Just would like to share my immigration experience.
When I first came here to KL for my new work, the agency does not process papers and talagang nasa policy nila na lahat ng processing will be done sa KL. Having read about this high risk move in the airport in other fora, I had the employer issue me an invitation letter just in case the IO's request for it.
So the key incidents were:
-Hinanapan ako ng company id. I didn't know that that little thing would make or break my entry. Upon being honest that I just resigned from my old job and have already returned my ID to my previous employer, I was immediately recommended for interrogation.
-During the interrogation, the officer asked me to fill up a form, questioned how much ang dala kong money, san ako magstay, anong gagawin ko sa pupuntahan ko, anong work ng parents ko, was i college graduate and saan ako nag-aral, and did i have any previous international travel experience (thankfully i have).
-I was questioned regarding my return ticket. Kasi yung return ticket ko was from a different airline provided by the new employer, and was not the same as my ticket papunta. Buti nadefend ko ito.
-After mahabang paliwanagan na "I'm a tourist" and "I can support myself there" and "I have friends there that I am visiting", after checking my previous travel records, and after keeping a copy of my return ticket and invitation letter from my employer, finally nirecommend na yung passport ko for stamping.
-It was one of the most stressful times of my life. Thank God nalampasan ko yun. Muntik pa ko hindi umabot sa boarding time. Ayoko na maulit yun. If ever na magchange ako ng employer, I'd rather undergo the grueling paper processing than experience that again.
Interesting side story:
-While i am being interrogated, I cannot help but eavesdrop to another interrogation happening a few meters from me, which was between a female na mataray na IO (let's call her "ateng IO".. sorry, mataray talaga siya and I can see why), and a rather very young woman (let's call her batang passenger), 19y.o lang ata ayon sa pagkakarinig ko. And pano ba naman hindi magtataray si ateng IO:
-Itong si batang passenger pupunta daw ng Bangkok. Pagdating doon, susunduin daw ng Limousine. Dadalhin sa Solitaire Hotel.
-Hinihingan si batang passenger ng xerox copy ng passport ng employer (na parang hindi pa yata citizen ng Thailand). Wala siyang maipakita.
-Tinanong ni ateng IO kung alam ba ng mga magulang ni batang passenger kung nasan si batang passenger ngayon. Sabi ni batang passenger, hindi daw. (so hala, di alam ng magulang na ang anak nasa airport??)
-Ay hala, ayun na si ateng IO. Pasigaw nang nagpapaliwanag kay batang passenger na ang risky ng sitwasyon niya and may posibilidad na niloloko lang sya (hallers naman sa limousine detail kasi). Natameme na lang si batang passenger.
-I don't remember, pero I presume si batang passenger was not permitted to board the plane because of her arguments.
-Upon hearing this conversation, I just thought to myself, no wonder IO's are strict. Kasi meron talagang mga tao na obvious na questionable yung papasuking "employment" and are not thinking enough.
Ayun po. Bow.
