Phillipines Bureau of Immigration and Deportation Tightens Visa Rules for Foreign Students

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has tightened its rules on the screening of applications for foreign Student Visas and Special Student Permits following reports of travel agents helping foreigners submit fake transcripts and applications. The Bureau of Immigration Commissioner has also issued new guidelines on the issuance of Student Visas and Permits to foreigners. Under the new memorandum, schools will have to identify a designated liaison officer or representative, who must be an employee of the school, to represent or assist the foreign student in applying for a visa or permit.

Officials have been given instructions to investigate and identify the "fake" alien students so their visas can be canceled and they can be arrested and/or deported.

The new rules also state that only schools accredited by the Bureau of Immigration, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Federation of Accredited Agencies are authorized to accept foreign students.

A Student Visa is issued to a foreigner of 18 years or older who will be taking up a course at a university, eminary college, or school duly authorized to admit foreigners, wherease a SPecial Student Permit is issued to a foreign belpw 18 years of age who will be studying at an elementary school, secondary school or special tertiarty course of less than one year.

Schools are now required to establish a foreign student unit and submit to the Bureau of Immigrationa periodic report on foreigner enrolled in their school.

Effective Date

This notification of change was issued on November 30, 2011 and effective immediately.

Who is Affected?

All Non-Immigrant Visa Applicants applying for a Student Visa or Special Student Permit.

Santa Fe Phillippines Initiative

This is a new set of guidelines and Santa Fe Phillippines will disseminate this information to existing and future clients, as well as partners, whenever the guidelines are applicable. For more information please contact our Immigration Consutant, Beth Basul at, Beth.Basul@santafe.com.ph.