BI to gov’t workers, minors, foreigners: Prepare to present required documents to travel 

INQUIRER file photo / ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday said government workers, minors, and foreign tourists must submit additional documents before being cleared for departure.

The BI made the reminder given the holiday rush this Holy Week.

Filipino government officials and employees are required to present their required authority to travel abroad from their respective department heads, while unaccompanied minors should have the necessary clearance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development before their flight.

Foreign tourists who have stayed in the country for more than six months should secure their emigration clearance certificates in any of the different BI’s district, field, satellite, and extension offices nationwide.

Registered foreigners with ACR I-Cards may secure their re-entry permits in other BI Offices or at the BI NAIA one-stop-shop before proceeding to their flight.

The bureau has been hounded by complaints of irregular requirements of immigration officers.

These issues came to light when a now-viral video of a Filipino woman who ranted about an immigration officer that barraged her with “irrelevant questions” — even asking if she brought her yearbook with her — which resulted in her missing her flight bound for Israel.—MJ Soriano, trainee

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