PHILIPPINES: Immigration Horror Stories & How Not To Get Offloaded

Kinakabahan ka ba kung makakalusot ka sa immigration? Hindi ka nag-iisa. Kabado ang maraming
Pinoy lalo na kung first time traveler. After hearing the horror stories from offloaded passengers, sino ba ang hindi kakabahan?
Traveling abroad can be a thrilling experience, especially for first-time travelers. However, one of the most stressful parts for
Filipinos is passing through the Bureau of Immigration (BI) without getting offloaded. How strict are they? It has always been a
trending topic on social media how notorious they could become. Yung iba, hiningan pa ng transcript of records. Lol.
The reality is, thousands of Filipinos are offloaded every year, sometimes due to minor issues that could easily be avoided.
But don’t worry, today, I'll share essential tips to ensure your travel goes smoothly and that you enjoy your trip without the
worry of being stopped by immigration.
Part 1: Why Some Filipinos Get Offloaded
Offloading is a reality for many Filipino travelers. In 2022, over 32,000 were offloaded due to failure to meet certain
requirements. In the first quarter of 2023, more than 6,000 were held back for various reasons. Though data for 2024 is still
being compiled, this trend continues, especially among first-time travelers.
The reasons? Some common causes include incomplete travel documents, lack of financial capacity to support the trip, and
inconsistencies in travel plans. However, another critical reason is suspicion of human trafficking-a real concern for the
authorities.
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One of the primary reasons the BI enforces strict travel guidelines is to combat human trafficking. Countries with high
repatriation rates, such as those in the Middle East or Southeast Asia, are often linked to trafficking concerns.
In response, thousands of Filipinos have been rescued or repatriated, particularly from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia.
Being aware of these risks, the BI aims to protect Filipinos, but this can also lead to more scrutiny during immigration checks.
Human trafficking is a serious issue, and the Bureau of Immigration is very cautious in allowing Filipinos to leave, especially to
certain countries.
Part 3: Legitimate Travel? Here’s How to Prove It!
To ensure smooth sailing through immigration, here are the top tips you need:
1. Dress appropriately.
2. Arrive early.
3. Have Complete Documentation.
4. Financial Capability: Be ready to show that you can fund your trip. Bank statements or payslips are good supporting
documents.
5. Clear and Consistent Travel Plans.
6. Confidence in Your Answers: Practice answering basic questions about your trip. Officers might ask about your job, your
travel destination, or why you chose to travel. Confidence is key-know your purpose and stick to your answers.
7. Stay calm: Being nervous can make you appear suspicious. Stay relaxed, and if you’re a legit traveler, you have nothing to
worry about.
Red Flags to Avoid
Avoid these red flags that might raise suspicion:
1. Tourist visa for work purposes.
2. Lack of travel history.
3. Dubious travel sponsors: If someone else is paying for your trip, be ready to explain your relationship with the sponsor and
why they’re funding your travel.
Part 5: What to Do if You’re Offloaded?
If you get offloaded, remain calm and respectful. You can ask for the reason and work on addressing it for your next attempt.
You also have the right to file a complaint if you believe the offloading was done in bad faith.
Remember, immigration officers are not there to harass you but to protect you.
By preparing well and confidently answering their questions, you can avoid the stress of being offloaded and enjoy your trip
abroad.
Lastly, be cautious about job offers abroad that sound too good to be true. In recent years, many Filipinos have been rescued
from places like Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, where they were forced into illegal activities after being promised jobs abroad.
There are also victims sent to Korea and Malaysia. Always verify your recruiter through the Department of Migrant Workers or
the POEA.
We often hear stories of rescued individuals from time-to-time. Imagine the number of trafficked victims who haven’t been
rescued yet. Women are the most vulnerable victims of trafficking. According to National Police Commission’s recent report,
majority of the trafficked victims are women with age ranging from 22 to 27 years old. Most of them are used for scams and
other illegal activities, and many others are used as sex workers abroad. Kaya, kailangang mag-doble ingat!
Traveling should be an exciting experience, not a stressful one. By following these tips, you can face the Bureau of
Immigration with confidence.
So pack your bags, get your documents ready, and start your journey! Safe travels, and see you on the next adventure.

[@PinayOkie58]

I was only 17 when I left the country and I am 66 years old now. I traveled so many times between North America and different Asian countries and aldo Caribbean contries but never expirience offloaded.

[@elyvalendez]

awwww!!! So blessed. You left the country so young and traveled the world. That's every Filipino's dream, I believe. Right now, offloading is really a nightmare for most Filipinos, especially those who are traveling out of the country for the first time. Hope it'd change in the next few years. Keep safe always. Hope to hear your travel stories one day. :)

[@muradhasanjoy19]

Wow, these tips are a game-changer! Passing through immigration can be stressful, especially with all the horror stories. Thanks for the clear and practical advice!

