The Bureau of Immigration (BI) released new guidelines on Philippine Nikkei-Jin.
In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco shared that the guidelines, which was also approved by the Secretary of Justice, aims to address immigration needs of Filipinos who have the status of Nikkei-Jin under Japanese law.
Nikkei-Jin is a term for Japanese emigrants and their descendants who have left Japan and established their families in other countries.
Based on the data of the association of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad, more than 3 million Nikkei Jin live in their adopted countries, the largest of these communities are in Brazil, USA, China, Canada, Peru, and the Philippines.
In the order, the BI acknowledged that the Japanese government issues documents recognizing Philippine Nikkei-Jin as Japanese nationals.
Tansingco shared that a Philippine Nikkei-Jin may depart from the Philippines with or without a Philippines passport.
Those who travel without a Philippine passport loses the presumption of being a Filipino for purposes of traveling outside the Philippines. In such cases, a Philippine Nikkei-Jin may travel abroad to and from Japan with a Japanese passport or travel document and a BI Order recognizing him as a Nikkei-Jin.
The order would allow the Philippine Nikkei-Jin to depart from the Philippines with deferment of payment of immigration fees.
Philippine Nikkei-Jin who likewise arrive without a Philippine passport should present the same order, otherwise applicable rules for foreign nationals will apply.
“If however, the Philippine Nikkei-Jin has already renounced his Philippine citizenship, then he will be treated as a foreign national, subject to rules regulating aliens in the Philippines,” clarified Tansingco.
“The BI recognizes the needs of Filipinos who have the status of Nikkei-Jin under the Japanese law,” said Tansingco. “They are Filipinos who are likewise descendants of Japanese nationals. Hence we see the importance of crafting specific guidelines in processing their immigration documents,” he added.
