Holding an ACR I-Card does not normally create a monthly payment obligation to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration. Most cardholders pay only when the card is issued or renewed, when their visa is extended or renewed, when they complete the required Annual Report, or when a penalty applies. A charge described as a “monthly ACR fee” is often actually a tourist visa-extension charge, a late-reporting fine, or a private agent’s service fee—not a recurring government fee for merely possessing the card.

Is There a Monthly Fee for an ACR I-Card?

No general Philippine immigration rule requires every ACR I-Card holder to pay a fixed fee each month.

The payment depends on the transaction involved:

Charge	How often it normally applies	Is it an ACR monthly fee?
Initial ACR I-Card issuance	When the card is first issued	No
ACR I-Card renewal	Usually when the card’s one-year validity expires	No
Annual Report fee	Once per calendar year for covered registered foreign nationals	No
Tourist visa-extension fees	Whenever authorized stay must be extended, often by one or two months	No, although part of the calculation may be monthly
Late Annual Report fine	Calculated per month of delay	No; this is a penalty
Overstay fine	Calculated per month of overstay	No; this is a penalty
Agent or processing fee	Based on a private service agreement	No; this is not a government ACR fee

The source of the confusion is that several immigration charges are calculated according to the number of months involved. That does not make them recurring maintenance fees for the ACR I-Card itself.

What Is an ACR I-Card?

The Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card, commonly called the ACR I-Card, is a biometric identification card issued by the Bureau of Immigration to registered foreign nationals.

It contains information such as the holder’s identity, immigration status, visa category, admission details, photograph, fingerprints, signature, and certain immigration-payment records. It replaced the older paper-based alien registration certificate. (Supreme Court E-Library)

The Bureau of Immigration generally requires an ACR I-Card for foreign nationals under immigrant or non-immigrant status, including temporary visitors who remain in the Philippines for more than 59 days. A tourist who stays beyond that period may therefore receive an ACR I-Card even though the person remains under a Temporary Visitor’s Visa or 9(a) status. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

The card is evidence of registration and immigration status. It is not a subscription, residence tax, or monthly permit.

Legal Basis for ACR Registration and Annual Reporting

The principal law is Republic Act No. 562, the Alien Registration Act of 1950, as amended.

Section 10 requires aliens covered by the law to report within the first 60 days of each calendar year. The provision was amended by Republic Act No. 578 and later legislation concerning fees and penalties. (Supreme Court E-Library)

The ACR I-Card system is also administered together with the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, Commonwealth Act No. 613, which governs admission, visa status, extensions, departure clearances, re-entry permits, and other immigration matters. (Lawphil)

These laws create registration, reporting, visa, and departure obligations. They do not impose a universal monthly fee simply because a person holds an ACR I-Card.

The Fees ACR I-Card Holders May Actually Need to Pay

1. ACR I-Card issuance fee

A foreign national may pay an ACR I-Card fee when the card is first issued.

For temporary visitors who have stayed in the Philippines for more than 59 days, the Bureau of Immigration’s posted schedule lists:

US$50 ACR I-Card fee
₱500 express fee

The application is normally processed together with the relevant visa transaction. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

The peso amount payable for a US-dollar-denominated fee may depend on the Bureau’s applicable exchange rate at the time of assessment.

2. ACR I-Card renewal fee

The Bureau of Immigration states that an ACR I-Card generally has a one-year validity period. Renewal may also be necessary when the holder:

Re-registers upon reaching 14 years old
Changes visa status
Must replace the card under alien-registration rules

The Bureau’s posted renewal schedule lists a US$50 card fee and a ₱500 express fee. However, the same page notes that the displayed fee schedule was updated in 2014 and may change. The Order of Payment Slip issued for the actual transaction should therefore control the amount paid. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

An annual card renewal is not the same as paying monthly. Even when a holder informally divides the yearly cost by 12 for budgeting purposes, the government charge remains a renewal fee due at the relevant transaction.

3. Annual Report fee

Registered foreign nationals covered by the Annual Report requirement must report once each year, normally within the first 60 days of the calendar year.

For 2026, the Bureau of Immigration set the reporting period from January 1 to March 1, 2026. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

The Bureau’s Annual Report service page currently lists:

Annual Report item	Posted amount
Annual Report fee	₱300
Legal Research Fee	₱10
Total	₱310

This is a yearly obligation, not a monthly one. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

The Bureau also states that the Annual Report fee is assessed when the foreign national’s arrival occurred on or before November 2 of the preceding year. A recently arrived foreign national whose arrival falls after that date should check the assessment generated by the Bureau rather than assuming that the fee applies immediately. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

4. Monthly penalty for filing the Annual Report late

A genuine monthly charge can arise when a covered foreign national fails to complete the Annual Report on time.

