THE Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat) has issued a revised guideline for international-bound Filipino passengers amid concerns being raised by some departing individuals particularly on “excessive” documentary requirements and procedures by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
In the guidelines, the Iacat listed down the necessary documents to be presented to BI, depending on the type of passenger.
It noted that the basic travel documents include the passenger’s passport valid at least six months from the date of departure, appropriate visa (whenever required), boarding pass and a confirmed return or round-trip ticket, when necessary.
Tourists
For a self-funded travel, a tourist passenger will be required to show to the immigration officer a confirmed return or round-trip ticket, proof of hotel booking or accommodation, proof or financial capacity or source of income “consistent with the passenger’s declared purpose of travel” and proof of employment and other equivalent documents.
International tourist being sponsored by a relative within the first civil degree, either spouse, children or parents, would also need to present an original Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued birth certificate or report of birth or marriage certificate as proof of first-degree relationship, and copies of documents of sponsor such as valid passport and valid work visa or permit or residence permit, or any equivalent document along with the basic travel requirements.
If the sponsor is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), an overseas employment certificate (OEC), e-receipt or OFW clearance will do.
If the travel is sponsored by a relative abroad within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, or by a non-relative or a legal/juridical entity, a notarized original affidavit of support and guarantee, which should include an undertaking by the sponsor that the travel is solely for tourism purposes and that the passenger shall return to the Philippines, is required.
If the tourist is traveling along with his/her sponsor, the sponsor shall present a notarized original affidavit of support and guarantee, which should include an undertaking that the travel is solely for tourism purposes and that the passenger shall return to the Philippines along with proof of relationship and copy of the sponsor’s return ticket consistent with the passenger.
OFWs
Passengers leaving the country for the first time to work abroad and returning OFWs must present his/her OEC or e-receipt, or OFW clearance issued by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) as appearing in the Border Control Information System; valid visa or work permit, or any equivalent document; employment contract; and visa usage undertaking or manpower request specifying usage approved, or verified by the Migrant Workers Office, if available.
OFWs who were hired by their employers directly will have to show their OEC, e-receipt or OFW clearance, and proper and valid work visa or permit or any equivalent document.
A special travel exit clearance is required instead of an OEC particularly for locally employed seafarers manning a Philippine-registered ship’s foreign port, seafarers who will still undergo orientation, and an emergency change crew for Philippine-registered vessels docked in international ports.
Dependent family members joining the OFW at the job site will be required to present valid dependent visa or any equivalent document and copies of the OFW’s valid visa and OEC and e-receipt or OFW clearance.
Minors
A minor 13 years old below are “absolutely prohibited” from traveling alone while those above 13 will be allowed to travel alone provided they will present a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Travel Clearance Certificate (TCC).
If a minor is traveling with his/her parents or mother, only original PSA-issued birth certificate or report of birth along with the basic travel documents will be presented.
“If the minor is traveling without the mother, original copy of PSA-issued marriage certificate (will be necessary),” the Iacat said.
DSWD TCC is required for:
* Minor/s whose parents are not married and the mother is not traveling along;
* If the minor is traveling with a person other than his/her parents;
* If the passengers is over 18 years old but unable to fully take care of himself/herself or protect himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of mental or physical disability or condition.
A minor traveling without his/her mom but with his/her biological father who has sole parental authority or legal custody over him/her, and traveling with his/her legal guardian may present a DSWD certificate of exemption from TCC along with orphans traveling with substitute parent’s or of non-married parents traveling with substitute parents on the maternal side.
For adopted minors whose PSA-issued birth certificate is pending, a travel authority for the adoptive parents and adopted minor issued by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) is required.
Adoptive parents traveling with a minor subject of pending domestic adoption is also required to present a DSWD travel clearance while for those pending in courts, a manifestation or notice about the intended travel, duly received by the court at least seven days before the travel date is also a must.
Travel authority for prospective adoptive parents issued by NACC, travel clearance for adoptee issued by the NACC, and clearance for the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) are also required for prospective adoptive parents traveling with a minor subject of pending inter-country adoption proceedings.
The following passengers will also be required to present a clearance from the CFO:
* A Filipino spouse, fiancé(e), or a partner of a foreign national with immigrant/resident/spouse/long-term/partner/prospective-marriage/family-reunification visa and other similar visas;
* First-time Filipino emigrants, holders of residence visa or permit/holders of Permanent Resident Card registering for the first time with CFO;
* Filipino J1 Visa Holders or Exchange Visitors Program Participants bound for the United States of America; and
* Passengers traveling under Au Pair Visa.
Documents such as endorsement from the Commission on Higher Education, acceptance letter issued by the institution abroad and other pertinent documents to prove the travel will be required for students under the International Student Affairs Program (ISAP) or Student Internship Abroad Program (SIAP) of Ched.
Passengers with prospective employers abroad need documents such as confirmed round-trip ticket consistent with the duration of travel, relevant documents relating to the purpose of travel, and duly-notarized affidavit executed by the passenger indicating the purpose and duration of travel.
The Iacat also included guidelines for Filipino travelers for compassionate or humanitarian visit, intra-company transfers or training, Filipinos volunteer workers, Haj pilgrims, organ donors or transplantation and training for skills enhancement.
“Passengers not specifically falling under any of the above categories shall undergo the required immigration inspection under these guidelines and shall show documents that would sufficiently establish their purpose of travel,” the guideline stated.
The Iacat said an immigration officer who deferred the departure of the passenger should inform the passengers of the ground for deferment or referral.
The grounds for the deferment of departure are as follows:
* Passenger refused to undergo secondary inspection;
* Doubtful purpose of travel;
* Inconsistent or insufficient travel or supporting documents;
* Misrepresentation or withholding of material information about the travel;
* Presentation of fraudulent, falsified, or tampered travel or supporting documents;
* Non-compliance with previous deferred-departure requirements;
* The passenger is a potentially trafficked or illegally recruited person, or a suspected trafficker/illegal recruiter.
Potentially trafficked passengers will also be turned over to the Iacat-Anti-Trafficking Task Force (ATTF), which will be responsible in handing over documents to the appropriate law enforcement agency for questionable passports or the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs for all other passports. (SunStar Philippines)