Travel

Requirements
and processing
1. What are travel requirements
for tourist-purpose visas?
Unexpired DFA-issued passport (at least six-
months valid)
Unexpired visa (if visa-required at final
destination); and
Return ticket.
2. What are documents
required for sponsored-travel?
a. Philippine Embassy or consulate-
authenticated Affidavit of Support with
Undertaking showing:
4th civil degree of consanguinity relationship
between sponsor and the passenger, e.g., pinsang
buo or affinity, e.g., bayaw/hipag/biyenan);
Sponsors financial capacity and legal status; and
Sponsors contact information; and/or
b. Philippine Embassy or consulate-
authenticated Affidavit of Support with
Undertaking showing:
Sponsors financial capacity and legal status;
Sponsors contact details; and

c. Sponsors 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:
Sponsors financial capacity;
Sponsors undertaking is for passengers tourist
travel with intent to return;
Sponsors complete residential address of the
sponsor and contact details; and
Sponsors corporate registration papers, if
applicable.
3. What are OFW travel
requirements?
Unexpired passport;
Unexpired and POEA-conforming visa;
Validly-issued travel tickets; and
POEA/PESO-database issued E-receipt or
OEC.
4. What are departure
requirements for emigrant
Philippine citizens?
Unexpired passport;
Immigrant visa or residence card;
CFO-emigrant registration sticker (ERS);
and
Validly-issued travel ticket.
5. 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:
A Filipino minor is traveling ALONE to a
foreign country; or
A Filipino minor is traveling to a foreign
country accompanied by a person other than
his/her parents.
Processing of
travel
requirements
How to apply for Philippine
passport?
For first-time applicants, visit the DFA
website: dfa.gov.ph, ready your Philippine
passport requirements, set a DFA appointment
online with the nearest Regional Office to your
current address. After that, fill out the online
application form and then save it. Print your
DFA appointment and bring the
aforementioned data to the DFA Regional
Office within your region.
Passport requirements
New Applicants of DFA passports MUST take note
of these requirements.
Personal appearance
Confirmed appointment
Duly accomplished application form may be
downloaded from DFA Website
PSA (Philippines Statistics Authority) Birth
Certificate or Certified True Copy (CTC) of BC
issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR)
Valid picture IDs and supporting documents to
prove identity.
How to get DFA Requirements
Travel Agency. They provide you convenience
and help you set up a DFA passport
appointment. They will also guide you in
preparing the necessary DFA passport
requirements and will assist you to your
nearest DFA regional office for a hassle-free
appointment.
Appointment in the Province. Access the
new DFA online appointment setting
system for a DFA passport renewal or new
applications. I suggest you prepare the
necessary requirements before doing this. After
that, you may access the DFA online
appointment system and start filling out the
necessary details which will be shown in the
step-by-step guide
Walk-in appointment. The norm in setting a
DFA appointment would mean having to wait
long lines since its on a first come, first serve
basis. You must also pay a fee for the
professional skill in setting up a schedule for
your DFA passport appointment contributed
by the person assigned to do that job in DFA
offices.
Applying for a visa? Keep these
5 tips in mind
1. Prepare a grab bag of documents
frequently requested
Get a clearbook to hold all the documents that
embassies usually require and make at least five
copies of each of these documents. Usually, the
embassy will need to look at the original copy
for verification purposes and then just keep a
photocopy. Make sure that your photocopies
are clear. It will save you the trouble of having
to photocopy another clearer copy while at the
embassy
Documents to include in this clear book are:
Birth certificate (must be certified by the National
Statistics Office)
Marriage certificate* (if annulled, you will probably
need a copy of your Marriage Certificate annotated
by the NSO certifying that the marriage was declared
null and void.
Latest Income Tax Return
For business owners, include business permits, business
license and (audited) financial statements
Photocopies of previous visas you have been issued
 ID pictures: Different embassies will have
different size requirements, so when you have
your picture taken, have the picture reproduced
in different size dimensions. I suggest you get one
picture taken in the standard 2x2 white
background and one in the US visa size and
Schengen size. (Note that for all visa
requirements, both ears must be shown and
women should not be wearing earrings.)

Proof of income and ownership such as land

titles and or car registration documents
2. Keep a list of the countries youve visited
Update the list of countries you've visited the
way you would update your CV. Many
embassies require you to list the countries you
have visited within a certain number of years.
Some embassies will specify a time frame, some
will not, so it is best to start from countries
you have visited from 5 years back. Keep a soft
copy of this list in your computer and update
it each time you travel.
3. Make a checklist of the visa application
requirements

When applying for a Schengen visa via the Italian

embassy, for example, a checklist of requirements
(which you can download along with the visa
application form) is mandatory in the list of
documents to be presented to the visa processing
center. It is not a standard requirement for all
countries, but a checklist is definitely a good thing
to have on hand. Make one of your own if your
destination country does not require it.
4. Have a standard template for letters of
introduction to consuls
Embassies may require you to prepare a letter
to the consul to introduce yourself and state
your reason for travel. Make a standard
template for this letter of introduction, save on
your Travel Docs folder and just fill in
whenever you need to apply for a visa.
This cover letter should have:

Header with your name, contact details and if

available, your visa application reference number

Reason for travel

Duration of stay

Mention of other countries you have visited

How you will fund your trip

Day by day travel itinerary as an attachment

5. Make your travel agent your travel buddy
Find a travel agent you can trust and make
him or her your travel buddy. She can act as a
semi-one-stop shop and help you book tickets
and hotels that you won't have to pay for yet
(you will want to wait till you get the visa
before paying for a ticket or hotel), and
facilitate travel insurance, which is now a
requirement in Schengen countries.
How to obtain ERS
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.