QuestionsQuestions (IMMIGRATION ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. JHM-2018-003)
It is issued by authority of Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 613 (Philippine Immigration Act of 1940), as amended.
To rationalize the territorial jurisdiction, area of responsibility, and scope of authority of Immigration offices and specifically to update jurisdiction related to the Student Visa Section and various types of offices (District, Field, Extension, Satellite, and One Stop Shops).
District Offices are immigration offices situated in Regional Centers of the different Administrative Regions in the Philippines.
Field Offices are immigration offices located in key cities or municipalities in different provinces within a Region.
Extension Offices are immigration offices established to cater primarily to companies/entities registered with PEZA and BOI, and other companies/entities within Metro Manila.
Satellite Offices are those established and maintained in strategic areas to broaden the base of public service.
One Stop Shops refer to immigration offices situated in special and/or Freeport economic zones outside Metro Manila.
The Commissioner of Immigration designates: (i) a Senior I.O. or ACO to District Office; (ii) a Field Office Chief to Field Office; (iii) an Extension Office Chief to an Extension Office; (iv) a Satellite Office Chief to a Satellite Office; (v) an ACO for a One Stop Shop; (vi) a Chief to the Student Visa Section; and (vii) I.O. III (BCO) or an Officer-in-charge to a Border Crossing Station.
They must ensure proper, effective, and efficient implementation of immigration and alien registration laws, rules, and regulations, with general administrative/operational control and supervision over personnel, except on matters involving Bureau policies and policy directives/decisions which must be referred to the Commissioner.
The Chief, IRD is authorized to monitor strict compliance and may access visas, permits, payments, and the ACR I-Card systems of the Bureau.
Immigrant visas are processed at the BI Office with jurisdiction at the applicant’s place of residence, while non-immigrant visas are processed at the BI Office with jurisdiction on the applicant’s place of work.
Student visas and special study permits are processed and issued at the Student Visa Section or processed at the BI Office with jurisdiction at the applicant’s school.
It may only accept applications for Special Study Permit (SSP) and 9(f) Student Visa, as well as other related transactions for foreign students and accreditation of schools.
They may accept requests/applications not for BOC action (e.g., SSP, SWP commercial, and TVV extension).
Only online-capable offices with ACR I-Card data capturing facilities may accept requests/applications for BOC action such as visa applications.
BOI Makati Extension Office: only foreign nationals under the Top 1000 Corporations and BOI-Registered companies, and applications for Special Investor’s Residence Visas. PEZA Extension Office: only foreign nationals under PEZA-registered companies by virtue of RA 7916 and the BI-PEZA Memorandum of Agreement (Sept. 2, 1999).
Decisions are appealable to the Chief, Immigration Regulation Division within five (5) days from notice of such decision.