Designating the Bureau of Immigration (BI) Legal Division and Board of Special Inquiry to Process Visa Applications and Citizenship Applications, Respectively

October 22, 2014

BI ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. SBM-2014-021

 

Pursuant to Section 36 of Executive Order No. 292, as amended, also known as the "Administrative Code of 1987", in relation to Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, otherwise known as the"Philippine Immigration Act of 1940",and in order to streamline office functions and operations, maximize utilization of resources, and improve efficiency in the delivery of services, the following are hereby ordered:

SECTION 1. Processing of Visa Applications. — The following applications for visa conversion, extension, amendment and inclusion of dependents thereof shall be transmitted to and processed by the Legal Division:

a) Quota Immigrant Visa (Section 13);

b) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa by Marriage (Section 13a);

c) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa of Child Born Abroad of an Immigrant Mother (Section 13b);

d) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa of Child Born Subsequent to the Issuance of Immigrant Visa of the Accompanying Parent (Section 13c);

e) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa of a Previous Permanent Resident Returning from a Temporary Visit Abroad (Section 13e);

f) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa of a Former Filipino Citizen Naturalized in a Foreign Country (Section 13g);

g) Permanent Resident Visa of a Chinese National under Memorandum Order No. MCL-07-021;

h) Permanent Resident Visa of a South Korean National under Memorandum Order No. MCL-08-003;

i) Permanent Resident Visa to Filipino Veterans of World War II Who Acquired American Citizenship under R.A. No. 7837;

j) Special Visa for Employment Generation (SVEG) under Executive Order No. 758 dated 17 November 2008;

k) Treaty Trader's/Investor's Visa (Section 9d);

l) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa [Commercial and Non-commercial] (Section 9g);

m) Non-Immigrant Visa under P.D. No. 1034 (Offshore Banking Unit);

n) Temporary Visitor Visa under Memorandum Order No. ADD-01-038; and

o) Temporary Visitor Visa under Law Instruction No. 33.

SECTION 2. Processing of Citizenship Applications. — The following applications for citizenship shall be transmitted to and processed by the Board of Special Inquiry:

a) Recognition as a Philippine citizen;

b) Affirmation of Recognition as a Philippine citizen;

c) Retention/Reacquisition of Philippine citizenship under Republic Act No. 9225, otherwise known as the "Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003";and inclusion of dependent/s; and

d) Cancellation of Alien Certificate of Registry.

SECTION 3. Abolition of Special Task Force on R.A. 9225. — The Special Task Force on R.A. 9225 is hereby abolished. All applications for retention/reacquisition of Philippine citizenship pending processing by the Task Force upon the issuance of this Order shall be completed not later than 31 October 2014.

All personnel, documents, reports and office equipment of the Task Force are transferred to the Board of Special Inquiry.

SECTION 4. Transitory Provision. — All applications for visa conversion, extension, amendment and inclusion of dependents thereof mentioned in Section 1 that are pending processing by other BI Offices upon the issuance of this Order shall be completed not later than 31 October 2014. HAICcD

SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. — All previous issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. Effectivity. — This Order shall take effect immediately.

Furnish a copy of this Order to the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR),U.P. Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.

(SGD.) SIEGFRED B. MISONCommissioner