Question & AnswerQ&A (BI OFFICE MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. ADD-02-005, JUNE 14, 2002)
Republic Act No. 7919, otherwise known as the Alien Social Integration Act of 1995, governs the legalization of status of aliens and their social integration in the Philippines through payment of specified fees.
Section 4.3.1 allows payment of the alien social integration fee through an installment scheme: One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) upon filing registration forms, plus Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) per year over a three-year period starting from the first installment payment.
The Legalization Program under RA No. 7919 ended on June 10, 1997.
The three-year period for the full payment of the alien social integration fee should have ended by December 31, 2002.
The Bureau of Immigration extended the payment period until December 31, 2001 in order to generate more government revenue, which was earlier than the original deadline.
The Bureau of Immigration started cancelling the legalized status of ASIO beneficiaries who failed to fully pay the alien social integration fees in 2002.
Motions for reconsideration must be accompanied by payment of a MR fee of P510.00, administrative fine of P20,000.00 for the principal, P10,000.00 for the spouse, P5,000.00 for each dependent or child, and an express service fee of P1,000.00 each.
The Alien Social Integration Office (ASIO) is authorized to give due course to motions for reconsideration under this policy.
The policy intends to generate additional revenue for the government, encouraging compliance and accountability through administrative fines and service fees.
This Office Memorandum Order took effect immediately upon adoption on June 14, 2002.