The Bureau’s current service page states that late reporting may result in:

₱200 fine for every month of delay, reckoned from March 2
Maximum late fine of ₱2,000 per year
₱1,510 Motion for Reconsideration fee

These are penalties for late compliance. They are not ordinary monthly ACR I-Card fees. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

A person who missed several annual reporting periods may have arrears for more than one year. The Bureau must calculate the assessment based on its records, prior payments, travel history, visa status, and applicable operations orders.

5. Tourist visa-extension charges

Tourists are the group most likely to believe that they are paying a monthly ACR fee.

A temporary visitor may initially receive a limited authorized stay. To remain legally in the Philippines, the visitor must apply for an extension before that stay expires. After the applicable visa waiver or initial extension, further extensions may be granted for periods such as one or two months.

The Bureau’s published fee tables include an “every month of extension” component, together with other possible charges such as:

Application fee
Alien registration fee
Certification fee
Express fee
Head tax for certain adults
Visa sticker fee
Legal Research Fee
ACR I-Card fee when applicable

The total therefore changes according to nationality, age, length of extension, previous stay, and whether an ACR I-Card is being issued. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

A tourist paying every one or two months is usually paying to extend authorized stay—not paying for the continuing privilege of holding an ACR I-Card.

6. Overstay fines

A tourist who allows the authorized stay to expire may be assessed an overstay fine calculated per month, in addition to regular extension charges and possible reconsideration fees.

The Bureau’s published temporary-visitor schedule identifies a ₱500-per-month overstay fine in the circumstances covered by that schedule. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Overstay charges should not be confused with:

ACR I-Card issuance fees
ACR renewal fees
Annual Report fees
Late Annual Report penalties

They arise because the foreign national remained beyond the authorized period.

7. Departure, re-entry, and clearance charges

Some ACR I-Card holders must pay separate immigration charges when leaving the Philippines.

For example:

A tourist who has stayed for six months or more may need an ECC-A before departure.
An immigrant or non-immigrant visa holder with a valid ACR I-Card who is leaving temporarily may need an ECC-B and the applicable re-entry permit or Special Return Certificate.
A foreign national leaving permanently may need visa downgrading, cancellation, or another clearance procedure.

The Bureau recommends applying for an Emigration Clearance Certificate at least 72 hours before departure. An ECC is generally valid for one month but can be used only once. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

The Bureau also requires covered departing registered foreign nationals to settle outstanding Annual Report obligations before an ECC-B is issued. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Who Must File the Annual Report?

The Bureau’s current Annual Report service page covers registered aliens and ACR I-Card holders except Temporary Visitor’s Visa or tourist visa holders. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

This distinction is important because two people may both possess ACR I-Cards but have different reporting obligations.

Immigration status	Annual Report normally required?	Other recurring concern
9(a) tourist or temporary visitor	No, under the Bureau’s current service guidance	Visa extensions and possible ECC-A
13(a) marriage-based resident	Yes	Card renewal, Annual Report, departure requirements
9(g) employment visa holder	Yes	Visa and ACR validity tied to approved employment status
9(f) student visa holder	Yes	Student visa compliance and card renewal
Temporary Resident Visa holder	Yes	Annual Report, visa conditions, card renewal
Other registered immigrant or non-immigrant	Usually yes	Requirements depend on visa category

A person should rely on the visa category shown in the passport, visa order, and ACR I-Card—not merely on the fact that a card has been issued.

How to Complete the Annual Report

Covered ACR I-Card holders can generally follow these steps:

Register through the Bureau of Immigration eServices portal.
Obtain the registration reference number or online assessment.
Prepare the original documents. The Bureau commonly requires:
- Valid ACR I-Card or original paper-based ACR
- Valid passport
- Official receipt for the previous year’s Annual Report, when available
Complete the procedure online or at a participating Bureau office. For 2026, qualified foreign nationals who were physically present in the Philippines and held valid visas could use the virtual Annual Report system.
Pay only through an authorized channel. Available online methods have included GCash, Maya, credit card, and Landbank. A separate payment-processing charge may apply to an online transaction.
Save the official receipt and electronic confirmation. These may be needed to resolve a record mismatch, process a future Annual Report, or obtain departure clearance. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Routine Annual Reporting does not generally require an apostilled foreign document. Unusual cases—such as an expired passport, inconsistent personal details, refugee or stateless status, or an unresolved visa record—may require additional affidavits or supporting documents.

What to Do if Someone Demands a “Monthly ACR Fee”

Before paying, identify exactly what the charge covers.

Ask for an itemized breakdown.

The breakdown should state whether the amount is for a visa extension, ACR issuance, card renewal, Annual Report, overstay fine, government express fee, online processing charge, or private professional fee.
Ask for the Bureau of Immigration Order of Payment Slip.

An official immigration assessment should be supported by an OPS or by an assessment generated through the Bureau’s eServices system.
Check the official receipt.

