ACR-1 card

Hi
ACR card contains all your biometrics and speeds up all BI transactions plus is great ID anywhere in Philippines. during lockdowns can help get you a travel pass. Fast tracks you on visits to BI so you get waited on quicker because special windows for ACR card holders also mandatory after 59 days in Phil's.

lasvegan wrote:

Hi
ACR card contains all your biometrics and speeds up all BI transactions plus is great ID anywhere in Philippines. during lockdowns can help get you a travel pass. Fast tracks you on visits to BI so you get waited on quicker because special windows for ACR card holders also mandatory after 59 days in Phil's.

FYI for the original poster.:

The ACR-I card is required with some types of visas.  The most common being the 9a tourist visa. 

With the SRRV visa it is not required, nor is it required if you enter the Philippines with you Filipino spouse (Philippines citizen) and request the Balikbayan privilege stamp in your passport. 

You can also apply for a voluntary ACR-I card.  The ACR-I cards are color coded to indicate the type of visa you hold.

Is that the Aiien certification card from the immigration office??

Yes

Balikbayan? Can you please give me the details of this type of Visa? Maybe I can take my wife out of the country and get this visa when we enter back 🤔 is it costly? Been married for 2 years now in February to a Filipina lady.

Unfortunately not all BI departments have the same services so we go to Cebu and get better services.

Jazz14mg wrote:

Balikbayan? Can you please give me the details of this type of Visa? Maybe I can take my wife out of the country and get this visa when we enter back 🤔 is it costly? Been married for 2 years now in February to a Filipina lady.

There is no cost for the Balikbayan stamp in your passport.  It is not a visa it is a privilege afforded you as the foreign spouse of a Philippine resident. The requirements state that the privilege is available to a Philippine citizen (spouse and children) who has been out of the country for at least one year.
If you return to the Philippines with your wife, have your marriage license with you (they may or may not ask for it). Go together to the immigration officer and ask for the Balikbayan stamp in your passport.  It will simply be a "BB" stamp.  No cost and good for one year.

Balikbayans are not required to have an ACR-I card.

https://www.philippineconsulatela.org/u … -filipinos

Great 👍 thanks for sharing this with me brother, GBY!

I’m here on a BB visa in my 6th of a 7 month stay. No ACR. But I don’t need a bank account. I just transfer to my wife for any large withdrawals.  I did get a drivers license with just showing the BB  in my passport. They asked for an ACR but we told them I didn’t have one at the 4 month mark in country. But it all depends on what office, what day and who you deal with. Like just about everything else. Be nice, smile and you never know.

@TeeJay4103 Balikbayan privilege certainly IS a visa. It is a type 9A tourist visa that has an extended stay per certain legislation for those eligible as "balikbayans" (return to homeland). Every foreigner must have some type of visa to enter the country.

I was told one has to apply after six months. Is this true? Thank you

No. I received mine after applying for my first extension

I applied for a 6 month extension at 11 months on my BB and I applied for the ACR at the same time. That was in the mall at Cebu. My ACR card is there but I have yet to pick it up. I'm waiting for my wife's dual citizenship to complete so I can apply for the 13a on my next trip to Cebu. She took the oath 7 months ago but it is only in the 2nd signatory at this time. I was asked for my ACR number when I got my drivers license but my wife talked them into using the number on the receipt for the ACR.

Thank you for the information.

@tphgawn thank you for the info.

@danfinn I'm on my 9th visit to the Philippines over the past 7 years and have never had a visa to enter the country.

@danfinn I'm on my 9th visit to the Philippines over the past 7 years and have never had a visa to enter the country.
-@Whitehall1212

Yes free if under 30 days in and out and the stamp or sticker in your passport is your visa. After that you need to extend and pay.

BTW, welcome to the forum.

Cheers, Steve.

@Whitehall1212 They stamped your passport at immigration control each time you entered the country. That stamp was your visa, issued at the airport rather than at some Philippine embassy or consulate overseas. The designation of that visa is Tourist, type 9A, extendable for up to 3 years for some countries, 2 years for others while other countries are not allowed visa on arrival and must be obtained through an overseas embassy or consulate. Those extensions are referred to as Visa Extensions, so the original stamp was your 30 day tourist visa. With balikbayan privilege, your visa is good for 1 year, again, extendable. 

