RPL-11-003

Subject:     GUIDELINES IN THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS FOR QUOTA IMMIGRANT VISAS UNDER SECTION 13 OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NO.613, AS AMENDED, ALSO KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINE IMMIGRATION ACT (PIA) OF 1940, AS AMENDED

 

            Pursuant to Sec.3 of the PIA of 1940,as amended, the Officer-in-Charge issues The following guidelines for quota immigrant visa application under Sec.13,PIA are

 hereby issued:

 

1.          GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.-

            1.        An immigrant is a foreign national departing from abroad to reside Permanently in the Philippines. An immigrant may either be quota or
             non-quota.

            2.        Sec.13 of the PIA provides for the admission into the Philippines of quota Immigrants not exceeding fifty (50) of any nationality for each year.
            Stateless persons are also entitled to the annual quota of fifty (50).

            3.       Under  the principle of reciprocity,  quota immigrant visas shall not be issued to foreign nationals of countries with which the Philippines has no
            diplomatic relations or which do not grant the same immigrant privileges to Filipino citizens.

            4.       Quotas terminate at the end of each calendar year and unused quota numbers cannot be utilized for the following year. Consequently, a quota
            number and the immigration visa must be issued during the same calendar or quota year.

               

II.              CLASSIFICATIONS.-

            1.       In allotting quota numbers, the Commissioner of Immigration shall accord preference status to applicants in the following order of priority:

 
                  (i)          Those possessed of qualifications, skill, or scientific, educational or technical knowledge which will advance and be beneficial to the

                               national interest of the Philippines; and

                  (ii)         Those possessed of sufficient capital for a viable and sustainable investment in the Philippines.

                  

III.                QUALIFICATIONS.-

 

               1.           To qualify for a quota immigrant visa, the applicant must establish that:

 
                   (i)        He is in possession of a valid passport (or equivalent document) and visa at the time he files his application;

                   (ii)       He does not Belong to any class of excludible or deportable foreign nationals enumerated under Secs.29 and 37 of the PIA, respectively;

                   (iii)      There is a reciprocity arrangement between his country and the Philippines based on but not limited to Department of Foreign Affairs

                                circulars and issuances; provided, that this requirement shall be waived in case stateless persons;

                   (iv)      He is among the preferred classes of foreign nationals as specified in Item II hereof.

             2.    The allocation of a quota number to a non-preferred immigrant applicant shall be on first come-first served basis and only after allocation of
            numbers to preferred quota applicants.

IV.        DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS. -

             1.      All applicants shall complete the documentary requirements enumerated In the accompanying     CHECKLIST  OF   DOCUMENTARY
            REQUIREMENTS  FOR APPLICATIONS FOR COVERSION TO QUOTA IMMIGRANT that is made an integral part of this Memorandum Circular as “Annex A”
            hereof.

 

V.         PROCEDURE.-

             1.      All applicants for change of admission status and issuance of visa to quota immigrants shall be placed under the Visa Issuance Made Simple
            (VIMS) program, and the Procedures thereof shall be followed.

 
              2.      All applications fees for quota immigrant visa shall be assessed and paid in full before being accepted for filling.

 
              3.      Immediately upon payment of fees, the application shall be forwarded to the Chief, Law and Investigation Division, for raffling to designated
            hearing officers.

 
              4.      Upon receipt of the application, the hearing officer shall have 15 days to resolve the same. Within the same period, he shall transmit the
            application and his recommendation (approving or denying the application) to the Chief, LID.

 
               5.     The Chief, LID shall prepare a list qualified applicants by nationality and in the order of preference specified in Item II hereof, and transmit the
            same to the Commissioner of immigration for final action

 
                6.      The Commissioner shall grant quota immigrant visas and implement (by himself or through his designated representative) the same. The
            grant shall be stated in an Order signed him, indicating the nationality, Official Receipt No., Quota Allotment Number , and date of issuance.

 
                7.        All qualified applicants shall be notified by registered mail

 
                8.       The list of approved Quota Immigrant Visas shall be posted at the Bureau of Immigration Main Office, in places accessible to the public; and
                in the Bureau of Immigration official website.

