BI launches online appointment system for clients in main office

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday said it is launching an online appointment system for clients in its main office in Intramuros, Manila as the capital and its surrounding cities shift to general community quarantine (GCQ).

Only clients with an appointment code will be served during the date and time of their appointment, and they would have to present government-issued or valid IDs before being allowed entry into the premises, the BI said in a statement. 

But Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said clients may still avail of the services of accredited travel agencies and law offices, which may secure the online appointment and transact business on their behalf. 

Instructions and requirements for BI transactions can be found on the bureau's website at www.immigration.gov.ph. Complaints and inquiries may also be coursed through the bureau's social media platforms and their telephone hotlines, Morente said. 

He said the new policy is in line with the protocols being implemented by the BI as it adjusts to the "new normal" brought about by COVID-19. The bureau earlier said it will be shifting to paperless travel systems to reduce contact between immigration officers and passengers. 

The BI is making these changes after suspending several of its transactions in Luzon, which was placed under enhanced community quarantine to slow down the spread of COVID-19. 

Meanwhile, BI OIC spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said foreigners who hold permanent resident visas are not allowed to enter the Philippines under existing travel restrictions. 

Foreign crew members of airlines, as well as returning overseas Filipino workers, foreign spouses and dependents of Filipino citizens, and foreign diplomats will be allowed to enter the country. 

Philippine health authorities recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19 cases in the country. Of this number, 3,909 patients have recovered and 957 have died. There were 12,466 active cases as of Sunday. —KG, GMA News