IMMIGRATION GUIDELINES - PRIOR TO DEPARTURE




From the Bureau of Immigration's Website

1.  What are travel requirements for Philippine citizens with tourist-purpose visas?
  1. Unexpired DFA-issued passport (at least six-months valid)
  2. Unexpired visa (if visa-required at final destination); and
  3. Return ticket. 
2. When are additional documents required?
Consistent with anti-human trafficking, -human smuggling, and -illegal recruitment laws, additional documents shall be required after (1), when:
a. Passenger discloses a doubtful, false or suspect travel intent;
b. Passports and travel documents/visas are counterfeit, fraudulent, falsified, simulated or tampered; and
  1. Passenger’s totality of circumstances manifests a well-founded certainty of human trafficking, smuggling or illegal recruitment.
2.1. What are considered under 2(c)?
  1. Age/Health;
  2. Educational attainment;
  3. Financial capability for travel;
  4. Travel history, if any; and
  5. Final destination
3. What are documents required for sponsored-travel?
a. Philippine Embassy or consulate-authenticated Affidavit of Support with Undertaking showing:
  1. 4th civil degree of consanguinity relationship between sponsor and the passenger, e.g., pinsang buo or affinity, e.g., bayaw/hipag/biyenan);
  2. Sponsor’s financial capacity and legal status; and
  3. Sponsor’s contact information; and/or
b. Philippine Embassy or consulate-authenticated Affidavit of Support with Undertaking showing:
  1. Sponsor’s financial capacity and legal status;
  2. Sponsor’s contact details; and

c. Sponsor’s corporate registration papers, if applicable.
d. In cases of a local sponsor traveling with the passenger, a duly notarized Affidavit of Support and Undertaking which shall contain the following:
  1. Sponsor’s financial capacity;
  2. Sponsor’s undertaking is for passenger’s tourist travel with intent to return;
  3. Sponsor’s complete residential address of the sponsor and contact details; and
  4. Sponsor’s corporate registration papers, if applicable.
4. What are OFW travel requirements?
  1. Unexpired passport;
  2. Unexpired and POEA-conforming visa;
  3. Validly-issued travel tickets; and
  4. POEA/PESO-database issued E-receipt or OEC.
5. What are departure requirements for emigrant Philippine citizens?
  1. Unexpired passport;
  2. Immigrant visa or residence card;
  3. CFO-emigrant registration sticker (ERS); and
  4. Validly-issued travel ticket.
      The ERS is obtained by:
a)   Registration at Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO); and
b)   Attending the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS).  
  • Children of emigrants aged 12 years or below are exempted from attending the PDOS but shall register.
  • Children of emigrants aged 13 years or above shall attend the Peer Counseling Program.
6. When shall a DSWD-travel clearance for travelling Filipino minors be required?
A Filipino minor (below 18 years of age) shall secure a DSWD-issued Travel Clearance if:
  1. A Filipino minor is traveling ALONE to a foreign country; or
  2. A Filipino minor is traveling to a foreign country accompanied by a person other than his/her parents.
Note: For more information, you may click following link: http://www.dswd.gov.ph/faqs/travel-clearance-for-minors/
  
7. What are exceptions to the DSWD-issued Travel Clearance?
These minor children shall be exempt from the DSWD-issued Travel Clearance:
  1. Those of Philippine Foreign Service or diplomatic corps officials;
  2. Those living abroad with Philippine emigrants, subject to child-trafficking regulations;
  3. Those with unexpired alien passports;
  4. Adopted children, subject to a court-issued adoption order with Certificate of Finality;
  5. Illegitimate children with biological mother.  For biological father, subject to proof of lawful custody;
  6. Those with proof of unexpired visa for permanent residence outside the Philippines;
  7. Those accompanied by a court-appointed guardian, subject to proof  of guardianship;
  8. Those accompanied by a solo parent, subject to a Social Welfare Office-issued ID. If illegitimate, subject to a Local Civil Registrar-issued Certificate of No Marriage.
Note: For more information, you may click following link: http://www.dswd.gov.ph/faqs/travel-clearance-for-minors/
8. Who must present a Travel Authority?
Employee/Official/Officer
Issuing Authority
Cabinet members and equal-ranked officials
Office of the President
OP-attached GOCC and GFI heads
Office of the President
All OP-attached agency heads
Office of the President
GOCC and GFI officials and employees
GOCC or GFI head
officials and employees of GOCCs and GFIs attached to the Office of the President
Heads of GOCCs and GFIs
Officials and employees of agency heads
Department head
Provincial Governors and Mayors of Highly Urbanized Cities or independent component cities
DILG Secretary
State University and College (SUC) heads
CHED Chairman
Officials and employees of State University and Colleges
Respective SUC heads
Technical and Vocational School (TVS) heads
TESDA Chairman
officials and employees of Technical and Vocational Schools
Respective TVS heads
Government officials and employees traveling abroad while on leave of absence
Respective department heads
Government officials and employees with the rank of Assistant Secretary and above who will travel abroad while on leave of absence
Office of the President
  
