Updated Guidelines for Filipino Travelers and Workers Heading Abroad: What You Need to Know

If you're planning to travel or work abroad, it's important to be aware that the recently updated guidelines for Filipino citizens have been issued by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

It's worth noting that these revised guidelines have been put in place to protect against potential human trafficking. According to a statement from the Department of Justice, government agencies have observed instances of travelers disguising their intentions by posing as tourists while actually seeking employment opportunities abroad.

The Department of Justice has indicated that these changes will come into effect from September 3 onwards.

Revised guidelines for immigration, according to IACAT:

List of Basic Travel Requirements for Passengers

All Filipino passengers are required to undergo immigration inspection, and will be asked to present these basic documents:

1. Passport valid at least six months from date of departure
2. Appropriate valid visa whenever required
3. Boarding pass
4. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket when necessary

List of Additional Requirements for Passengers

The following requirements will be asked from passengers depending on the nature of their travels.

Tourists
Self-funded

1. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
2. Proof of hotel booking/accommodation
3. Financial capacity or source of income consistent with the declared purpose of travel
4. Proof of employment and other equivalent document

Sponsored travel

If the sponsor is a relative within the first civil degree, these are the requirements:

1. Original Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued birth certificate or marriage certificate/proof of marriage as proof of first-degree relationship
2. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
3. Copies of the following documents of sponsor: valid passport, valid work visa/permit, residence permit, or any equivalent document
4. Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), E-Receipt, or OFW Clearance for OFW sponsor

If the sponsor is a relative up to fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity:

1. Original Affidavit of Support and Guarantee (AOSG)
2. duly notarized by Philippine Embassy/Consulate-Honorary Consulate authorized to perform notarization services or;
3. if the AOSG is notarized by local notary public in the country of destination, it must be duly authenticated by Philippine Embassy/Consulate-Honorary Consulate (for non-apostille) or apostilled by apostille authority in the country of destination (for apostille countries)
4. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
5. Original Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued birth certificate or marriage certificate/proof of marriage showing the exact relationship between passenger and sponsor

If the sponsor is a non-relative or a legal/juridical entity

1. OASG
1. duly notarized by Philippine Embassy/Consulate-Honorary Consulate authorized to perform notarization services or;
2. if the AOSG is notarized by localnl notary public in the country of destination, it must be duly authenticated by Philippine Embassy/Consulate-Honorary Consulate (for non-apostille) or apostilled by apostille authority in the country of destination (for apostille countries)
2. Substantial proof of relationship
3. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
4. If a legal/juridical entity, sponsor’s registration papers

If traveling with a local sponsor

1. Duly notarized affidavit executed by local sponsor
2. Substantial proof of relationship
3. Copy of the sponsor’s return ticket consistent of that of the passenger

Overseas Filipino Workers

If departing for the first time

1. OEC, E-Receipt, or OFW Clearance duly issued by Department of Migrant Workers
2. Valid and appropriate employment visa or work permit or any equivalent document
3. Employment contract as necessary
4. Visa Usage Undertaking or Manpower Request specifying visa usage approved or verified by Migrant Workers Office, if applicable

If Balik-Manggagawa

1. Valid and appropriate employment visa or work permit or any equivalent document
2. OFW Clearance, OEC issued onsite by the MWO, DMW, Migrant Workers Airport Assistance Center, Online BM OEC Exemption or manually-issued OEC
3. Proof of employment as necessary

If Direct Hire

1. OEC, E-Receipt, or other valid OFW Clearance
2. Proper and valid work visa/work permit or any equivalent document

If OFWs requiring special travel exit clearance

1. Locally employed seafarers who will be manning a Philippine Registered Ship’s conduction from a foreign port to the Philippines
2. Seafarers who will undergo orientation and other analogous circumstances as a requirement before their employment, ad the prospective foreign employer prescribes. Foreign employer must be accredited by a licensed manning agency
3. Emergency change crew for Philippine registered vessels docked in international ports.

If 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 under this Guidelines.

If the OFW will travel to other country/ies for tourism, but will proceed directly to his/her job site, a valid OEC will be required.

If Endorsement to the DMW-MWAAC

The IO shall promptly endorse a passenger to the DMW-MWAAC for validation of employment documents, updating of employment records, issuance of clearance, or other appropriate action, when confronted with the following:

1. the OEC of the OFW or MWO-registered worker is invalid, expired, used, or did not reflect in the BCIS; or
2. the OFW has incomplete or questionable documents.

