Traveling abroad for work or leisure? The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) has just updated its guidelines for Filipinos heading overseas. But here’s the good news: you won’t need to lug around your high school yearbook or gather ten ancestral birth certificates.

These revised guidelines aim to protect against potential human trafficking as some travelers have been using the guise of tourism to seek employment abroad, according to the Department of Justice.

Basic Travel Requirements for All Filipino Passengers:

• Passport valid for at least six months from departure date
• Appropriate valid visa (when required)
• Boarding pass
• Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket (when necessary)

Additional Requirements Depending on Travel Nature:

For Tourists (Self-funded):

• Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
• Proof of hotel booking/accommodation
• Financial capacity or income source matching the travel purpose
• Proof of employment or equivalent document

For Sponsored Travel by First-Degree Relatives:

• Original PSA-issued birth or marriage certificate (proof of first-degree relationship)
• Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
• Copies of the sponsor’s documents: valid passport, work visa/permit, residence permit, or equivalent
• Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), E-Receipt, or OFW Clearance for OFW sponsors

For Sponsored Travel by Relatives Up to Fourth Degree:

• Original Affidavit of Support and Guarantee (AOSG) duly notarized by Philippine Embassy/Consulate-Honorary Consulate or equivalent in the destination country
• Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
• Original PSA-issued birth or marriage certificate showing the passenger-sponsor relationship

For Sponsored Travel by Non-relatives or Legal/Juridical Entities:

• OASG duly notarized by Philippine Embassy/Consulate-Honorary Consulate or equivalent
• Substantial proof of relationship
• Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket
• If a legal entity, sponsor’s registration papers

For Travel With a Local Sponsor:

• Duly notarized affidavit by the local sponsor
• Substantial proof of relationship
• Copy of the sponsor’s return ticket matching the passenger’s itinerary

For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs):

If Departing for the First Time:

• OEC, E-Receipt, or OFW Clearance issued by the Department of Migrant Workers
• Valid employment visa, work permit, or equivalent
• Employment contract (as necessary)
• Visa Usage Undertaking or Manpower Request (if applicable)

For Balik-Manggagawa:

• Valid employment visa, work permit, or equivalent
• OFW Clearance (OEC) or other OFW clearance types
• Proof of employment (as necessary)

For Direct Hire OFWs:

• OEC, E-Receipt, or valid OFW Clearance
• Proper work visa/work permit or equivalent

For OFWs Requiring Special Travel Exit Clearance:

• Locally employed seafarers
• Seafarers requiring orientation before employment
• Emergency change crew for Philippine registered vessels abroad

For OFWs Traveling During Their Vacation in the Philippines:

• Normal tourist immigration inspection
• Valid OEC (if proceeding directly to job site)

For Endorsement to the DMW-MWAAC:

• Cases involving invalid or expired OEC
• OFWs with incomplete or questionable documents

For Minors Traveling With Parents:

• Original PSA-issued birth certificate or birth report
• If minor travels without the mother, the original PSA-issued marriage certificate is required

For Minors Requiring DSWD Clearance:

• DSWD Travel Clearance Certificate (TCC) when:
• The parents are unmarried, and the minor travels without the mother
• The minor travels with a non-parent
• The passenger is over 18 and unable to protect themselves due to a disability

For Minors Traveling Alone (13 years old and above):

• DSWD TCC is required

For Minors Subject to Adoption:

• For adopted minors pending the issuance of a new PSA-issued birth certificate: Travel Authority for the adoptive parent/s and the adopted minor issued by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC)

For Prospective Adoptive Parents Traveling With a Minor Subject to Pending Domestic Adoption Proceedings:

• Proceedings pending with the NACC: DSWD Travel Clearance Certificate
• Proceedings pending in courts: Manifestation or notice about intended travel filed at least seven calendar days before the travel date

Other Passenger Categories:

• Dependent family members joining an OFW at the job site
• Passengers requiring clearance from the CFO
• Students under CHED’s International Student Affairs Program (ISAP) or Student Internship Abroad Program (SIAP)
• Students/Scholars
• Passengers with prospective employers abroad
• Passengers traveling for compassionate or humanitarian visits
• Passengers traveling for intra-company transfers or intra/inter-company training
• Filipino volunteer workers
• Hajj pilgrims to Mecca
• Filipino donors traveling for organ donation or transplantation
• Trainees for skills enhancement