Adopted: 23 September 2014
Date Filed: 24 September 2014

Pursuant to Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, otherwise known as the œPhilippine Immigration Act of 1940 , and in order to institutionalize and standardize the processing of applications of Special Work Permits for artists, athletes and religious preachers, the following rules and procedures are hereby prescribed:

Section 1. Persons required to secure a SWP. - The following foreign nationals are required to secure SWP:

1. Artists performing in concerts, musicals or public performances, including members of the production staff and crew;
2. Athletes participating in sports competitions, meets or tournaments, including coaches, trainers and assistants; and
3. Visiting religious personalities conducting preaching activities.

Section 2. Who shall file. - The promoter/organizer of the event in the Philippines shall file, as petitioner, the application for the issuance of SWP in behalf of the foreign artist, athlete or religious preacher.

Section 3. Period to file. - The application for SWP must be filed at least three (3) working days prior to the scheduled event.

Applications filed less than three (3) working days prior to the scheduled event/competition shall pay double the Express lane fee in the amount of One Thousand Pesos (Php1,000.00) per artist/athlete/religious preacher.

Application filed on the day or after the scheduled performance or event shall be denied and sanctioned as provided in Section 5 hereof.

Section 4. Procedures. - The following procedure shall be observed in the processing of SWP applications:

A. Central Receiving Unit (CRU)

Upon determination that all the supporting documents for the application are complete and in order in accordance with the checklist of requirements and after full payment of the prescribed fees, transmit the SWP application folder to the Office of the Commissioner within four (4) hours from the time the application was received.

B. Office of the Commissioner (OCOM)

Within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the SWP application folder, the OCOM-designated Processing Officer shall evaluate the application and thereafter prepare and submit to the Commissioner the recommended Order therefor.

C. Commissioner

Act on the recommended Order.

D. Office of the Commissioner (OCOM)

a) At least one (1) day before the scheduled event/competition, the Order, together with the original copy of the Official Receipts, must be released to or claimed by the duly authorized representative of the promoter/organizer.

b) Transmit the records to the Records Section for safekeeping.

Section 5. Sanctions. - Any artist, athlete, religious personality, including members of the production staff and crew, coaches, trainers and assistants, who shall perform, participate and preach, as the case may be, without the necessary SWP shall be ordered to leave and placed in the Bureau ™s Blacklist.

The promoter/organizer who holds an event without securing such SWP shall be banned from further transacting with the Bureau of Immigration.

Section 6. Repealing Clause. - All rules, procedures, guidelines and previous issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.

Section 7. Effectivity. - This Order shall take effect immediately upon approval.

Furnish a copy of this Circular to the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR), U.P. Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.

23 September 2014

(SGD) SIEGFRED B. MISON
Commissioner