(Eagle News) — Over 130,000 foreign nationals residing in the country filed their annual report with the Bureau of Immigration for 2021.
Bureau commissioner Jaime Morente said the 130,148 foreign nationals who took part in this year’s annual report in compliance with the alien registration act were less than the 169,890 aliens who filed their AR in 2020.
“This is not surprising as many of these registered aliens were stranded abroad as a result of worldwide Covid-19 travel restrictions,” Morente said.
Bureau Alien Registration Division Chief Jose Carlitos Licas said that Chinese nationals topped the reportees, followed by Indians, Americans, Taiwanese, and South Koreans.
Also included in the list of top reportees are Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesians, Malaysians, and Germans.
According to Morente, foreign nationals who failed to file their AR because they are abroad may still make their report within 30 days upon their return to the Philippines.
Under the 1950 alien registration act, foreign nationals who are holders of valid immigrant and non-immigrant visas issued by the bureau, and were issued alien certificate of registration (ACR), are required to make the AR.
The bureau has said foreign nationals who do not comply with the reportorial requirement would be meted sanctions, including fines, visa cancellation, deportation, and even imprisonment.
