new Immigration Hotline (BID)

kwhkg · Aug 1, 2013

new commissioner has established a 24 hour (?) hotline for all inquires 02 465 2400

According the Hotline , those eligible for ECC (EXIT) clearance at the airport can still do so

DevonDiver · Aug 1, 2013

From what I heard (at BI sub-office) is that the "ECC memo" was only an issue for ~1 week. For me, that week ran from the day before flew, until the day after I returned. Typical luck!! It was a very costly 'miscommunication' within the B.I. for those effected by it.

The hotline will be a good initiative - but needs to have some authority to solve problems when they arise. It'll be no good if it only reiterates information that doesn't actually help people.

I rang the B.I. sub-office only 2 days prior to the flight I missed. They assured me that I could get an ECC at their office. When I physically called at the office less than 48 hours later, I was told I couldn't get one. I was also told I could get the ECC at the airport. On arrival at the airport, B.I. officers said I couldn't... it cost me a lot of money in wasted flight tickets and lost hotel deposits.

I also felt my human rights were curtailed - as I do have a right to leave the country (that right not being over-ridden by any criminal proceedings in the Philippines etc)... and that right shouldn't be impinged by bureaucratic incompetence or 'paperwork' issues. The Philippines has a duty-of-care to protect the human rights and 'freedom of passage' of those who visit the country. I was physically prevented from freely departing the Philippines because of a misunderstood memo, not because of any legal or diplomatic issue. I felt like a hostage - and it was clear that I had 'no rights' to contest or appeal the decision in a timely manner. There wasn't, or I was not informed of, any process to appeal or seek resolution to the issue that would enable me to leave the country as was my right.

A hotline wouldn't have helped me then - because the timescale imposed by the memo (immediate effect) didn't provide any lee-way for B.I. to get the information out or clarify the varied 'interpretations' of that memo by remote B.I. staff. The hotline won't help with future issues either; if B.I. don't also effect a system of effective communication and foresight to their policy and procedural amendments.

Common sense and fairness should have dictated that B.I. officers questioned the immediate cancellation of ECC issuance at ports of departure - especially when they began restricting foreign nationals from departing the country. There should have been a system whereby those officers queried the memo and ascertained it's exact intent. There should have been a system that allowed confirmation of queries in a timely manner, before the change was put into effect.... and provided reasonable warning to those who would be effected by it.

kwhkg · Aug 1, 2013

well there's new commissioner now (previous one got fired). Maybe you can try calling the hotline and see what they say. I called them and asked about the ECC at airport. They said if you are ACR-I card holder you can get this at airport. call them and see what they say

DevonDiver · Sep 21, 2013

Update on this:

When you ring the '24 hour' hotline, you get directed to an automated message ("Our office is open Mon-Fri 9am - 5.30pm"). Some people might hang up then. If you wait until the message has ended (and a little pause thereafter), then it forwards to an operator.

I'm guessing many people would 'abandon' the hotline whilst hearing the automated message. It's confusing. The hotline does work though..

Operator service seems a little inconsistent though. My friend was immediately given 'another' number to ring. The number was wrong (dead-number). Next try-again ringing the hotline and the number was fixed, but the code necessary to dial landline from mobile wasn't given (remember B.I.... you are dealing with TOURISTS here... they don't know this stuff!). It was also a Saturday...so, of course, the office re-directed to wasn't open... Try again, get given a number (cell phone) for some B.I. supervisor at NAIA...

As it stands, my friend has been looking for an answer (flight was cancelled due to super-typhoon... which forces him to over-stay his Sunday departure/visa end) all morning... AND STILL NO SUCCESS.

I will update what progress we get during the day... personally, I have low expectations.

Try to do the 'right' thing and follow the rules... waste hours of your time due to hopeless communications and non-existent information from B.I...

And..of course, the B.I. website is absolutely useless still. Not only near-impossible to navigate... but also not updated for YEARS. As an example, the address given for the B.I. Sub-Office in Olongapo is more than 5 years out-of-date!!! The sub-office moved physical address two times, since it was at the listed address 6 years ago. THAT is incompetence of the highest level...

kwhkg · Oct 1, 2013

BID now has Twitter account

[h=1]BureauOfImmigration[/h][h=2]@immigrationPH[/h]This is the Official Twitter Account of the Bureau of Immigration. Mission: “To control and regulate the immigration of aliens in the country” (C.A. No. 613)

Magallanes Drive, Intramuros · immigration.gov.ph

GavinO · Oct 5, 2013

I find I always get different information as long as I'm talking to a different person on the phone. Everyone's interpretation of the rules seems to be different and also the location can affect the interpretation but I should say I called them back in March so maybe things have changed since then..... Having said that if I was to call now I'd probably still get drastically different answers.

My experience was that there seemed to be a lot of confusion about getting an ECC at the airport in Manila....... in March I was told I could not get an ECC at the airport like the kind you get in Intramuros with your fingers prints and photos on it but you do get a sort of faster version of the ECC which still allows you to leave the country and not miss your flight.

I was once told on the phone that you only need an ECC if you are married to a Filipina and she was shocked and asked who told me I needed an ECC.... This was a BOI worker in NAIA T1.

kwhkg · Oct 6, 2013

my understanding is that if you have an ACR-I card you can get the ECC at airport. I had no problems last month

DevonDiver · Oct 6, 2013

I'm just making a point to exit within each 6 month period. Never bad to have a long-weekender in HK

As I understand it, ECC is only necessary beyond a 6-month stay, regardless of visa type (?).

GavinO · Oct 6, 2013

my understanding is that if you have an ACR-I card you can get the ECC at airport. I had no problems last month

Was this NAIA or Clark ?... My understanding was that they didn't have the machine in Clark to read the passports like they have in NAIA ,at least last year they didn't.... They wouldn't let me on the plane in Clark but in NAIA it was no problem.

regardless of visa type (?)

I think you are mostly correct..... I do have a friend however that has a multiple entry visa and can come and go as he pleases.

DevonDiver · Oct 7, 2013

GavinO:
Was this NAIA or Clark ?... My understanding was that they didn't have the machine in Clark to read the passports like they have in NAIA ,at least last year they didn't.... They wouldn't let me on the plane in Clark but in NAIA it was no problem.

I think you are mostly correct..... I do have a friend however that has a multiple entry visa and can come and go as he pleases.

I mostly fly out of NAIA... but not flown since my fiasco earlier this year (when ECC was 'instantly' only available from Intramuros).

Here is what they say about ACR-I on the BOI website:

The Bureau of Immigration, Philippines Official Website - ALIEN CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION