Title
Alien registration and fingerprinting law
Law
Commonwealth Act No. 653
Decision Date
Jun 21, 1941
The Philippine Alien Registration Act of 1941 requires aliens residing in the Philippines to register and be fingerprinted within 30 days of the Act's approval, with failure to comply resulting in fines, imprisonment, or deportation.
A

Authority to Prescribe Rules and Regulations

  • The Commissioner of Immigration, with Department Head approval, may issue and amend regulations to implement the Act.
  • This includes registration and fingerprinting of alien seamen, institutionalized aliens, those under deportation orders, and other aliens not lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
  • All records are forwarded to the Bureau of Immigration for filing.

Information Required in Registration Forms

  • The Commissioner of Immigration shall prepare forms collecting detailed personal information including:
    • Name, age, birth details, citizenship, civil status, spouse, children
    • Residences (permanent and temporary), occupation
    • Date and place of Philippine entry, intended activities and length of stay
    • Criminal record, if any, and other information as required
  • Passport-size photos are required for records and certificates.
  • Registration information must be submitted under oath; authorized officers can administer oaths.

Registration Fees and Certification

  • Aliens over 14 years old must pay a registration fee of ten pesos.
  • A certificate of registration is issued as proof, containing personal data, photograph, and fingerprint.

Obligation to Report Address Changes

  • Registered aliens must notify the official in charge of registration in writing at least 24 hours before changing residence.
  • For minors under guardianship, the guardian must provide this notice.

Penalties for Non-Compliance and Fraud

  • Failure to register or be fingerprinted, or failure by guardians to register minors, may result in fines up to 5,000 pesos, imprisonment up to 1 year, or both.
  • Failure to notify address changes can result in fines up to 1,000 pesos or imprisonment up to six months.
  • Filing false statements, procuring fraudulent registration, or using another’s certificate entails fines up to 5,000 pesos, imprisonment up to 1 year, or both.
  • Convicted aliens within 5 years of entry may be deported by presidential order.

Duty to Exhibit Certificate of Registration

  • Aliens must show their registration certificate on demand by immigration officials or law enforcement officers.
  • Guardians must exhibit the certificate for minors.
  • Non-compliance may lead to fines up to 200 pesos or imprisonment up to 30 days, or both.

Certificate Surrender and Clearance for Departure

  • Aliens departing must surrender their registration certificate 24 hours before leaving.
  • A clearance certificate confirming cessation of residency is issued unless the alien holds a valid reentry permit.

Penalty on Vessel Operators for Carrying Uncleared Aliens

  • Vessel masters, agents, owners, or consignees who allow aliens to depart without clearance face administrative fines up to 1,000 pesos.
  • Such fines are collected and enforced under Customs Law provisions.

Annual Reporting Requirement

  • Registered aliens must report annually within the first 60 days of the year to their registration office.
  • A fifty-centavo documentary stamp must be affixed to the registration certificate upon reporting.
  • Guardians must report for minors, who later report personally upon turning 14.
  • Failure to comply results in cancellation of the registration certificate.

Emergency Powers of the President

  • In emergencies, the President may assign registration and fingerprinting functions to other offices or officials.

Appropriations for Implementation

  • A budget of fifty thousand pesos is appropriated from the National Treasury for implementation costs including salaries and expenses.

Citation and Effectivity

  • The Act may be cited as the "Philippine Alien Registration Act of 1941."
  • It takes effect upon approval.

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