Travel norms for Filipinos tightened

… immigration officer at any Philippine airport or seaport will assess on their personal capacity to travel.

Ronaldo P. Ledesma, officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Immigration, in a statement to the diplomatic missions in the UAE through the Office of Consular Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the assessment will be done at the time they present themselves for immigration formalities at the departure point.

“The affidavit of support still has to be read and assessed by the immigration officer, as authentication only guarantees due execution by the affiant and does not guarantee its contents,” Ledesma said.

Since September, the Philippine Consulate in Dubai had been swamped with more than 300 Filipino expatriates daily seeking authentication for their affidavit of support or guarantee to be presented to the immigration officer at the airport.

This affidavit, executed by the expatriate inviting his family member or friend to come to the UAE, states that the Filipino departing for the UAE is indeed visiting entirely as a tourist for holiday purposes, not for employment, and the sponsor is financially capable of supporting his travel and stay in the country.

In a statement issued on October 4 to Assistant Secretary Jaime Victor B. Ledda at the Office of Consular Affairs in DFA, Ledesma said the Bureau of Immigration (BID) did not necessarily require authenticated affidavit of support or guarantee, but many Filipino travellers resorted to this when they cannot show either their personal capacity or that of their sponsor to shoulder the costs of the trip.

“If the travel is not shouldered in their personal capacity, it is usually claimed that it is shouldered by another person. If the visa indicates that there is sponsor, the relationship or reason for the sponsorship is assessed. If it is readily ascertainable that the sponsor is a relative and it is shown that the sponsor is at the place of destination, the next matter to be assessed is the capacity of the sponsor like work at the place of destination,” Ledesma explained.

Philippine Consulate General Benito B. Valeriano recommended to scrap the authenticated affidavit system following receipt of the clarification letter from BID’s head on Thursday.

He told Khaleej Times that his recommendation was already sent to Manila but he was yet to receive any reply from the BID through the DFA’s Office of Consular Affairs. “The Consulate is attending to hundreds of applicants for affidavit authentication daily, but it is the offshoot of the BID’s strict departure formalities.”

lily@khaleejtimes.com