blog...to-foreigners/

[fred]

like this guy you mention 3 years away 14k in fines
lol

there getting tough

http://philippineslifestyle.com/blog...to-foreigners/

From that link..

An alien who returns to the Philippines with a re-entry permit shall, if he/she has not yet made the required annual report, make such report within thirty (30) days from the date of his/her return to this country, no fines shall be imposed.

[imagine]

From that link..

An alien who returns to the Philippines with a re-entry permit shall, if he/she has not yet made the required annual report, make such report within thirty (30) days from the date of his/her return to this country, no fines shall be imposed.

very good fred

[Terpe]

From that link..

An alien who returns to the Philippines with a re-entry permit shall, if he/she has not yet made the required annual report, make such report within thirty (30) days from the date of his/her return to this country, no fines shall be imposed.

What's the 're-entry permit' ?

[Terpe]

From that link..

An alien who returns to the Philippines with a re-entry permit shall, if he/she has not yet made the required annual report, make such report within thirty (30) days from the date of his/her return to this country, no fines shall be imposed.

Isn't the 're-entry permit' something you get at the airport when you pay for your exit clearance?

I've a feeling that re-entry permit is valid for 12 months. Just a feeling though
Fred do you have any idea on that?

If it's valid for only 1 year then what?

Would be good if we could establish a proper protocol on this

[fred]

Isn't the 're-entry permit' something you get at the airport when you pay for your exit clearance?

I've a feeling that re-entry permit is valid for 12 months. Just a feeling though
Fred do you have any idea on that?

If it's valid for only 1 year then what?

Would be good if we could establish a proper protocol on this

Well.In regards a protocol,I have never left since obtaining one so...??
I`m under the impression that as 13a card holders we do not need an exit clearance.
According to my understanding(only) we need to get a ECC-B (Special Return Certificate) at the airport which is valid for one year..
That said,I have been told by others that have left that the validity on the 13a card has been honored after a trip away for 3 years.
Of course,the card they used was still within it`s 5 year validity date.
The problem in the Philippines is that nothing is clear and mostly open to interpretation!!

[imagine]

a little clearer at least, thanks

[jonnijon]

Well it is that time again, annual report to Davao office, photo copies of the same paperwork I have been submitting for the last 10 years,and new photo. Last year I had to renew my ACR card, five hours later it was done. Davao office has gone backwards again. Also this year I have to renew my passport, that is a crazy amount of money wasted on something I am never going to use, im nearly 73 years old now, im starting to ramble now so thats my rant for the new year.

[imagine]

Well it is that time again, annual report to Davao office, photo copies of the same paperwork I have been submitting for the last 10 years,and new photo. Last year I had to renew my ACR card, five hours later it was done. Davao office has gone backwards again. Also this year I have to renew my passport, that is a crazy amount of money wasted on something I am never going to use, im nearly 73 years old now, im starting to ramble now so thats my rant for the new year.

I will be doing mine soon, iv never had to submit a new photo as yet , but never know might have to do this time or maybe a new card, well we will see

[fred]

Well it is that time again, annual report to Davao office, photo copies of the same paperwork I have been submitting for the last 10 years,and new photo. Last year I had to renew my ACR card, five hours later it was done. Davao office has gone backwards again. Also this year I have to renew my passport, that is a crazy amount of money wasted on something I am never going to use, im nearly 73 years old now, im starting to ramble now so thats my rant for the new year.

I renewed mine about 2 years ago..Really shocked at how quick it took..14 days after sending application,I got my new PP!!
FARK..in ell!!

[grahamw48]

Oh, I was just 'worrying' about the passport renewal thing too.

Mine is due 2022.

So, can it be done online from the Phils ?

Do I have to go to the embassy in Manila ?

[Michael Parnham]

I must say I don't understand all this, when I lived there I just renewed my visa every few months, have things changed because I'm coming back to stay around July this year will I be affected in any way?

[jonnijon]

Oh, I was just 'worrying' about the passport renewal thing too.

Mine is due 2022.

So, can it be done online from the Phils ?

Do I have to go to the embassy in Manila ?

Yes you can do it online, they dont do passports at embassys anymore. Just go to passports uk and it tells you how to do it. Dammed expensive now as they charge you courier fees plus you have to send it by courier. I worked the cost out a while ago when the exchange rate was lower and I think it was around 9 thousand plus.

[jonnijon]

I must say I don't understand all this, when I lived there I just renewed my visa every few months, have things changed because I'm coming back to stay around July this year will I be affected in any way?

Not if you are on tourist visa, its only us on permanent 13a visa that have to report every year.

[grahamw48]

Yes you can do it online, they dont do passports at embassys anymore. Just go to passports uk and it tells you how to do it. Dammed expensive now as they charge you courier fees plus you have to send it by courier. I worked the cost out a while ago when the exchange rate was lower and I think it was around 9 thousand plus.

Wow...cheaper than getting on a plane though, I suppose.