NEWSFLASH

PROCESSING FEES FOR FOREIGN TRAVELLERS REDUCED

Manila, July 2, 2000 - The Bureau of Immigration has reduced the processing fees of documents for foreign businessmen who are either entering or leaving the country.

Immigration commissioner Rufus Rodriguez said the fees were reduced upon recommendation of the Board of Investments to make the country more "globally competitive and attractive to foreigners."

BOI ombudsman Florecita Flores the reduction of fees because of the complaints from some foreign businessmen who found the local fees higher than those in other countries.

Since May 15, the bureau has been charging smaller fees for the processing of emigration clearance certificate (ECC), certificates of exemption (CE), special return certificates (SRC), reentry permit (RP) and head tax.

Under the new scheme, the BI now charges P1,400 for multiple exit and reentry permits from the previous P2,000; P700 for ECC instead of P1,000; P250 for head tax from P500; and P50 for document forms instead of P100.

However, Rodriguez said the bureau will continue to charge P500 "express fee" from foreigners who wish to have their documents processed and approved within 24 hours. A legal research fee of P30 is also collected.

The reduction of fees was announced after the BI reported a record income of P319.84 million in the first four months of 2000. The collection was P198.9 million or 165 percent more than the P121 million the bureau collected in the same period last year.