anyone been to new BI office Cebu?

My PI wife, Glades went to the appropriate office in Cagayan De Oro to apply for a new visa for me since we are married now. They said they were accepting no new applications at this time, extended my existing visa and charged us as much as they would for the permanent visa.

@Larry Fisher

Please let us know how it goes. I plan to go the day after tomorrow.

@Moon Dog I will try to remember to do so late afternoon tomorrow.

@Larry Fisher I went there last month, and am going back January 19th for first 6 Month Visa Renewal. New office is more spacious and there are restaurants very near including Jollibee's and Savory Classic (Very LOUD inside this restaurant, but a few tables are outside entry door).  Third Floor near a multitude of other Govt Offices. When I went in December they had just relocated. Things were a bit chaotic. There are many chairs just outside the entry for waiting. There is a Robinson's Dept. Store near for spending time while waiting. Good Mango Shakes booth is also close by.

@talamban what about getting photos needed? Any knowledge of where in relation to the office? My mobility is greatly hampered atm and thus trying to walk as little as possible.

@Larry Fisher Sorry I don't know about any places there to obtain pics. First time I went to this Mall was last week. Since there are so many Govt Offices on same floor near Immigration, I would not be surprised if there is a place to get photos. The Guards at the Mall entry seems to be knowledgeable - I wd ask them when you arrive. Have a safe trip. BTW - pretty sure that ACR-I is inside Immigration - not like J-Centre where it was a different location.

I don’t think photos are required anymore, feel free to correct me if i’m wrong, but I don't recall  needing one to extend last summer.

We needed photos a couple times in the 1 1/2 years we've been here but not easy to get in the province. I just took photos against a white wall with my phone and used a free online app to crop the photo properly then printed it on photo paper. Due to my frugal nature I did the same in the US for passports or for whatever purpose I needed a 2x2 photo.

I don't remember the app I used but there are several and I don't think I used the same one twice. Just Google passport photo maker and pick a free one. There is usually an oval where the face belongs so zoom in or out until it fits the oval and looks right, doesn't have to be perfect.

Just got back to the province.

1. Park in underground parking, section 1M and you'll be nearest immigration. Enter and it's lvl 3 to the left. (We took elevator near the CR's at entry)
2. Just filled out the extension form and ACR check box and went to the window. They had me seat and wait 5 mins maybe and up to cashier. P8043 for 2 months ext and 1st acr. Then sit and listen.
3. Maybe 10-15 mins and name called again, new window, exit or something. Signed the log, got passport back, and receipts along with visa extension (60 days) and told to pick up acr when I come back to extend again.

Totally painless really. Was out in 45 mins or less. The place is a bit of a mess, as it's obviously open before finished. But the clusterfvck moved quite smoothly .  And yes, for you folks doing annuals, that part is busy. But still looked like it wasn't bad.

@Larry Fisher

Thanks Larry, good info! My wife, soon to be adopted 2-year old son and my self are headed that way at 4 am tomorrow. I'm two provinces away so I  don't have to worry about parking. We'll be taking the 8:30 Supercat from Ormoc to Cebu which should arrive at 11:30 am. I applied for my ACR card 6 months ago at the J-Centre mall and it has been waiting for me for 4 months. I hope it was successfully transferred to the SM Mall. My wife's dual citizenship took 7 months and that held everything up.

I will try for the 13a visa tomorrow but I probably don't have everything so I'll most likely just get a two month extension and do the 13a in Tacloban City, Leyte since I can drive there. I messaged the Tacloban BI and they replied that they do 13a visas on Tuesdays. I don't have the NBI clearance yet and I doubt if the fixers can get around that. The fixer that hooked me up with my 6 month extension said I needed 3 things for the 13a visa but he never said what they were.

I’m in the SM City mall now but having trouble finding the BI.

I found it! I was in the wrong mall.

@Moon Dog , I just saw the post now. Was going to say you're two blocks away. Robinson mall.

Glad you found it.

@Larry Fisher

I was in the wrong place, but it musta been the right time.  Story of my life.

The BI was a bit of a mad house, I didn’t have to wait in any lines. My ACR card was there and I got a 6 month extension. I saw my old friend the fixer from the J-Centre mall and he took care of me.