9. What are arrival requirements for Philippine-destined alien tourists?
9.1. For aliens with diplomatic or bilateral agreements with the Philippines:
  1. Unexpired passport;
  2. Unexpired entry visa; and
  3. Validly-issued return ticket.
  • Non-visa required aliens shall be admitted an initial 30-days.
9.2. For aliens without bilateral agreements with the Philippines:
Unexpired passport;
  1. Unexpired entry visa; and
(Philippine Foreign Post (PFP)-listed highly restricted aliens shall secure visa only at the PFP in their country of origin or legal residence.)
  1. Validly-issued return ticket.
Note: The passport shall have at least six months’ validity beyond intended stay, unless the alien belongs to a non-visa required country who may be admitted into the Philippines with less than six months’ valid passports upon arrival and whose embassies/consulate extend or renew their passports in the Philippines.
10. Who are exempt from the “six-month passport validity” rule?
  1. Philippine passport holders;
  2. Former Filipinos and their dependents (immediate family members);
  3. Permanent residents and holders of other special visa categories requiring temporary residents (with valid ACR I-Cards);
  4. Passports of recognized foreign-government officials;
  5. Visa under CA 613, Sec. 9, except Sec.  9(a), and 47(a)(2)  where visa validity extends beyond passport expiration date, provided, an embassy or consulate is maintained in the Philippines;
  6. Those admitted by the Commissioner on humanitarian grounds; and
  7. Pursuant to Operations Order No. SBM-2015-026, nationals of the following countries may be admitted into the Philippines with passports of less than six (6) months validity from date of arrival:
1. Angola                                    22. Korea
2. Argentina                                23. Kuwait
3. Australia                                 24. Laos
4. Austria                                   25. Mexico
5. Belgium                                  26. Myanmar
6. Benin                                     27. Netherlands
7. Brazil                                     28. New Zealand
8. Cambodia                               29. Niger
9. Canada                                  30. Papua New Guinea
10. Chile                                    31. Peru
11. Cyprus                                 32. Portugal
12. Ecuador                                33. Romania
13. France                                  34. Saudi Arabia
14. Germany                              35. Singapore
15. Greece                                 36. Spain
16. Iceland                                 37. Switzerland
17. Indonesia                             38. Thailand
18. Ireland                                 39. Turkey
19. Israel                                   40. United States of America
20. Italy                                     41. Venezuela
21. Japan

11. Who are exempt from the return ticket requirement?        
  1. Philippine passport holders;
  2. Former Filipinos and their dependents (immediate family members);
  3. Permanent residents and holders of other special visa categories   requiring temporary residents (with valid ACR I-Cards);      
    1. Passports of recognized foreign-government officials;
    2. Visa under CA 613, Sec. 9, except Sec.  9(a), and 47(a)(2)  where visa validity extends beyond passport expiration date, provided, an embassy or consulate is maintained in the Philippines; and
    3. Those admitted by the Commissioner on humanitarian grounds.
12. Who can enter the Philippines without entry visa?
A. Aliens from these countries may enter the Philippines without a visa, for an initial 30-days: 
1. Andorra
2. Angola
3. Antigua and Barbuda
4. Argentina
5. Australia
6. Austria
7. Bahamas
8. Bahrain
9. Barbados
10. Belgium
11. Belize
12. Benin
13. Bhutan
14. Bolivia
15. Botswana
16. Brazil*
17. Brunei
18. Bulgaria
19. Burkina Faso
20. Burundi
21. Cambodia
22. Cameroon
23. Canada
24. Cape Verde
25. Central African Republic
26. Chad
27. Chile
28. Colombia
29. Comoros
30. Congo
31. Congo, Democratic Republic
32. Costa Rica
33. Cote d’Ivoire
34. Croatia
35. Cyprus
36. Czech Republic
37. Denmark
38. Djibouti
39. Dominica
40. Dominican Republic
41. Ecuador
42. El Salvador
43. Equatorial Guinea
44. Eritrea
45. Estonia
46. Ethiopia
47. Fiji
48. Finland
49. France
50. Gabon
51. Gambia
52. Germany
53. Ghana
54. Greece

