Minors traveling abroad alone or without parents need travel clearance

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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reminded that children aged 17 years old and below must secure a travel clearance first if they are traveling abroad alone, or not accompanied by their parents.

This is to ensure that they will be safe from child trafficking, abuse, and exploitation.

“Yung mga nagbabalak po magbyahe at kumuha ng travel clearance, pumunta po kayo sa DSWD Field Offices natin kung saan po nakatira yung bata para doon po mag-apply ng kanilang travel clearance,” said Program Management Bureau Officer-in-Charge Division Chief for Sectoral Program Irish Opeña in a forum on Thursday.

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(Those who are planning to travel and get their travel clearance, go to the DSWD Field Office where your children reside so they can apply there for their travel clearance.)

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Here is the list of the requirements needed to secure a travel clearance:

• Duly-accomplished application form
• Birth certificate of minor issued by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) (original and photocopy) (If there is a delay in birth registration, attach baptismal certificate of the minor or immunization record or school records/Form 137)
• PSA-issued marriage certificate of the parents if legitimate child (original and photocopy)
• PSA-issued Certificate of No Marriage of the mother issued by PSA (original and photocopy)
• Certificate of No Marriage from the Local Civil Registry if fictitious marriage is also among the documents being asked.
• PSA-issued Death Certificate (if a parent is deceased) (original and photocopy)
• Notarized Affidavit of Consent signed by both parents or legal guardian permitting the minor to travel abroad
• Valid IDs of parents with specimen signatures (a copy of passport and visa if parents are working abroad)
• Two pieces colored and latest passport size pictures of minor (with white background)
• Valid passport of minor’s traveling companion
• Notarized Affidavit of Undertaking if traveling companion is a non-relative of minor
• Notarized Affidavit of Support and certified true copy of any evidence proving that the companion or sponsor is financially capable

Processing fee for travel clearance good for one year is worth P300.