Travel Clearance for Filipino Minors

A travel clearance is a document issued by the DSWD to a Filipino child (below 18 years of age) traveling abroad alone or with someone other than his/her parents.

WHO NEEDS A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

A minor traveling alone to a foreign country ;
A minor traveling to a foreign country accompanied by a person other than his or her parents.

WHO DOES NOT NEED TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

All minors other than those cited above, for example:
A minor traveling to a foreign country with either parent or with his or her solo parent or legal guardian;
A minor traveling abroad whose parents are in the Foreign Service or living abroad or are immigrants, provided he/she is holding a valid pass such as a dependents visa/pass/identification card or permanent resident visa/pass/identification card which serves as proof that he/she is living with parents abroad and their travel does not constitute child trafficking.

DOES A MARRIED MINOR REQUIRED TO SECURE A TRAVEL CLEARANCE

A minor, regardless of civil status who is traveling alone or with other person/s is required to secure a travel clearance.

IS A MARRIED MINOR REQUIRED TO SECURE A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

A minor, regardless of civil status, who is traveling abroad alone or with person/s other than his/her parent is required to secure a travel clearance.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS IN SECURING A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

A. For a minor traveling alone to a foreign country for the first time

Duly accomplished application form
A photocopy of the birth certificate of minor
A written consent of both parents or the solo parent or the legal guardian permitting the minor to travel alone to a foreign country
As appropriate, a photocopy of the marriage certificate of the minor's parents or a photocopy of the certificate of legal guardianship of the minor or in the case of solo parents, a photocopy of the solo parent identification card from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office or a photocopy of a certification from the Local Social Welfare and Development Office of being a solo parent or Tallaq or Faskh certification from the Shariah court or any Muslim Barangay or religious leader or in the case of an illegitimate minor, a certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR)* from the National Statistics Office (NSO) or in the case of a deceased parent, a photocopy of the death certificat

* Issuance of CENOMAR will take 1-5 days for cases of uncommon surnames and 1-15 days for common surnames.
* Issuing office of CENOMAR is the National Statistics Office not the Local Civil Registrar.

5. Two colored passport size photos of the minor taken within the last six (6) months

B. For a minor traveling for the first time with a person other than the parents or legal guardian

Duly accomplished application form
A photocopy of the birth certificate of minor
A written consent of both parents or the solo parent or the legal guardian permitting the minor to travel to a foreign country with a specific person other than them
As appropriate, a photocopy of the marriage certificate of the minor's parents or a certificate of legal guardianship of the minor or in the case of solo parents, a solo parent identification card from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office or a certification from the Local Social Welfare and Development Office of being a solo parent or a court decree of separation, annulment or divorce, or Tallaq or Fasakh certification from the Shariah court or any muslim barangay or religious leader or in the case of an illegitimate minor, a certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR) *from the National Statistics Office or in the case of a deceased parent, a photocopy of the death certificate

* Issuance of CENOMAR will take 1-5 days for cases of uncommon surnames and 1-15 days for common surnames
* Issuing office of CENOMAR is the National Statistics Office not the Local Civil Registrar

5. Two colored passport size photos of the minor taken within the last 6 months.
6. Photocopy of the passport of the traveling companion

C. In case of illegitimate children who is traveling abroad accompanied by their biological father, they are still required to secure a travel clearance certificate as parental authority is vested only to the mother of the child, per Article 176 of the Family Code of the Philippines.

IS THERE A VALIDITY PERIOD FOR A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

A DSWD travel clearance is valid for a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance and shall be valid for multiple travels within the validity period, provided the conditions under which the travel clearance was issued have not changed. If a change in condition occurs like a change in traveling companion, a new travel clearance must be obtained.

HOW MUCH IS THE PROCESSING FEE FOR A TRAVEL CLEARANCE ISSUED TO A MINOR?

The DSWD shall collect a processing fee for each travel clearance issued to minors traveling abroad under the following options:

Php 300.00 with validity of one (1) year.
Php 600.00 with validity of two (2) years.

WHERE CAN ONE FILE THE APPLICATION?

The application for travel clearance, together with the supporting documents required shall be submitted/filed at any DSWD Field Office.

Application forms maybe obtained from any DSWD-Field Office or maybe downloaded from the website www.dswd.gov.ph. [click here to download application form in MS Word Format]

On the appointed date, go to the nearest DSWD Field (regional) office which processed your application to submit the original copy of your supporting documents and pay PhP300.00 per travel clearance certificate. The travel clearance certificate will be obtained thereafter.

Other Frequently Asked Questions…

ARE THE FOLLOWING MINORS EXEMPTED FROM SECURING A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

A minor with permanent residency card
A minor who holds a valid pass such as dependents visa/pass/identification or permanent resident visa/pass/identification card is no longer required to secure travel clearance from DSWD. A permanent residency card is a valid pass and a holder of such is exempted from securing a travel clearance.
A minor born abroad but has no permanent residency card
It depends on the minors citizenship or residency. A minor who is not a Filipino citizen and holds a foreign passport is not required to secure a travel clearance. A minor who is a Filipino citizen and living abroad who does not hold a permanent resident visa/pass/identification card is required to secure a travel clearance.

WHO WOULD GIVE THE CONSENT FOR THE TRAVEL OF A TOTALLY ORPHANED MINOR WHO HAS NO APPOINTED LEGAL GUARDIAN?
Paternal/maternal grandparents who exercise parental authority over a minor whose parents are both deceased may issue the consent even without guardianship order from the Court. But in cases where both the paternal/maternal grandparents are deceased, relatives/acting guardians of the minor should work for their legal guardianship over the minor.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS HAVE MARITAL CONFLICT AND ARE ON HOLD ORDER?

A minor who is the subject of ongoing custody battle between parents will not be issued a travel clearance unless a Court Order is issued to allow the child to travel abroad with either one of his/her parents or authorized guardian. The family shall be responsible to notify the Bureau of Immigration to include the name of the child/ren in the watchlist of minors travelling abroad. It is therefore the Bureau of Immigration’s responsibility to ensure that no child under the watchlist order leaves the country.

CAN A TRAVEL CLEARANCE BE ISSUED TO ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN WHO ARE STILL APPLYING FOR THEIR VISA IN THE EMBASSY?

Illegitimate children are under the custody of the mother. If they will be traveling with the mother, they are not required to secure a travel clearance from the DSWD. If they are traveling with person other than the mother, they must secure a travel clearance.

IS A FAXED COPY OF THE PARENTAL CONSENT OF PARENTS RESIDING ABROAD ACCEPTABLE?

Yes, a faxed copy is acceptable. Likewise, a computer generated photo of minors and emailed documents are acceptable.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN ABANDONED BY THE MOTHER AND UNDER THE CUSTODY OF THE FATHER OR OTHER RELATIVES WHO WILL BE TRAVELING ALONE OR WITH THE FATHER OR OTHER RELATIVES?

Since the mother has the absolute parental authority over her illegitimate children the father would need to secure a Court Order vesting in him the parental authority over the illegitimate children. If a parental authority has been granted to the father, and the minor will be traveling with the father, he is not required to secure a travel clearance. If the minor will travel alone or with someone other than the father, he/she is required to secure a travel clearance.