Immigration Officers: How to Deal (Thread 2)

[minaco_aino]

Hello sissies, hi mama squeak! I just posted this issue sa HK thread. But I want double check what to do and what to prepare. Here are the scenarios:

Our family (my hubby, my 4-year old daughter and I) will travel to Hong Kong 4 days on January 2015. This is our first travel abroad. We will renew our passport this year and apply new for our daughter. Our old passport is clean.

General Documents to bring:
- Cebu Pac e-tickets
- Hotel reservation
- Itinerary

For my hubby:
- He's a fire officer. We plan to declare his job. We will prepare Travel Authority signed by their Mayor. We will also try to get Travel Authority signed by the Regional Office. Concern: Kung hindi namin idedeclare yung job nya, anong ilalagay namin?
- Company ID
- Birth Certificate

For me:
- I'm a private employee. COE
- Company ID
- Signed VL
- Bank Statement
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate

For our daughter:
- School registration (to certified that she's in school)
- School ID?
- Birth certificate

[mama squeak!]

^sis, my suggestion in the other thread to not declare his real occupation is only in case you won't be able to get supporting documents from the proper authorities. But since this early pa lang aware ka na sa requirement and you have more than enough time to secure these documents then go the simple, honest way of declaring his real occupation. As long as kumpleto his and your supporting documents I don't see any problems with the IOs here or in HKG.

I know it's your first time to travel outside the country and talagang nakakakaba (there's always a first time for everything!). But there really is no need to stress yourself about it. As long as kumpleto ka sa documents and honest naman yung intention nyo to travel, no sweat! Over thinking and stressing yourself will only take away the excitement and anticipation of your family's first travel abroad. 

 

[minaco_aino]

^thank you mama squeak. Point well taken. Over thinking sa Immigration eh. I'll avoid that starting now. Thanks again.

[pinklilac]

I am so blessed dahil everytime mag byahe ako very smooth lahat pati sa IO..

[jenius001]

Hello guys. I have heard horror stories about immigration here in the Philippines. I have a scheduled flight to Turkey and I will be traveling alone for tourism purposes and will be staying there for a month. It wasn't my first time to travel internationally though. I have traveled in HK last 2012 and I wasn't alone. I am just worried how the IO will treat me as Turkey is not that famous place to go not like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand etc which are visa-free countries. Turkey is culturally rich ( and mind you, Istanbul is a beautiful and one of the oldest city) and the cuisine is among the best in the world so when they have introduced e-visa, I applied for it since I have a valid visa from an OECD country. I won't find a job there or whatnot because I love my job here as a graphic artist. I am just looking for a nice and unique place to visit to find inspiration.

Will they question me for picking Turkey as a country to visit? Do I have a chance to get offloaded? Please help! Thanks!

[bratty]

TBH, I think you will be questioned on the length of your stay, how much money you have and place where your  will stay. Masyado mahaba ang one month kung tour ang sadya mo. You really have to convince the IO sa atin na babalik ka ng pinas. Sorry if I sound nega ha.

[jenius001]

Are bank certificate, credit card, debit card enough to show them? I can also present ITR, leave of absence and company ID. I have read that 15 days (the length of days that the embassy usually gves) is not even enough to see Turkey so I decided one month of stay since some of the city are far from each other not like HK and Singapore that 3 days are good to see enough of the sights. And since mahal ang pamasahe.. Why not sulitin?

[imnuttz]

any stories you've heard na na-offload if you are a solo traveler going to HK? kawawa naman yung mga gusto magsolo like me kung talagang gusto namin mag travel alone.

[jenius001]

I've also heard solo female travelers have high chance of getting offloaded. I hope it's not true.   

[jieunae]

Never ako nahirapan sa IO kahit lagi din akong kinakabahan.  Sa experience ko company id ang pinaka importante at laging hinahanap then PRC id if meron.

[esor]

hi mga sis, question regarding dun sa pinapa turn on yung gadgets after ma scan sa x-ray machines, implemented ba to sa lahat ng international flights?

[mama squeak!]

^nung umalis ako last week for BKK di naman ako nirequire i-switch on yung gadgets ko. Baka random pa lang ngayon but para sigurado be sure meron charge yung mga gadgets mo in case they ask you to switch them on.

[esor]

^ thanks sis 

hassle lang din kasi kung mag turn on pa ng laptop 

[entwife]

ano bang chinecheck sa gadgets> laptop?

what if may torrent ako? okay lang ba yun?

[miriancalin]

Sana po may sumagot. Super worried lang. Nagpabook na kami for our travel to HK on October (travel agency). Worry ko na baka maoffload kami kasi:

1. 3 kaming freelancer (so walang company id to show)
2. lahat kami first time travelers

Ang naiisip namin na dalhin to show na financially capable kami to travel are:

1. statement of account - bank
2. statement of account - insurance policy
3. show money na Php15K per person (not sure if this will help)

Okay na ba yan? Ang hirap kasi ijustify na may work ka kapag freelancer ka kasi walang company id (abroad ang clients namin at hindi talaga sila nagproprovide ng id sa mga outsourced employees). Suggestions please??

[kirsten]

Hi fellow GT!

I have some concerns regarding my flight to the US next week. Been traveling there since 2006 and I have a clean record.

Now, I just got married last May to a European Citizen, but I haven't changed my last name, passport and status. When we get to the IO, should we go together and declare that we just got married and the purpose of travel is honeymoon or hiwalay nalang? I'm planning to bring our marriage contract din, just in case.. Any thoughts on this??? TIA!!!

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ you may go together sa isang counter, sis. Me dala ka naman marriage certificate e.

[ezonme]

^^^ Sis, I work at home too and have no company ID. Hindi naman ako hiningian ng local IO ng ID and hindi din ako hiningian sa HK but I was held sa Immigration ng HK. First time to travel ko din yun. They verified some info lang then kinausap ako nung isang IO asked me kung may kasama ba ako (my friends were outside waiting for me kasi hindi naman sila na hold sa Immigration) asked me if we are touring, hotel vouchers, asked me for my credit card (they asked me to show it to them, I guess ni check lang nila yung name) asked me magkano dala kong pocket money. That's it. After a few minutes binalik na sa akin yung passport ko. I don't remember na tinanong din nila ako anong work ko.

[miriancalin]

^^^ Sis, I work at home too and have no company ID. Hindi naman ako hiningian ng local IO ng ID and hindi din ako hiningian sa HK but I was held sa Immigration ng HK. First time to travel ko din yun. They verified some info lang then kinausap ako nung isang IO asked me kung may kasama ba ako (my friends were outside waiting for me kasi hindi naman sila na hold sa Immigration) asked me if we are touring, hotel vouchers, asked me for my credit card (they asked me to show it to them, I guess ni check lang nila yung name) asked me magkano dala kong pocket money. That's it. After a few minutes binalik na sa akin yung passport ko. I don't remember na tinanong din nila ako anong work ko.

Thank you thank you for your reply Mejo nabawasan ang worry ko Yay for you!

Another question. Aside from IDs, etickets, hotel/itinerary and pocket money, ano pa bang impt docs and dapat dalhin ng kapatid ko who is a College student naman?

[batangcute]

Ano pong salutation ang nilalagay niyo sa COE?