Do you need to have your visa extended? Foreigners living in or near Bonifacio Global City in Taguig no longer have to venture far to get their documents processed.
Late last year, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the successful completion of their new satellite office on the 8th floor of SM Aura, along McKinley Parkway.
Getting to the office from other areas in Taguig as well as from nearby cities like Makati and Pasig can take less than 30 minutes. Its business hours are from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
The office offers a full suite of services and can process and handle a wide range of visas, permits, and other documents. These include:
Work visas
ACR I-Card
Treaty trader’s visas
Tourist visa extensions
Special visas for employment generation
Pre-arranged employment visas
Processing exit clearance visas
Issuance of BI Clearance Certificate
Certificate of Not the Same Person (NTSP)
Long-stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE)
Special Work Permit (SWP)
Provisional Work Permit (PWP)
Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC)
Processing and payment of annual reports
Processing all types of visa applications including those filed by the Regional Operating Headquarters (ROHQ) and Top 1000 Corporation
While it’s not as big as the main office, the SM Aura satellite office has been designed to enhance efficiency and productivity.
It’s bright and spacious and features 27 new processing windows ready to handle a large number of people.
Comfortable seats and sofas and new automated ticketing machines make the process easier and more convenient for everyone.
Bureau of Immigration offices tend to get packed around vacation and holiday season as the number of tourists and expats going in and out of the country are highest at these times.
This new satellite office, and others planned for future construction, will hopefully bring an end to long waiting times.
One of the best things about the new Bureau of Immigration satellite office inside SM Aura is that you can shop, dine, catch a movie, and so on after you’re done. The mall is populated by mid to high-end retailers, a variety of restaurants, and includes a supermarket and a Platinum branch of Fitness First.
More options can be found in Market! Market!, which is just across SM Aura. The shopping center has a wider range of goods and services and also has an expansive activity center that regularly hosts fairs and other events.
You can also swing by Bonifacio High Street – the vibrant core of the Bonifacio Global City financial district, which is just a few minutes’ walk from SM Aura.
The Retail Promenade at the center of Bonifacio High Street is centered around a landscaped park surrounded by shops and casual and fine dining restaurants serving a wide range of cuisines. Check out the outdoor sculptures and there are occasional performers that liven up the day. A great place to stretch your legs and relax after having your documents processed.
You can contact the SM Aura Bureau of Immigration satellite office via its direct line at: (632) 800-4892.
You can also check out the BI’s official website at www.immigration.gov.ph to see the latest official updates and advisories concerning visas, services, resources, and more.
