March 11, 2013

REVISED GUIDELINES FOR THE REGISTRATION OF EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM (EVP) PARTICIPANTS OR J-1 VISA HOLDERS

SECTION 1. Purpose.

These Guidelines are hereby issued to prescribe the procedures and requirements for the registration of Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) participants or J-1 visa holders of the United States.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy.

It is hereby declared the policy of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) to ensure that all participants of the EVP or J-1 visa holders are properly documented and adequately informed of their obligations and responsibilities as EVP participants. This is pursuant to Section 2, Letter F and Section 3 of the

SECTION 3. Coverage.

These Guidelines shall apply to all Filipino Exchange Visitor Program participants or J-1 visa holders. Dependents of exchange visitors or J-2 visa holders of the United States are not required to register and attend the pre-departure orientation seminar at the CFO.

SECTION 4. Definition of Terms.

For purposes of these Guidelines, the terms or phrases used herein shall mean or be understood as follows:

4.1 Commission or CFO shall refer to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

4.2 Exchange Visitor Program or EVP shall refer to the international exchange program administered by the United States to implement the Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended, Public Law 87-256, 22 USC 2451, et seq. (1988). The purpose of the Act is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges. Educational and cultural exchanges assist in furthering the United States' foreign policy objectives.

4.3 Exchange Visitor or Exchange Visitor Program Participant shall refer to an individual who has been selected by a sponsor to participate in an exchange visitor program and who has been issued a J-1 visa for purposes of entry to the United States.

4.4 Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar or PDOS shall refer to the seminar conducted by the CFO for EVP participants or J-1 visa holders as a requirement for their registration with the CFO. IcDCaT

4.5 J-1 Registration Sticker shall refer to the document affixed to the passport of an Exchange Visitor Program participant after completion of CFO registration and requirements.

SECTION 5. Registration of Exchange Visitor Program Participants.

Filipinos leaving the country to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program are required to register with the CFO. The requirements for registration are the following:

a. Original and photocopy of valid passport;

b. Original and photocopy of J-1 visa;

c. Original and photocopy of the certificate of eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status (DS-2019);

d. Original and photocopy of the Training/Internship Plan from the host institution (or whichever applicable depending on the Exchange Visitor's category);

e. One (1) colored passport-size photograph;

f. One (1) valid identification card with photograph;

g. Duly completed registration form;

h. Attendance in the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar; and

i. Payment of P400.00 registration fee.

For youth Exchange Visitors below 18 years old, the following additional documents are also required:

a. Photocopy of parent's passport or valid identification card, if accompanied by parent/s during registration.

b. Letter of authorization from parent/s authorizing the guardian to register the child with CFO on their behalf (if accompanied by guardian during registration); and

c. Original and photocopy of DSWD travel clearance.

After satisfactory compliance with the above requirements, a J-1 registration sticker is affixed to the exchange visitor's passport.

SECTION 6. Attendance in the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar.

Part of its registration requirements is the attendance in the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) to inform them about the conditions and requirements of the EVP as well as their responsibilities as J-1 visa holders.

The PDOS for EVP participants is held at the CFO every Wednesday and Friday at 2:00 p.m. Exchange visitors are required to be at the Commission at 12:00 n.n. for registration purposes.

Only exchange visitors with complete requirements mentioned in Section 5 of these guidelines will be allowed to register and attend the PDOS.

SECTION 7. Conduct of the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar under Special Circumstances.

A special session of the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar for J-1 visa holders may be conducted for an exchange visitor who is scheduled to leave for the United States before the next regular session of the PDOS upon approval of the head of the Project Management Division of the CFO. For this purpose, the exchange visitor must present the requirements enumerated in Section 5 together with his/her plane ticket indicating the departure date for the US to enable special arrangements and registration.

SECTION 8. Revalidation of Registration Stickers.

Revalidation of previously issued CFO registration stickers can be done from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A photocopy of the previous registration sticker must be included in the registration documents.

SECTION 9. Effectivity.

The provisions of these Guidelines shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in theOfficial Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 11th day of March 2013 in Manila, Philippines. SaHcAC

(SGD.) SECRETARY IMELDA M. NICOLAS
Chairperson
Commission on Filipinos Overseas
Secretariat of the EVP Committee of the Philippines

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 109, No. 29, page 5082 on July 22, 2013.