Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALaw) offers expertise in handling diverse and multifaceted issues concerning immigration and citizenship. The firm’s clients include government institutions, local conglomerates, international banks, and multinational companies operating in the Philippines. The immigration practice has a strong reputation for facilitating successful petitions for administrative and judicial naturalization, recognition, and dual citizenship, among others, alongside handling the swift processing of immigrant and non-immigrant visas, work permits and other various reportorial requirements. Maria Khristina Garcia-Angel is the head of the practice group.
Immigration in Philippines
Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALaw)
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Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano
Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano provides comprehensive advice on immigration matters and transactions, coordinating with government agencies such as the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Justice in the Philippines. Its services include the processing and securing of immigrant or non-immigrant visas and permits, the representation of clients in immigration transactions and compliance with the terms of stay of foreigners. The firm also occasionally represents clients in blacklisting and deportation proceedings. The firm notably processed an application for Travel Ban Exemption and the issuance of special 9(a) entry visas to allow Invicta Cyber Defence Corporation’s President and his family to enter the country. The immigration team is headed by Shirley Alinea and Phil Ivan Chan.
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‘They have a personal touch to every engagement. Everyone is easily accessible, from the partners down to the associates.’
‘Knowledgeable and efficient.’
Key clients
Invicta Cyber Defence Corporation
Work highlights
- Advised Invicta on applications for Travel Ban Exemptions, AEP Exclusion, PWP, 9(g) visa and visa downgrading for a high-ranking officer assigned in the Philippines and his family.
Quisumbing Torres
Quisumbing Torres advises on some of the most important immigration cases in the jurisdiction. The firm defended the local entity of a global outsourcing company in an investigation by government agencies regarding the fraudulent filing of work visa applications under the client’s name. Practice head Miguel Antonio Galvez is a go-to individual at the firm and is regarded as a ‘reliable partner’. The firm also utilises a customised extranet site as a repository for the exchange of immigration documents with clients.
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Rafael Roman Cruz; Grace Orpilla; Alvin Roxas
Testimonials
‘The team is updated and keeps clients informed of the latest regulations. ’
‘The team is very responsive and provides us confidence that they know all laws in relation to managing expats or foreign employees in the Philippines.’
‘I like how Miguel Galvez manages our concerns. He responds to our queries in almost real-time. He provides scenarios and potential risks to different options. I’ve worked with him in the past and he remains to be a reliable partner. ’
‘Grace Orpilla and Alvin Roxas are very responsive to inquiries and to providing real-time consultations, they also open to accommodate urgent requests’.
Key clients
Alphabet (Google Inc.)
Chevron
Forever 21
GlaxoSmithKline
GPay Network
Korea Water Resources
Prudential Plc
Raytheon Technologies Corporation
Sankyu Southeast Asia Holdings
SBA Communications Corporation
Work highlights
- Advising the largest state-owned transmission and distribution company in China on the process of securing an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) for an officer holding a concurrent position in two different companies.
- Advised and represented the Philippines-based call center subsidiary of a US-based international apparel company in reporting and initiating an investigation with the Bureau of Immigration regarding the filing of fraudulent and falsified immigration applications under the name of the client.
- Advised a European multinational conglomerate specializing in luxury goods on reporting and investigating a former employee’s submission of falsified company documents to the Bureau of Immigration.
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
Working alongside its corporate department, SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan provides a full-service immigration practice, advising on the provision of a range of work permits and visas, as well as occasional adversarial proceedings such as deportation and blacklisting. In partnership with non-profit organisation Justice without Borders, the firm provides multi-jurisdictional pro bono services to returning overseas Filipino workers, who seek compensation from their employers following labour exploitation. Key contact Rodelle Bolante has extensive experience representing banking and manufacturing companies in collective bargaining negotiations, as well as in performing immigration advisory work for business process outsourcing companies. Dante Pamintuan leads the practice alongside Bolante.
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Fragomen Singapore
Colgate-Palmolive
US Wheat Associates
Bell Canada
Envoy Global
Fordays Japan International
US Auto Parts
Turkish Airlines
Thomson Reuters Asia
Sarimonde Foods Corp.
Work highlights
- Advising Fragomen’s on in-country processing of work visas and work permits for multinational clients operating in the Philippines.
- Advising Fordays Philippines on employment issues for its expatriates and other immigration matters and processes visas and permits for its foreign staff.
- Advising B/E Aerospace on processing work visas and employment permits for key personnel assigned to Philippine operations.
Villaraza & Angangco (V&A Law)
Villaraza & Angangco (V&A Law) advises a wide range of major multinational clients on immigration matters; its client list includes names such as PayPal Philippines and Bacardi Spain. The firm has advised Bacardi on securing Overseas Employment Certificates for direct hires, as well as advising on the quotas set per entity for direct hires. Practice co-head Paul Rodulfo Imperial and associate Mark Benjamin Yam continuously adapt processes and procedures to align with changing requirements from the Philippine labour authority regarding work permit applications due to the pandemic. As a key contact for immigration and emigration matters, Yam oversees all manner of advisory work for clients in the practice group. Leading the immigration practice alongside Imperial are Raoul Angangco, Sylvette Tankiang and Franchette Acosta.
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Raoul Angangco; Sylvette Tankiang; Franchette Acosta; Paul Rodulfo Imperial
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Key clients
Erickson Immigration Group
Tata Consultancy Services (Philippines)
PayPal Philippines
Remitly, Inc.
Twitter Philippines
Jebsen & Jebsen Ingredients
AirBnb Philippines
Bacardi Spain
Zendesk
Work highlights
- Advising Tata Consultancy Services on the provision of all applications for the issuance of proper visas and work permits for the client’s numerous expatriates.
- Advising Zendesk on all applications for the issuance of working visas and permits for the client’s incoming and existing employees.
- Advising Bacardi and its affiliates on emigration requirements for Filipinos, which requires securing an Overseas Employment Certificate for direct hires.
Avenida and Diaz Law Office
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Fortun Narvasa & Salazar
Fortun Narvasa & Salazar advises clients on visa options, helping clients with working visas to secure Alien Employment Permits with the Department of Labor and Employment. The firm also provides family law services to foreign clients who are espoused to Philippine citizens. The practice is lead by Mylene T Marcia-Creencia and Roderick Salazar.
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Lafayette Philippines
Pernod Ricard Phils
Multico Prime Power
Faith in God Recruitment, Placement & Manpower Services Corporation
Learninglitz
Dentons Europe LLP
Philippine Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Corporation
NPK Medical Trading
GG&A Club Shares Brokers
Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & De Los Angeles
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Siguion Reyna, Montecillo & Ongsiako
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