I've been seeing a lot of posts on Facebook and videos on Tiktok about people being offloaded by Philippine Immigration officers. 

When you get offloaded, you end up losing money, time, and energy. Plus, it will show on your records. It can be scary to face the immigration officers because of all these stories, but if your purpose of travel is purely tourism, holiday, or vacation, there's no reason to be scared. 


In this post, I will be sharing the following so you know how to avoid offloading in immigration:


What to Present in Philippine Immigration:

#1 Documents that will prove your purpose of travel

  • Roundtrip Flight Bookings
  • Hotel Bookings
  • Daily Itinerary
  • Tour Bookings and Attraction Tickets
  • Travel Insurance
I would recommend printing them out so that they are ready once the immigration officer asks for them. Do not present these documents right away. Hand them over only when the immigration officer asks for them.

Also, don't present them all at once. If the IO wants to see your return flight, then give them just that.

Travel insurance is not really a requirement nowadays, except in some countries, but I would still recommend getting one. Having insurance coverage is really helpful in cases of accidents, sickness, lost luggage, missed flights, and other mishaps that could happen.

#2 Documents showing that you have strong ties in the Philippines

  • Certificate of Employment, Company ID, Letter of Approved Leave, if employed
  • DTI Registration and Annual ITR, if you're a business owner
  • COE or Work Contracts, if you are a freelancer
It doesn't have to be an entire book of documents. And sometimes the IO may not even ask for them, but it helps to have these documents handy. Now, I've heard some stories of IOs asking for other documents like bank statements, credit card statements, etc. so it helps if you have these too, even just as a screenshot on your phone. 

#3 CFO - only when traveling to meet a foreign partner

Get a CFO Guidance and Counseling Certificate. This is very important, and I can't stress it enough. Before you meet a foreign partner outside of the Philippines, you must attend counseling to protect your welfare when traveling. Part of the counseling covers human trafficking. Not having a CFO when meeting a partner overseas is a very common reason for getting offloaded.

#4 Affidavit of Support - only when someone else is paying for your trip

Get an Affidavit of Support. The process for this may vary depending on the country of destination and if the sponsor lives in that particular country. But if your sponsor is just here in the Philippines, you can simply make this document by copying from a sample online and have it notarized.


Tips to Pass Philippine Immigration

Once you're done preparing all the documents for your flight, the only thing that's left is to get through immigration. This is, of course, after you've paid for the Philippine Travel Tax and checked in for your flight.

This is also the most daunting part for a lot of people. But since you're traveling as a tourist, you have nothing to be worried about, so just breathe and relax. 

  • Look presentable. When traveling, you have to look smart and presentable. You don't have to be in formal attire but you have to be in decent clothes. My go-to airport outfit for international flights includes a simple blouse, jeans, and white sneakers. I make sure to wear a little make-up and look well-groomed and clean.
  • When approaching the counter, greet the immigration officer before handing over your passport and boarding pass. Greet them with "good morning" or "good afternoon", or whatever is appropriate. 
  • Answer only what is being asked. Do not expound on your answer. Here's an example.
    • Q: What is your purpose for traveling? 
    • A: Vacation.
    • Q: How long are you staying in the country of destination?
    • A: 5 days.
    • Q: What is your job in the Philippines?
    • A: I'm a programmer/accountant/call center agent/business owner/social media manager (just say your position or designation, same if you're a freelancer)
  • Answer confidently. Don't be nervous. Remember that the purpose of your travel is for vacation and pleasure, so you should look excited rather than nervous.
  • Do not lie. Immigration officers are trained to detect if you're telling the truth or not. This can automatically get you offloaded and leave you with a bad record.
  • Smile when talking to the immigration officer. This shows confidence. Even when you are wearing a face mask, your smile can still be detected in your eyes.
Once you get your passport stamped, thank the immigration officer and go through security to get to the boarding area.

Now comes the exciting part which is waiting for your flight and finally reaching your destination. Happy and safe travels!