In cases of endorsement to the DMW-MWAAC, the IO shall provide the passenger with a validation request form. Upon validation by the DMW-MWAAC, the passenger shall be directed back to the IO for the completion of the immigration inspection.

Minors

If traveling with parent/s

1. Original Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued birth certificate or report of birth; and
2. If the minor is traveling without the mother, original copy of PSA-issued marriage certificate

If travels requiring Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

1. Clearance or Certificate of Exemption
2. DSWD Travel Clearance Certificate (TCC), When Required

Passengers traveling with a minor shall present a DSWD TCC under

any of the following circumstances:

1. If the parents are not married and the minor is traveling without the
2. mother;
3. If the minor is traveling with a person other than his/her parent/s; or
4. If the passenger is over 18 years old but unable to fully take care of
5. himself/herself or protect himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability
6. or condition

Minors thirteen (13) years old and above, who are traveling alone, shall

present a DSWD TCC. Minors below thirteen (13) years old are

absolutely prohibited from traveling alone.

DSWD Certificate of Exemption from TCC, When Required

Passengers traveling with a minor shall present a DSWD Certificate of

Exemption from TCC under any of the following circumstances:

1. 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
2. When the traveling companion is the legal guardian;
3. Orphans of married parents and traveling with the substitute parent/s (grandparent or nearest kin); and
4. Orphans of non-married parents and traveling with the substitute parent/s or nearest kin on maternal side.

If minors subject of adoption

For adopted minors with an Order of Adoption but pending issuance of a new PSA-issued birth certificate

1. Travel Authority for the adoptive parent/s and adopted minor issued by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC).

Prospective Adoptive Parent/s Traveling with a Minor Subject of Pending

Domestic Adoption Proceedings

For proceedings pending with the NACC: DSWD Travel Clearance Certificate

For those pending in courts: A manifestation or notice about the intended travel, duly received by the Court where the case is pending, filed at least seven (7) calendar days before the intended date of travel.

Other categories of passengers

Dependent Family Members Joining the OFW at the Job Site

1. Valid dependent visa or any equivalent document; and
2. Copies of the OFW’s valid visa and OEC, E-receipt, or OFW Clearance

Passengers Requiring Clearance from the CFO

1. Filipino spouse, fiancé(e), or a partner22 of a foreign national with immigrant/resident/spouse/long-term/partner/prospective-marriage/family-reunification visa and other similar visas
2. First time Filipino emigrants, holders of residence visa or permit/holders of Permanent Resident Card registering for the first time with CFO;
3. Filipino J1 Visa Holders or Exchange Visitors Program Participants bound for the United States of America; and
4. Passengers traveling under Au Pair Visa.

Students under the International Student Affairs Program (ISAP) or Student Internship Abroad Program (SIAP) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

1. CHED Endorsement

Students/Scholars

1. Acceptance Letter issued by the institution or school abroad;
2. 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;
3. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket consistent with the duration of the program, if practicable;
4. Proof of financial capacity or academic scholarship/funding/support; and
5. If applicable, endorsement from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) for Arabic language scholars
6. 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

Passengers with Prospective Employers Abroad

1. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket consistent with the duration of the travel
2. Relevant documents25 relating to the purpose of the travel and
3. 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

1. Certification from the DMW or the DFA, through its foreign service posts, specifying the purpose of the said travel.

Passengers Traveling for Intra-Company Transfers or Intra/Inter-Company Trainings

Intra-Company Transferees

1. Proof of local employment as certified by the Department of Labor and
2. Employment (DOLE); and
3. Secondment agreement between the local/domestic company and the foreign host company, as necessary.

Intra/Inter-Company Trainees

1. Proof of local employment as certified by DOLE; and
2. Traineeship Agreement, duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate where the training or skills enhancement shall be conducted, as necessary

Filipino Volunteer Workers

1. Endorsement from the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA)

Hajj Pilgrims to Mecca

1. Endorsement/List of Pilgrims from the NCMF

Filipino Donor Traveling for Organ Donation or Organ Transplantation

1. Department of Health (DOH) Clearance approving the organ donation or organ transplantation

Trainees for Skills Enhancement

Government-Endorsed Trainees: 

1. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI)’s Trainees: DA-ATI Endorsement
2. TESDA Trainees for Agro-Studies: TESDA Endorsement
3. Other Government Endorsed Trainees Endorsement from the concerned government agency

Non-Government Endorsed Trainees

1. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket for programs six (6) months and below;
2. Traineeship Contract apostilled or duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate; and
3. Duly-notarized affidavit executed by the trainee indicating the name of the training institution and the duration of the training.