Philippines Tightens Student Visa Rules December 2, 2011— Announced November 30, 2011 and effective immediately, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has tightened rules on the screening of foreign Student Visas and Special Student Permits applications. A Student Visa is issued to a foreigner 18 years of age or older who will be studying at a university, seminary, college, or school duly authorized to admit foreigners, whereas a Special Student Permit is issued to a foreigner below 18 years of age who will be studying at an elementary school, secondary school or special tertiary course of less than one year. This decision comes after reports of travel agents helping foreigners submit fake transcripts and applications. The BI Commissioner also created 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 alien students with fraudulent documentation, cancel their visas, and report them to the authorities for arrest and deportation. The new rules also state that only schools accredited by the BI, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and Federation of Accrediting Agencies are authorized to accept foreign students. Schools are now required to establish a foreign student unit and submit periodic enrollment reports to the BI. |
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