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Rise in Filipinos seeking visit support affidavits

DUBAI - Applications for the affidavit of support and guarantee for the visit of a family relation have been on the rise following the favourable move of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi to streamline its consular procedures for Filipinos travelling to the UAE on visit visas.

In the case of the visit of other Filipinos who are being sponsored by a company or a distant relative, a "Declaration and Undertaking" that has to be notarised at the Department of Justice in Dubai, has been introduced. The signatory guarantees and assumes the responsibility for the accommodation, travel expenses (including return fare to the Philippines) and other such expenses that may be incurred by the Filipino national during his or her visit.

"For the past three weeks, we had witnessed a remarkable increase in the applications using both forms. Applicants, either Filipinos or other nationalities, are now more informed about the use of the forms. They are also cognisant of the benefits of these documents. Immigration officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) not only check their passports, air tickets and valid visas, they also ask for additional documents such as the affidavit of support," a consular staff at the Consulate-General in Dubai told Khaleej Times.

Till date, a consular team travels all the way from the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi to conduct outreach consular services at the Consulate-General in Dubai. Consul-General Generoso Calonge is currently awaiting the deployment of the necessary personnel to fully activate the Consulate's services.

"The applications for affidavit of support and notarised declaration and undertaking have increased from 80 to 130 for the past three weeks. With the new set of forms, the Filipino nationals visiting the UAE are fully protected. We aim to put a stop on the visa trading being done by some travel agencies. Most have been victims of illegal recruitment by companies who employ them on visit visas. Others have overstayed in the country and engaged in part-time employment. Still others have used the UAE as a transit point to another country such as Iraq, where deployment of Filipino nationals is restricted," he pointed out.

Violeta Tampoc, an executive secretary at Al Abbar Aluminum in Dubai, who signed the "Declaration and Undertaking" form for the visit of a distant relative, told Khaleej Times that she didn't mind the additional requirement imposed by the embassy.

"It was scrapped last year, but I don't see anything wrong in reviving it. This is a good step taken by our government officials. There had been instances where sponsors have run away, and the Filipinos on visit visas are left in the lurch. It would now be easy to trace the sponsors who are accountable for the visiting Filipino national," she said.

Maria Marichu Paez Cruz, an executive secretary at the Pepsi, said: "Extortion by immigration officials at the airports in the Philippines still exists. My brother had a valid visit visa and was not required to furnish an affidavit of support last year. However, he had to pay 5,000 pesos to an immigration official so he would be allowed to depart to the UAE. With an affidavit of support, I am certain that my relative will not have problems at the airport. I just hope that the embassy and the consulate will reconsider reducing the Dh100 processing fee because it is exorbitant."