A Bureau of Immigration payment should result in a government receipt or verifiable electronic payment record. A handwritten receipt from an agent does not prove that the government fee was paid.
Check the card and visa expiration dates separately.

The ACR I-Card and the underlying visa may have different expiration or renewal requirements. A valid card does not automatically extend a tourist’s authorized stay, and a valid visa does not excuse an expired card.
Separate private service fees from government fees.

An immigration agent, employer, school, condominium administrator, or relocation company may charge an agreed processing or administrative fee. That private charge is not automatically an official ACR fee.
Verify unusual assessments directly with the Bureau.

This is especially important when the amount is demanded in cash, no OPS is provided, the payer is told that receipts are unavailable, or the same “ACR maintenance fee” is collected every month without any visa transaction.

Common Real-Life Scenarios

A tourist has an ACR I-Card and pays every two months

The payment is probably for extending the tourist’s authorized stay. The ACR I-Card may have been issued because the tourist remained for more than 59 days, but the repeated payment is connected to visa extensions.

A foreign spouse with a 13(a) visa is charged once a year

The charge may involve two separate annual obligations:

ACR I-Card renewal after the card’s one-year validity expires
Annual Report compliance during the first 60 days of the year

These are not monthly fees, even if they occur during the same year.

A registered resident missed the Annual Report deadline

The Bureau may assess a monthly late fine beginning March 2, together with the Annual Report fee and applicable reconsideration charge. The monthly amount is a penalty caused by late reporting.

An agent collects a monthly “immigration maintenance fee”

There is no standard Bureau of Immigration fee under that name. The cardholder should request:

The written service agreement
Itemized government and professional fees
Copies of all OPS documents
Official receipts
Proof of each transaction supposedly filed

The ACR I-Card was lost

Loss of the card creates a reissuance transaction, not a monthly payment obligation. The Bureau’s posted schedule lists a US$20 card fee and a ₱1,000 express fee for a lost-card reissuance, subject to possible changes in the assessed amount. Lost-card processing may also require a letter request, affidavit of loss, police report, and renewed biometric capture. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all ACR I-Card holders pay every month?

No. There is no universal monthly fee for possessing an ACR I-Card. Payments arise from particular transactions, renewals, extensions, reports, or penalties.

How often must an ACR I-Card be renewed?

The Bureau states that the card generally has a one-year validity period. Renewal may also be required after a change of visa status, upon re-registration at age 14, or in other circumstances required by alien-registration rules. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Do tourist ACR I-Card holders pay the Annual Report fee?

Under the Bureau of Immigration’s current Annual Report service guidance, Temporary Visitor’s Visa or tourist visa holders are excluded from that Annual Report transaction. They must still keep their authorized stay valid and comply with applicable departure-clearance requirements. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Why does my tourist visa bill contain a monthly amount?

The Bureau calculates part of a tourist visa extension according to the number of months requested. Other application, certification, registration, express, and legal-research charges may be added to the total.

What happens if I miss the Annual Report deadline?

A covered foreign national should complete late reporting and obtain an official assessment. The Bureau currently lists a ₱200 monthly fine from March 2, subject to a yearly cap, as well as a Motion for Reconsideration fee. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Can I complete the Annual Report online?

Qualified foreign nationals with valid visas who are physically present in the Philippines may use the Bureau’s virtual Annual Report system when available. Others may need to appear at a participating Bureau office. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Can an agent legally charge more than the Bureau’s official fee?

An agent may charge a separate professional or processing fee when the client agreed to it. The agent should distinguish that private fee from government charges and provide the Bureau’s official receipts for government payments.

Does renewing the ACR I-Card also renew my visa?

Not necessarily. The card and the underlying immigration status are related but separate. A card renewal does not automatically extend a tourist stay, renew an employment visa, or cure an expired visa.

Can I leave the Philippines with unpaid Annual Reports?

A covered registered foreign national may encounter problems obtaining an ECC-B or completing departure formalities until Annual Report obligations are settled. The Bureau has specifically reminded departing registered foreign nationals to complete Annual Report compliance before ECC-B issuance. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Which amount should I trust if websites show different fees?

Use the Order of Payment Slip or assessment generated for the actual transaction. Some Bureau service pages expressly warn that their displayed card-fee schedules were last updated in 2014 and may change without prior notice. (Bureau of Immigration Philippines)

Key Takeaways

There is no standard monthly government fee for simply holding an ACR I-Card.
The card generally requires renewal after its one-year validity expires.
Covered registered foreign nationals pay an Annual Report fee once a year, not every month.
Tourist ACR I-Card holders are currently excluded from the Annual Report transaction but must pay for visa extensions when needed.
Monthly charges commonly arise from tourist visa extensions, overstay fines, or late Annual Report penalties.
Private agents may charge service fees, but those charges must be distinguished from official Bureau of Immigration fees.
Before paying, obtain an itemized assessment, an Order of Payment Slip, and an official government receipt.