The Philippines won’t refund visa fee for deported offshore gaming workers

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) says foreign workers have two months to leave the country.

The Philippines.- Dana Sandoval, a spokesperson of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), has said that foreign workers employed by banned offshore gaming operators will not receive a refund for their working visas. He said the fee is part of the process whether the application is approved, denied or revoked.

The working visa costs PHP32,460, including the alien certificate of registration (ACR) I-Card fees. Foreign workers are required to personally visit the BI office for biometric capturing during application. According to the BI, there are 20,000 foreign nationals working in gaming in the country, 70 per cent of them Chinese nationals.

See also: Philippines legislators urged to fast-track bill to ban offshore gaming operators