What you need to know about the new requirements for Filipinos traveling overseas
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 24) — The government recently issued revised guidelines for international-bound Filipino travelers, citing the need for stricter rules to combat human trafficking.
The new document from the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) was made public on Tuesday, Aug. 22, and “shall take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation or in the Official Gazette.”
Complaints over the fresh set of guidelines have surfaced after its release, with a lawmaker saying the additional requirements are too burdensome.
Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay also questioned its constitutionality.
“An unconstitutional sleight of hand: from right to travel to permission to leave,” he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Hilbay said it gives immigration officials “wide latitude to harass migrant workers” and warned that it can be used to harass critics of the government.
He added that it may result not only in longer lines at airports but also corruption.
What exactly are the new requirements that will soon be asked of Filipinos before they can leave the country? CNN Philippines lists them down.
What are the basic travel documents?
- Passport (valid at least six months from the date of departure)
- Appropriate valid visa, whenever required
- Boarding pass
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket, when necessary
Passengers will be subject to inspection by an immigration officer (IO) who will interview them about the purpose of their travel and check their basic travel documents.
The IACAT said the IO may ask relevant clarificatory questions and additional supporting documents, which will be enumerated later in this article, to establish the purpose of travel.
In certain cases, IOs may find the need for secondary inspection, which shall not exceed 15 minutes “unless extraordinary circumstances require” such, the IACAT said.
It added that whenever circumstances require, an authorized secondary IO may still conduct a random redundancy check on a passenger already cleared by a primary officer.
What are the additional supporting documents?
Below are the additional supporting documents which immigration officers may require from travelers.
FOR TOURISTS
SELF-FUNDED TRAVELS
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
- Proof of hotel booking/accommodation
- Financial capacity or source of income consistent with the passenger’s declared purpose of travel
- Proof of employment and other equivalent documents.
SPONSORED TRAVELS
If the sponsor abroad is a relative within the 1st civil degree of the passenger:
- Original Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued birth certificate/report of birth or marriage certificate/report of marriage
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
- Copies of the following documents of sponsor: valid passport; valid work visa/permit, residence permit or any equivalent document; and overseas employment certificate (OEC), e-receipt, or OFW clearance, for OFW sponsors
If the sponsor abroad is a relative up to fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, unless otherwise limited by the Philippine embassy or consulate exercising jurisdiction:
- Original Affidavit of Support and Guarantee (AOSG)
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
- Original PSA-issued birth certificate/report of birth or marriage certificate/report of marriage showing the exact relationship between the passenger and the sponsor.
If the sponsor abroad is a non-relative or a legal/juridical entity:
- Original Affidavit of Support and Guarantee
- Substantial proof of relationship
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
- If a legal/juridical entity, registration papers of the sponsor
The IACAT noted that the AOSG must be duly notarized by the Philippine embassy, consulate, or honorary consulate authorized to perform notarization services. If it is notarized by a local notary public in the country of destination, the AOSG must be duly authenticated by the Philippine embassy, consulate, or honorary consulate (for non-Apostille countries), or apostilled by the apostille authority in the country of destination (for Apostille countries).
If traveling with a local sponsor:
- Duly notarized affidavit executed by the local sponsor
- Substantial proof of relationship
- Copy of the sponsor’s return ticket consistent with that of the passenger
FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS
For OFWs departing for the first time:
- OEC, E-receipt, or OFW clearance duly issued by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) as appearing in the Border Control Information System (BCIS)
- Valid and appropriate employment visa or work permit or any equivalent document
- Employment contract, as necessary
- Visa Usage Undertaking or Manpower Request specifying visa usage approved or verified by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), if applicable
For Balik-Manggagawa:
- Valid and appropriate employment visa/work permit or any equivalent document
- OFW clearance
- OEC issued on-site by the MWO or by the DMW or Migrant Workers Airport Assistance Center (MWAAC), or Online BM OEC Exemption or manually issued OEC
- Proof of employment, as necessary
For direct hires:
- OEC, E-receipt, or valid OFW clearance
- Proper and valid work visa/work permit or any equivalent document
For OFWs traveling to other countries during their vacation in the Philippines:
- If the OFW will travel to other country/ies for tourism, but will return to the Philippines before proceeding to his/her jobsite, the OFW shall undergo the usual immigration inspection for tourist travelers.
- If the OFW will travel to other country/ies for tourism, but will proceed directly to his/her job site, a valid OEC may be required.
OFWs requiring special travel exit clearance in lieu of OEC:
- Locally employed seafarers (conduction crew) who will be manning a Philippine Registered Ship’s conduction from a foreign port to the Philippines
- Seafarers who will undergo orientation and other analogous circumstances as a requirement before their employment, as the prospective foreign employer prescribes. The foreign employer must be accredited by a licensed local manning agency
- Emergency change crew for Philippine registered vessels docked in international ports.
