SBM-2015-018 Meco

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION
MAGALLANES DRIVE, INTRAMUROS
1002 MANILA
OPERATIONS ORDER NO. SBM-2015-018
GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES IN THE PROCESSING OF MANILA

ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL OFFICE (MECO) ELECTRONIC TRAVEL
AUTHORIZATION (ETA) BY THE BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION
WHEREAS, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) is the

duly designed instrumentality to promote and protect Philippine interest in
Taiwan, with authority to perform functions usually carried out by Philippine
foreign missions, including promotion of trade, tourism, economic
cooperation, investments, cultural endeavors and visa, legal and consular
services;
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is principally responsible

for the administration and enforcement of immigration, citizenship and alien
registration laws, including the entry and admission of foreigners into the
Philippine in accordance with the provision of Commonwealth Act No. 613
(CA No. 613), as amended, otherwise known as the “Philippine Immigration
Act of 1940”, and such rules and regulation as may be promulgated by the
Commissioner of Immigration;
WHEREAS, MECO established an on-line electronic visa application

processing system, otherwise known as the “Electronic Travel Authorization
(ETA) System” to facilitate prompt and convenient processing of Philippine
tourist visas for Taiwan passport holders in any part of the world;
WHEREAS, MECO and BI need to coordinate and collaborate in the

performance of their respective functions, duties, and responsibilities
towards the fulfillment of their mandate;
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to the rule-making power of the

Commissioner of Immigration under Section 3, CA No. 613 and Section 29
and 36, Chapter 6, Book IV, Title III Executive Order No. 292, otherwise
known as “The Revised Administrative Code of 1987”, the following
guidelines and procedures shall be strictly observed:
SECTION 1. MECO ELECTONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (ETA).

- The MECO ETA is a Philippine Temporary Visitor’s Visa (TVV) under Section
9(a), CA No. 613, obtained through the ETA System in ant part of the world
by Taiwan passport holders who are fifteen (15) years of age and above,
with or without Taiwan Identification Card.
SECTION 2. Application System’s Synchronization and

Compatibility. – The BI Management Information Services Division (MISD)
shall ensure that MECO’s ETA System and BI’s Border Control Information
System (BCIS) are synchronized and compatible in order that ETA’s
information details can be verified and validated during immigration primary
inspection at Philippine’s international ports of entry and exit.
SECTION 3. Validity, Number of Entries and Authorized Stay. –
The ETA shall be valid for thirty (30) days from issue and approval date and
may be either for single entry or multiple entries with a maximum initial
authorized duration stay of thirty (30) days from date of entry to the
Philippines.
Attached to form an integral part of this Order and marked as Annexes

“A” and “B” are sample templates of the ETA for Single Entry and Multiple
Entries, respectively.
SECTION 4. Form. – ETA holders may either print a hard copy or

save an electronic copy of the ETA for presentation to the concerned airline
upon flight check-in and to BI for immigration primary inspection upon
arrival to the Philippines.
SECTION 5. Arrival Formalities. – Immigration Officers at primary

inspection shall scan the biographical page of ETA holder’s passport on the
passport reader to electronically check and verify the authenticity, validity
and information details of the ETA and for derogatory record check and
verify the authenticity, validity and information details of the ETA and for
derogatory records check. In case of and discrepancy between the ETA
presented and the BCIS data, the BCIS shall receive a “No MECO ETA
Found/Issued” message from ETA System, and the primary inspection
Immigration Officer shall proceed to exclude the passenger under Section
29(a)(17) of CA No. 613, as amended.
SECTION 6. Exclusion. – Notwithstanding the validity of the ETA, a

holder thereof may be excluded from the Philippines if there exist other
ground to deny entry pursuant to Section 29 of CA No. 613, as amended.
SECTION 7. EXTENSION OF ETA. – ETA holders may apply for

extension of authorized stay as temporary visitors under Section 9(a) of CA
No. 613, as amended, subject to compliance of applicable immigration laws,
rules and regulation.
SECTION 8. Implementation. – To ensure the efficient and effective

implementation of the ETA System, the BI Port Operation Division (POD)
shall widely circulate this order to all international ports of entry and exit
and to all airlines with international flight operation in the Philippines
through the Airline Operators Council (AOC).
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause.- All circulars, memoranda, orders

and other issuances are hereby repealed and/ or modified accordingly.
SECTION10. Effectively. – This Order shall take effect immediately.
Let a copy of this Circular be furnished to the Office of the National

Administrative Register (ONAR) U.P Law Center, University of the
Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.
City of Manila, Philippines.
30 June 2015
Signed
SIEGFRED B. MISON
Commissioner

SBM-2015-018 Meco

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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

OPERATIONS ORDER NO. SBM-2015-018

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES IN THE PROCESSING OF MANILA

WHEREAS, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) is the

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is principally responsible

WHEREAS, MECO established an on-line electronic visa application

WHEREAS, MECO and BI need to coordinate and collaborate in the

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to the rule-making power of the

SECTION 1. MECO ELECTONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (ETA).

SECTION 2. Application System’s Synchronization and

Attached to form an integral part of this Order and marked as Annexes

SECTION 4. Form. – ETA holders may either print a hard copy or

SECTION 5. Arrival Formalities. – Immigration Officers at primary

SECTION 6. Exclusion. – Notwithstanding the validity of the ETA, a

SECTION 7. EXTENSION OF ETA. – ETA holders may apply for

SECTION 8. Implementation. – To ensure the efficient and effective

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause.- All circulars, memoranda, orders

SECTION10. Effectively. – This Order shall take effect immediately.

Let a copy of this Circular be furnished to the Office of the National

City of Manila, Philippines.

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