Most foreign nationals will agree that one of the biggest headaches they encounter when coming to live, work, or simply take an extended vacation in the Philippines is dealing with all the confusing paperwork and long queues at the Bureau of Immigration. For employers, too, arranging visas and Alien Employment Permits for new hires from foreign countries can be a complex, vexing and time-consuming distraction from the business of the day.
At FBRT our specialist Immigration & Visa department takes the stress out of the entire process by doing the work for you; and being accredited by the Bureau of Immigration, as well as by the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), we are v.ery well-placed to do so.
Our lawyers, who have undergone training with the Bureau of Immigration, can assist foreign businessmen, expatriates and companies employing foreign nationals with a wide variety of immigration and visa concerns, including:
- General counseling on matters pertaining to immigration and citizenship.
- Visa Extension for Tourist Visitors and Change of Status of Admission from Tourist to a new visa.
- Securing visas for newly hired employees, including Special Study Permit (SSP), and Student Visa (9F visa).
Our Firm assists employers in applying for pre-arranged employment or 9(g) visas and Alien Employment Permits for their new hires from foreign countries. We also assist employers wishing to extend or renew the working visas for their existing employees or apply for a change of status to a new visa category.
- Securing visas for foreign retirees
Our Firm assists foreign retirees to secure retirement visas at the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA).
- Assistance in processing of applications for various visas, including temporary visitor, treaty trader, student, pre-arranged employee, quota and non-quota immigrant, special non-immigrant, special investor resident, retiree, multinational regional headquarters employee, offshore banking unit employee, and others; special work permits, alien employment registration certificates, alien certificate of registration identity card (ACR I-Card), re-entry clearance certificates, and similar documents.
- Assistance in the acquisition, recognition and re-acquisition of Philippine citizenship.
- Provision of legal representation before the Bureau of Immigration, Department of Justice, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, the Philippine Retirement Authority, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Board of Investments, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and other administrative agencies involved in the enforcement of immigration and labor laws affecting aliens, as well as representation before the courts in petitions for the acquisition of Philippine citizenship.
- Assistance in the deportation and exclusion of illegal aliens; screening and lifting of hold departure orders; lifting of blacklisting.
In addition to the above, foreign nationals who were born in the Philippines or simply wish to remain here for good, have the option of being naturalized as Filipino citizens. In such cases the Immigration & Visa Team can assist with the filing of a Petition for Naturalization, either judicially with the Regional Trial Courts or administratively with the Office of the Solicitor General, Special Committee on Naturalization.