FOR MINORS
Minors traveling with parents:
Minors traveling with parents may be required to present their original Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued birth certificate or report of birth. The IACAT added that a minor traveling without the mother may be asked to show a copy of his or her parents’ PSA-issued marriage certificate.
The revised guidelines also state that the following may be asked to show a travel clearance certificate (TCC) or a certificate of exemption from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD):
- Passengers traveling with a minor may be asked to present a DSWD TCC if the parents are not married and the minor is traveling without the mother; if the minor is traveling with a person other than his/her parent/s; or if the passenger 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 a physical or mental disability or condition.
- Minors 13 years old and above who are traveling alone may be asked to present a DSWD TCC. Those below 13 years old are absolutely prohibited from traveling on their own.
- Passengers traveling with a minor may be asked to present a DSWD certificate of exemption from TCC if the parents are not married and the minor is traveling with the biological father who has sole parental authority or legal custody over the minor; or when the traveling companion is the legal guardian.
- A certificate of exemption from TCC may also be asked of orphans of married parents and who are traveling with the substitute parent/s (grandparent or nearest kin), as well as orphans of non-married parents and who are traveling with the substitute parent/s or nearest kin on maternal side.
Minors subject of adoption:
- For adopted minors with an Order of Adoption but pending issuance of a new PSA-issued birth certificate, a travel authority for the adoptive parent/s and adopted minor issued by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) may be needed.
- Prospective adoptive parent/s traveling with a minor subject of pending domestic adoption proceedings may also need a DSWD travel clearance certificate if the proceedings are pending with the NACC. If the proceedings are pending in courts, what may be required is a manifestation or notice about the intended travel, duly received by the court where the case is pending, and filed at least 7 calendar days before the intended date of travel.
- Prospective adoptive parent/s traveling with a minor subject of pending inter-country adoption proceedings may be asked to present a travel authority for the prospective adoptive parent/s issued by the NACC; a travel clearance certificate for adoptee issued by the NACC; and clearance from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.
FOR STUDENTS
Immigration officers may meanwhile ask for the following documents from students or scholars:
- Acceptance letter issued by the institution or school abroad
- Duly-notarized affidavit executed by the scholar/student indicating the name of the educational institution and the duration of the course or program of study
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket consistent with the duration of the program, if practicable
- Proof of financial capacity or academic scholarship/funding/support
- If applicable, endorsement from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) for Arabic language scholars
- For basic education students under an international exchange program or joining a competition abroad, a certification issued by the School Division Superintendent shall be presented. If said student is a minor traveling without the parents/legal guardian, a DSWD travel clearance certificate shall also be required
Students under the International Student Affairs Program or Student Internship Abroad Program of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) may require an endorsement from CHED to be able to leave the country.
FOR OTHER KINDS OF PASSENGERS
Dependent family members joining an OFW at the job site:
- Valid dependent visa or any equivalent document
- Copies of the OFW’s valid visa and OEC, E-receipt, or OFW clearance
Passengers with prospective employers abroad:
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket consistent with the duration of the travel
- Relevant documents relating to the purpose of the travel
- Duly-notarized affidavit executed by the passenger indicating the purpose and duration of travel
Passengers traveling abroad for a compassionate or humanitarian visit to a Filipino overseas:
- Certification from the DMW or the Department of Foreign Affairs, through its foreign service posts, specifying the purpose of the travel
Passengers traveling for intra-company transfers or intra/inter-company trainings:
- Intra-company transferees: Proof of local employment as certified by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); and secondment agreement between the local/domestic company and the foreign host company, as necessary
- Intra/Inter-company trainees: Proof of local employment as certified by DOLE; and traineeship agreement, duly authenticated by the Philippine embassy or consulate where the training or skills enhancement shall be conducted, as necessary
Filipino volunteer workers:
- Endorsement from the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency
Hajj pilgrims to Mecca:
- Endorsement/List of pilgrims from the NCMF
Filipino donor traveling for organ donation or organ transplantation:
- Department of Health clearance approving the organ donation or organ transplantation
Government-endorsed trainees for skills enhancement:
- Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI)’s trainees: DA-ATI endorsement
- TESDA Trainees for Agro-Studies: TESDA endorsement
- Other government-endorsed trainees: Endorsement from the concerned government agency
Non-government endorsed trainees for skills enhancement:
- Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket for programs 6 months and below
- Traineeship contract apostilled or duly authenticated by the Philippine embassy or consulate
- Duly-notarized affidavit executed by the trainee indicating the name of the training institution and the duration of the training
Passengers requiring clearance from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO):
- 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
- Passengers traveling under Au Pair Visa
According to the IACAT, passengers not specifically falling under any of the mentioned categories shall undergo the required immigration inspection and show documents “that would sufficiently establish their purpose of travel.”