 

VI.          REGISTRATION.-

 
                1.         A certified true copy of the Orders granting the quota immigrant visa shall be transmitted to the Chief, Alien Registration Division.

 
                2.         It shall be mandatory upon the Chief, ARD, to cause the registration of, and issuance of ACR-I Cards to, all approved Quota Immigrant
                applicants. No other documents Shall be required for purposes of registration except the following:

 
                (i)         True copy of the Order of approval;

                (ii)        True copy of the implementation stamp appearing on the applicant’s passport; And

                (iii)       Original or True copy of the Official Receipts evidencing payment of the I-Card fees.
               

                3.          The I- Card shall be released within 24 hours from the time the I-Card applications is filed.

 

VII.         FINAL PROVISION.-

 

                1.           All previous circulars, orders, and/or instruction inconsistent herewith are deemed repealed, amended, and/or modified accordingly.

              
                2.           This Memorandum shall take effect immediately.

 
                Let copies of this Memorandum Circular be filed with the office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the UP Law Center, UP Complex,
Diliman, Quezon City.    

   

                             

(Sgd)      RONALDO P.  LEDESMA                                                                                                                                                                              
               OFFICER-In-Charge   

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NOTICE

 

        To avoid the summary denial/delay of your applications/petition, please be advised of The following:

 
1.       All sworn statements or affidavits must be duly notarized.

 
            2.       Documents executed outside the Philippines must be authenticated by the Philippine embassy/consulate officials of the Philippine Foreign Service             at the place of issuance of nearest it, with English translation, if written in a foreign language. Any document executed within the Philippines must be                 duly certified by the office having official custody of the originals. 

 
 

CHECKLIST OF DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

FOR APPLICATIONS FOR CONVERSION TO QUOTA IMMIGRANT

(SECTION 13)

 

1.          ( ) Notarized letter-request stating that

 

             a. he is possession of a valid passport (or equivalent document) and visa at the time he files his application;

             b. he does not belong to any class of excludible or deportable foreign nationals enumerated under Secs.29 and 37 of the PIA.

             c. he is possessed of qualifications, skills, scientific, educational, or  technical knowledge which will advance and be beneficial to the national interest               of the Philippines.

                                                                                            or

            he has sufficient capital for a viable and sustainable investment in the Philippines.  

 

2.    ( ) General Application Form duly accomplished and notarized (BI For No.MCL-07-01);

3.    ( ) Plan photocopy of the applicant’s passport showing admission stamp and

                     authorized stay;

4.      ( ) Proof of applicant’s special qualifications

        Academic degrees, awards, certificates of recognition, and other documents attesting

        to applicant’s special qualification, skills, or knowledge.

 

                ( ) Proof of financial capacity of investment, including but not limited to:

 
                          a.    ( ) Bank certification of inward remittance amounting to at least US $50,000.00 or equivalent in other foreign currency.

                          b.    ( ) Duly-certified documents evidencing ownership/purchase of a condominium. Condominium unit(s) acquired within four(4) years
                         prior to filing the quota immigrant visa application may be considered.

c.    ( ) Duly-certified documents showing ownership of or investment In an existing corporation, business, enterprise, or concerns. Shares of stock or other equivalent proof of ownership in a corporation or concern acquired within four(4) years prior to filing the application may be considered.

 
                In case (b) and (c) above, applicant shall show proof that the amount he invested was inwardly remitted or came from foreign sources.

 

        5.  ( )  Original copy of stamp issued by the Bureau OF Quarantine and appearing

            In applicant’s passport or travel document, and a certification from a government

            health institution that applicant is physically and mentally fit.

         6. ( )   Bureau of Immigration (BI) Clearance certificate.

         7. ( )   National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA) Clearance.

         8. ( )   Clearance from the Law Enforcement Agency of the applicant’s country of origin 

            or residence, provided. That this requirement may be waived if the applicant has

            stayed in the Philippines more than two years; and

         9  ( )    National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance.

 

CERTIFICATION

 

This is to certify that the documents submitted in support of the application/petition for __________________________________ are complete and in order.

 

 
Name of Lawyer of the Day

 
______________________                                                                                  Date ________________________

  ( Sign over printed name )

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