Immigration tightens screening against fake foreign students

MANILA, Philippines - School representatives would have to accompany foreigners studying in their universities to prevent “fake foreign students” from getting permits issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In the new set of guidelines issued by Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr., as a way to tighten their screening against bogus foreign students or aliens who are applying for student visa or special study permit (SSP) at the bureau, they would have to be accompanied by a duly recognized employee or representative of the school and not by unscrupulous travel agents.

Under the new memorandum, the school’s designated liaison officer or representative, who must be an employee of the school, shall exclusively represent or assist the foreign student in applying for a visa.

Commissioner David said the new rule was imposed after reports reached him that unscrupulous travel agents have been conniving with foreigners in submitting fake or fraudulent transcript of records/school records for the student visa and SSP applications.

“We have to make sure that only foreigners actually studying in the Philippines are given these visas. This anomaly should be stopped because these fake foreign students are blatantly violating our laws,” the David said in a statement.

Student visa is issued to foreigners, at least 18 years old, who will be taking up a course higher than high school at a university, seminary, college, or school duly authorized to admit foreign students.

On the other hand, special study permits (SSPs) are issued to foreign students below 18 who will study in the elementary, secondary, tertiary levels and those who will enroll in a special course of less than one year.

David has also instructed BI acting intelligence chief Ma. Antonette Bucasas-Mangroban and BI Student Desk head Anna Katrina Sy-Gil to investigate and identify the fake alien students so their visas can be canceled and afterward arrested and deported.

The new rules also state that only the schools accredited by the BI, Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (Ched), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), and Federation of Accrediting Agencies are authorized to accept foreign students.

Schools, on their part, are required to establish a foreign student unit and submit to the BI a periodic report on foreigners enrolled in their schools.

Each school shall designate its representative who will transact at the BI and apply for the issuance or renewal of study visas or SSPs in favor of the foreign students.

BI alien control officers in the areas where the schools are situated are also required to submit to the bureau’s main office a monthly report on study visas and permits processed by their respective offices.