I will be going PH for long stay.  i was just curious why do they do biometrics for Acr 1 card?  Is it to run background check or just so they have biometrics on file?  I am not worried lol  , been to PH many times so much has changed over the years. i am just curious cause seems they are starting to modernize things finally

@Tariq072283 - If you are old enough, you can avail of Senior Discounts (sometimes up to 30 pct including VAT) at Restaurants and Grab Taxis. Also, required by Immigration for foreigners to remain in the country. No need to take any foolish chances for such a small amount of money.

If you stay longer an ACR card will be needed. My new one got lost at the Immigration office and now after 2 months waiting I have to wait again for a re-issue. Immigration is a shambles now, at least in Cagayan de Oro Mindanao. No visa stamps in my Passport any more but have to carry the receipt of my last extension with me all the time! Express fee is now mandatory, 1000 pesos. And on and on. This time had to pay a "Head tax" for the first time. 🤣😬🙄 Good luck!

@Clewis998533 Hi, I have not heard of any background check. They want to have it on file. In case you do bad things and leave your finger prints or your face on a security camera, they will find you.

Each time you leave the country as a permanent resident you show them your card, they scan it and print you the Return Permit and the Exit clearance. This will cost you 2880 Pesos each tine. If you want to travel often, consider a retirement visa or leave the country every 2 months (as a tourist). I got the 13a marriage visa.

@Tariq072283 insurance, driving permit, ID,

Work permit ( for permanent residents)

But I agree with you that such a card is useless in the year 2024. It can be done with biometrics and passport.

Re ACR-1 do they check in airport when you leave? I will be leaving soon after14 months. My tourist visa is fully renewed but my ACR-1 expired 2 months ago.

Can anyone advise please?

Quickly go and renew your ACR1 card and while there apply for your ECC if on a tourist visa but the ECC is 3 days before you fly out.

I'm surprised immi didn't automatically renew your ACR1 card when renewing your visa unless you have been doing 6 month extensions?

OMO

Cheers, Steve.

Yes Steve

My last extension was 6 months and  ACR was still valid then. I will get my ECC online 3 days before I leave  and maybe plead ignorance about expired ACR if they check or is that not a good idea?

@C D87

Not sure honestly as I have never been asked for my ACR1 card departing nor returning to the Philippines and perhaps aligned to your/my passport, what is interesting is when you renewed your 6 month extension immi never mentioned it to you, My immi office is always keen to get their US 50 bucks which I pay for and pick up on my next extension.

I have worked here twice for 6 month stints and never had an ACR1 card but a different visa so I'm not sure, perhaps others can throw their hat into the ring?

Good luck mate.

Cheers, Steve.

@talamban

The info on discounts as possibilities is true for Filipino citizens only. It is illegal under the law to obtain and use a government issued Senior Citizen card here as a foreigner. I do know many have them or forgeries with which to get discounts, though.

An ACR card gets me discounts everywhere as well as Filipinos. Plus less waiting time in the senior queue.

    An ACR card gets me discounts everywhere as well as Filipinos. Plus less waiting time in the senior queue.
   

    -@yawg

How can an ACR1 card get you discounts mate? While I have had plenty of ACR1 cards over the last 13 years and the only time I have ever hand it over is to immi upon renewing my visa,,,,,, it's not a discount card.

As for seniors waiting times you don't need an ACR1 card for that, they the staff no matter banks or department/grocery stores automatically shove you into the seniors queue.

Perhaps you can clarify why a Filipino would need or could or get an ACR card? After the age of 60 here you are treated as a senior whether a local or a foreigner and I will ad that foreigners are not entitled to discounts and only respect.

Interested to hear how you get discounts because you have a boring/mandatory ACR1 card.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpear

Of course Filipinos don't need an alien's ACR card. Just said that you get the same privileges as a Filipino with it.

@Bdc175

I have to get one after my first 2 month visa extension.

@C D87,

You will need the exit declaration when staying longer. It can be a big hassle at the airport if you don't have one. Especially if your flight is departing soon.

Can someone with an acr card apply for the PWD card?

Legally, the PWD discount program is only available to Filipinos. There are some barangays that will issue them anyway,  though.

So the simple answer is that if you hold an ACR-I, you are a foreigner and therefore not eligible for the PWD.

@Skip Scott Thanks for your reply. what I’m finding is that you’re considered a “Filipino” if they want to tax you, including travel departure tax, but a foreigner  in need of an exit clearance even if leaving for a brief holiday overseas and when it comes to trying to avail of benefits.