Requirements for Filipinos Travelling Abroad

Courtesy of Wikipedia

According to Philippine Bureau of Immigration, Filipinos Travelling abroad only need to present the following documents:

• Valid passport – at least 6 months
• Valid Original visa for port of entry( when required); and
• For tourists, a return ticket. (Memorandum Order No. MCL – 07 -019 issued on October 24, 2007)

Some Restrictions On The Right To Travel

I. Minority- for the travel of unaccompanied minors, a Travel Clearance must be issued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and presented to the Immigration Officer prior to departure.

A travel clearance is required and shall be secured from the DSWD by the following Filipino citizens:

1. A minor traveling alone to a foreign country
2. A minor traveling to a foreign country accompanied by a person other than his/her parents.
3. A minor who is the subject of ongoing custody battle between parents will not be issued a travel clearance unless a Court Order is issued to allow the child to travel abroad with either one of his/her parents or authorized guardian.

II. A Hold Departure Order (HDO) issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC). (Circular No. 39-97).

III. A Watch List Order issued by the Secretary of Justice in cases pending Preliminary Investigation or Motion for Reconsideration/Pending Review before the Department of Justice (DOJ) including application for “Not The Same Person (NTSP). (Section 1 and 3 of Department Circular no.18 dated April 23, 2007).

IV.    Contract workers :
For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s), before departure, he/she must present a POEA Overseas Employment Certificate at the concerned immigration counter. Otherwise, they shall not be cleared for departure. (MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. ADD – 02 – 019 dated 15 April 2002).

EXCEPTIONS:
Under POEA Memorandum Circular  No. 18 series of 1997).

• The Licensing and Regulation Office (LRO), specifically the Employment Regulation Branch, shall remain the focal office, in evaluating employment and/or travel documents of individuals whose nature of travel falls under special cases and shall issue an exit clearance, if necessary.

Special cases shall include:

• Regular employees of local companies assigned or posted abroad to their subsidiaries/mother/sister companies on secondment arrangement for a limited period and are in possession of employment or intra-company transferee visa;
• Vacationing OFWs leaving on personal travel;
• Former OFWs/Individuals with CW passport travelling to foreign countries with no visa to ascertain the purpose of travel; and
• Religious missionaries who will be assigned temporarily abroad and are travelling on employment visa.

• Individuals who are travelling on visas other than employment such as training, foreign residence, visit, spouse/fiancee/ dependent, student, and business, need not secure exit clearance from POEA. However, in view of the peculiarities obtaining in the Korean labor market, trainee bound for korea must obtain an exit clearance or the appropriate Overseas Employment Certificate through their respective recruitment agencies, as the case may be. The POEA Regional Centers and Regional Extension Units may issue special exit clearance herein mentioned, as may be applicable.

V.    Requirements for Filipino emigrants as required by the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO).

• They are required to register with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).
• They are required to attend in the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) to prepare them for settlement overseas.
• The children of emigrants aged 12 years old and below are exempt from attending the PDOS but must be registered even by proxy.
• The children of emigrants aged 13 and above are required to attend the Peer Counseling Program to help facilitate their adjustment to a new environment.

In these seminars, various topics are discussed such as:

• Travel regulations
• Immigration procedures
• Cultural differences
  Settlement concerns
• Employment and social security concerns; and
• Rights and obligations of Filipino migrants. For further details, please visit the website of the Commission on Filipino Overseas at http://www.cfo.gov.ph/pdos.htm.

VI.    Government officials :

The following persons are required to secure a travel authority to travel abroad from the Office of the President:

1. Members of the Cabinet and officials of equivalent rank;
2. Heads of the Government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC’s) and the Government Financing Institutions (GFI’s) under or attached to the Office of the President for authority to travel abroad; and
3. Heads of agencies under or attached to the Office of the President. (Section 1 of Executive Order No. 459 issued on September 1, 2005).

VII.    For Dual Citizenship

Only the following shall be considered as substantial proof of Philippine citizenship:

1. Genuine and valid Philippine passport; and
2. Original Identification Certificate issued by this Bureau.

source: Bureau of Immigration