It’s that time of year again when wanderlust fills the air, and we eagerly await the holiday season to break all travel records set during the pandemic. As adventurers navigate the ever-changing world of safety landscape, it is essential to take a moment to explore the rightful guidelines for a seamless journey.
On January 15, 2015, the IACAT approved the DOJ Memorandum Circular No. 036-2015 on Departure Formalities for International-Bound Passengers (Guidelines) in all Philippine airports, which continues to serve as the prevailing regulation for travel today. The rules provide the framework for the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to execute all departure formalities and processes, aimed at addressing the serious issue of human trafficking.
Primary Inspection
All international-bound passengers shall undergo primary inspection and presentation of travel documents including passport with validity period of at least 6 months, valid visa when applicable, eTravel, boarding pass, and return or roundtrip ticket, when necessary. The Primary Immigration Officer (PIO) shall interview the passenger about the purpose of travel which should be consistent with his travel documents.
In all instances, the use of electronic devices including cellphones, cameras, and recording devices shall always be strictly prohibited during the inspection, unless otherwise authorized.
Secondary Inspection
During the inspection, the PIO may deny the departure or turn the passenger over to the Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) for secondary inspection if the traveler refuses to undergo primary inspection, misrepresents the purpose of travel, presents fraudulent, falsified, or tampered travel or supporting documents, or identifies as a potential trafficked person.
The PIO is responsible for completing the Border Control Questionnaire (BCQ), which includes an initial assessment in one’s travel documents, followed by an interview.
In the following instances, the PIO shall automatically refer to the secondary inspection when the passenger
- Has no financial capacity to travel and is escorted/accompanied by a foreign national who is not a relative by consanguinity or affinity;
- Is a minor travelling alone or unaccompanied by either parent or legal guardian without the required travel clearance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);
- Is the spouse of a foreign national intending to depart for the first time to join the foreign spouse or a partner of a foreign national intending to depart to meet and/or marry his/her fiancé/fiancée without the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counseling Certificate;
- Is travelling to countries with existing deployment bans, alert levels 3 and 4, and travel advisories and is in possession of visas to said countries; and/or
- Had previously stayed abroad for more than six (6) months as a tourist/temporary visitor, and is intending to depart for the second
During the secondary inspection, the Secondary Inspection Officer (“SIO”) will engage in a thorough examination of about ten (10) minutes unless the circumstance requires otherwise, taking into account the surroundings of the passenger. This includes the purpose of travel, destination country or countries, length of stay, travel history, age, educational background, and financial means, all in alignment with the passenger’s stated purpose of travel. Subsequently, the SIO will either grant or defer the passenger’s departure.
Upon finding by the SIO that the passenger is a potentially trafficked, illegally recruited, suspected trafficker or illegal recruiter, the passenger shall refer to IACAT Task Force for interception, further investigation and/or case build up.
In the next article, we will discuss the mandatory documents to be presented during inspection for different categories of international travelers.
