Improve the procedures for the entry and exit of business persons (BI).

1.1 ACR-Icard Implementation

It is an unsolicited Build Operate Transfer project that has been approved by the ICC-Cabinet Committee (ICC-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CC) and the NEDA Board and underwent a competitive price challenge in accordance with Sec. 4-A of the BOT Law (R.A. 7718, as amended).

The project is envisioned to enhance the capability of the Bureau of Immigration against international terrorism, transnational crimes and international drug trafficking by advancing its capability in identifying and tracking alien residents through a microchip based identity card with biometric technology features.

The project  (a) automates the registration process of aliens, and (b) integrates the issuance of various paper-based alien documentations into a microchip based identification card, resulting in:

• Government efficiency
• Improved level of services to the alien population
• Eliminate harassment of aliens, and
• Increased revenues for the government.

Every current holder or applicant of an Alien Certificate of Registration is issued an ACR I-Card in which the photograph, fingerprint and other relevant information have been previously stored.  The ACR I-Card holder upon arrival or departure is processed through a special immigration booth.

Last 3 April 2007, Acting Commissioner Roy Almoro issued Memorandum Order No. RMA –2007-001 Validity of ACR-I Cards.  The validity of the ACR-I Cards shall be automatically extended to 5 years for permanent residents and co-terminus with the visa for temporary residents, reckoned from the date of issuance.

BOI periodically monitors any development in the implementation of said project and the resolution of issues and concerns raised by the various chambers with regard to its implementation.

1.2 Visa upon arrival application

The Visa upon Arrival (VOA) is one of the priority projects under the National Competitiveness Council – Transaction Costs and Flows (NCC-TCF) Working Group on Entry and Exit of Business Persons and Anti-Red Tape Task Force (ARTTF). However, prior to this, the VOA was already included in the watch list of the ARTTF. With the task force intervention, the DTI-BOI and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) were already meeting to prepare the MOA per BI Memorandum Circular No. AFF 07-001 published in local news papers last 6 February 2007. The provisions of the MOA were further enhanced by the inputs of the Foreign Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FCCI) during the NCC-TCF Entry and Exit of Business Persons meeting last 30 March 2007. In the same meeting, the working group agreed to include the “Pre-Approved” in the Visa upon Arrival as stipulated by the process. The MOA was signed by the DTI-BOI Managing Head and the BI Commissioner in consideration to the existing working relationship of the two agencies in terms of visa facilitation extended to the foreign investors. From the series of meetings and discussions with the BI, the process flow and timeline will be implemented as follows:

1. Submission of request with the accomplished application form from PCCI/FCCI  to DTI-BOI not less than 3 working days prior to the arrival of the passenger in the Philippines;
2. Endorsement of the accomplished application form from DTI-BOI through the One Stop Action Center (OSAC) to the Bureau of Immigration-Makati not less than forty-eight (48) hours; and
3. Release of Notice from Bureau of Immigration-Makati to PCCI/FCCI (copy furnished DTI-BOI and Bureau of Immigration-Main) within 24 hours giving at least one day for the passenger to be notified on the Bureau of Immigration action (whether approved or denied). The PCCI/FCCI is expected to inform the passenger upon receipt of the notice from the Bureau of Immigration.

The Pre-approved visa upon arrival is open to all business persons of any nationalities. However, there are about 168 nationalities with NO VISA requirement for 21 days. In consideration to this premise and the needs of other nationalities, it was agreed during the NCC-TCF working group meeting that FCCI will be represented by the Indian, Filipino-Chinese, Korean and Taiwan chambers of commerce and industries but will still maintain its openness to all businessmen of any nationalities following the same procedure should they prefer this scheme. The salient features of the MOA are as follows: 

1.  The implementing rules governing issuance of  pre-approved visa upon arrival to businessmen;
2. The respective rights and responsibilities of the Bureau of Immigration and DTI-BOI acting in behalf of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI), Foreign Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FCCI) and the current top 1000 corporations;
3. Requirements for the issuance of the visa upon arrival
   
   1. Duly accomplished application form
   2. Letter request from the authorized representative of the DTI-BOI.  Only DTI-BOI  may request the Bureau of Immigration to issue Pre-approved Visa Upon Arrival
4. Filing of request reflecting the steps as enumerated above.
5. Validity of the Visa is for thirty (30) days, extendible for another 30 days upon approval by the Bureau of Immigration Commissioner.
6. Admission under the Pre-Approved Visa upon Arrival shall be allowed  only to the  NAIA;   Mactan Cebu International Airport; and Davao International Airport; and
7. The supplemental MOA of DTI-BOI with the PCCI and FCCI representing the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) , Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCII), Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines, Inc. (KCCPI) and Taiwan R.O.C. Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) .

The MOA signing was held last 10 April 2007, 3:00PM at the BOI Board Room. The event was attended by the FCCI, PCCI, NCC-TCF and officials of DTI, BOI and BI.