55. Grenada
56. Guatemala
57. Guinea
58. Guinea-Bissau
59. Guyana
60. Haiti
61. Honduras
62. Hungary
63. Iceland
64. Indonesia
65. Ireland
66. Israel*
67. Italy
68. Jamaica
69. Japan
70. Kazakhstan
71. Kenya
72. Kiribati
73. Korea (ROK)
74. Kuwait
75. Kyrgyzstan
76. Laos
77. Latvia
78. Lesotho
79. Liberia
80. Liechtenstein
81. Lithuania
82. Luxembourg
83. Madagascar
84. Malawi
85. Malaysia
86. Maldives
87. Mali
88. Malta
89. Marshall Island
90. Mauritania
91. Mauritius
92. Mexico
93. Micronesia
94. Monaco
95. Mongolia
96. Morocco
97. Mozambique
98. Myanmar
99. Namibia
100. Nepal
101. Netherlands
102. New Zealand
103. Nicaragua
104. Niger
105. Norway
106. Oman
107. Palau


108. Panama
109. Papua New Guinea
110. Paraguay
111. Peru
112. Poland
113. Portugal
114. Qatar
115. Romania
116. Russia
117. Rwanda
118. St. Kitts and Nevis
119. Saint Lucia
120. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
121. Samoa
122. San Marino
123. Sao Tome and Principe
124. Saudi Arabia
125. Senegal
126. Seychelles
127. Singapore
128. Slovak Republic
129. Slovenia
130. Solomon Islands
131. South Africa
132. Spain
133. Suriname
134. Swaziland
135. Sweden
136. Switzerland
137. Tanzania
138. Tajikistan
139. Thailand
140. Togo
141. Trinidad and Tobago
142. Tunisia
143. Turkey
144. Turkmenistan
145. Tuvalu
146. Uganda
147. United Arab Emirates
148. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
149. United States of America
150. Uruguay
151. Uzbekistan
152. Vanuatu
153. Vatican
154. Venezuela
155. Vietnam
156. Zambia
157. Zimbabwe










*Brazilians and Israelis are given 59-day stay based on existing agreements.
B. Indians may be granted a visa-free entry for an initial stay not exceeding 14 days under the Foreign Service Circular No. 36-12, provided, that they possess:
  • Unexpired US, Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Schengen, Singapore or UK visa or permanent residence permit;
  • A national passport valid at least six (6) months beyond the contemplated stay;
  • Return or onward ticket to the next country of destination;
  • No Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and the International Police (Interpol) derogatory record.
The 14-day visa-free entry may be extended by an additional seven days for a maximum 21 days.
C. Under Foreign Service Circular (FSC) No. 112-11, the following may enter the Philippines for an initial stay not exceeding seven days provided that they possess a return or onward ticket:
  • Holders of Hong Kong British passports; and
  • Mainland Chinese for tourism with a unexpired Australian, Japanese, Canadian, Schengen or US visa.
Seven-day visa-free entry may be extended by an additional 14 days to complete a maximum 21 days.
HK-SAR passport holders may enter the Philippines for an initial 14 days.
D.  Under FSC 122-11, Macau-SAR passport holders may enter the Philippines for an initial 14 days, provided, that they possess a return or onward ticket.
E.   Under Operations Order No. SBM-2015-018, MECO ETA holders may enter the Philippines for an initial 30 days.


NOTES FOR FILIPINO TRAVELERS:

In general, Filipinos traveling abroad are required to present the following documents:

·      Passport valid for at least 6 months;
·      Valid original visa for port of entry (when required by country of destination);
·      Confirmed return ticket for tourist

Immigration Officers (IOs) may ask for additional requirements to tourist/temporary visitor such as an authenticated affidavit of support for passengers who were unemployed or not financially capable to travel.  The affidavit shall be processed for authentication by the sponsor at the Philippine Embassy or Philippine Consulate General Office in the country of destination.  The sponsor shall be related to the passenger within the fourth (4) level civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.  National Statistics Office (NSO) authenticated birth certificates of the passenger, the sponsor or other relatives can be presented to prove relationship.



*See table for reference

IOs may also look for hotel reservations, company ID (if employed) and other supporting documents (i.e. photocopy of passport and visa of sponsor) based on passenger assessment.  The determination of the sufficiency of travel documents in relation to the purpose of travel rests upon the IO who will be conducting the primary or secondary inspection based on the totality of circumstances and statements/declarations of the passenger.  For further information regarding this matter, kindly refer to the “Guidelines on Departure Formalities for International Bound Passengers in all Airports and Seaports in the Country” with link below:

http://immigration.gov.ph/images/Annoucements/IACAT%20GUIDELINES.pdf

Should you have other immigration-related queries, please do not hesitate to call the BI Helpdesk Hotline at (632) 465-2400, visit their website at www.immigration.gov.ph

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