[@elyvalendez]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@davidburt6659]

I HAVE BEEN COMING TO THE PHILIPPINES SINCE 2001 NEVER ANY PROBLEMS

[@elyvalendez]

@@davidburt6659 great to know this. Hope you enjoy your every visit. The BI is actually kind to foreigners coming to the Philippines. It is the Filipinos going out of the country (especially first timers) who are having problems. 😢

[@perryansaldo2956]

This is helpful for first time flyer….Informative.

[@elyvalendez]

thank you! appreciate it. 😍

[@williamgile]

Thank you this is very useful and giving the tips because we are first time travelers

[@elyvalendez]

Glad it was helpful! Thankies!

[@TheDailyPosh]

Very insightful! I agree that confidence is the key.. and dress modestly.

[@elyvalendez]

Indeed! Sana wala nang legit travelers na ma-offload. 😀

[@aRVeesBlog]

very informative video thanks for this

[@elyvalendez]

thank you po. appreciate it. 😍

[@aRVeesBlog]

@@elyvalendez welcome

[@elyvalendez]

@@aRVeesBlog 😍😍😍

[@danishpinayilocana2479]

Basta be honest ka at dala mo lahat ng docs mo.Mkakapasa ka sa BI I been in Denmark last month.First time travel ko.Okay na man s BI.❤

[@elyvalendez]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Sarap nung Denmark agad ang first travel out of the country. Hope you had fun! :)

[@kookieklatchtv9080]

Manifesting IO fast approval in the future 🙏

[@elyvalendez]

praying for your smooth immigration experience. Hope naka-help ang tips. :)

[@maritessmagabang6011]

Looking forward to it❤

[@elyvalendez]

it’s live! 🫶🏽

[@capiztirzo2724]

Nakakahiya talaga ang sistema at talamak na abuse of power diyan sa Pilipinas. Shame, shame,shame. Ang daming mga nabiktimang Pinoy na ok naman ang mga dokumento, samantalang iyong si Alice Guo walang kahirap hirap nakalabas ng Pilipinas.

[@elyvalendez]

Totoo po 'yan. Lahat halos ng dumadaan dito, ganyan ang reklamo sa patakaran. Hopefully, magbago na.

[@indayswertres]

Sana yung patakaran nila e bahin.. Interview muna bago bili nang ticket kasi sayang eh bibili kah taz e offload ka lang nila.. Kahit nga complete kapa nang hinihingi sila lang may karapatan mag offload, hindi man lang inicip mga ginastos imbis na mag tour kah kahit saglit para pang refresh lang mas lalong lumala kasi e offload ka lang.

[@elyvalendez]

totoo! napaka-stressful hindi maka-byahe after you’ve spent money sa bakasyon sana. 🥹

[@indayswertres]

@@elyvalendez Taz gigisahin ka nang tanung hanggang sa malapit na oras nang alis mo wala kana magawa kasi hindi kah pinaalis 😆 tapos ibang airlines walang refund ang sakit sa bulsa. Sakit pa sa dibdib.

[@elyvalendez]

awww. I feel you po. Naranasan n'yo po ba ito personally? Saan po sana kayo pupunta?

[@jomarchavez7941]

Wow ❤

[@elyvalendez]

Thank you! :)

[@RodMagaru]

Yay thanks for this🎉🎉🎉

[@elyvalendez]

@@RodMagaru 😍😍😍

[@mirahizaki9119]

Wow! This is very informative.👏

[@elyvalendez]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the comment. 😍

[@jessicapatnaan8284]

Hello po sir, na confiscate po kc passport ko nung friday at sabing makukuha ito after 2 weeks at matagal namn un, ask ko po sana kung pwedeng irequest na ipadala sa DFA dto sa amin po kahit wala pang 2 weeks at complete na po ang documents ko. Thank you po.

[@HannahDayanan]

It is my first time traveling and I am alone and it was sponsored by the aunt of my mom po. I do have all my docs naman po such as; return ticket, visa, birth cert paano naging related, letter of guarantee, letter of invitation, COE ng guarantor, & passport nila. But kinakabahan ako kasi po ang AOS ko is thru gmail lang binigay kasi po hindi nila alam paano maipapadala here sa PH. My flight is on oct 15 na po, please help me po how to pass the immigration. Thank you so much po.

[@elyvalendez]

Hello Hannah, hope you pass the immigration smoothly. Depends on where you going 'yung higpit, and who are you visiting, and the purpose of visit. Best to practice answering the basic questions like that with confidence, and you are good. Answer must be straightforward. Dapat din sure sa sagot.

[@HannahDayanan]

@@elyvalendez Hello po, thank you po. Japan po ang destination ko and yung visa ko po is visiting US military personnel/relatives.

[@elyvalendez]

@@HannahDayanan as far as I know, Japan is safe naman. I never heard of anyone who got offloaded when traveling to Japan (unless someone says otherwise in the comments). Kasi hindi naman basta-basta nagbibigay ng Visa si Japan. Just be calm and confident, you'd definitely get through immigration.

[@HannahDayanan]

@@elyvalendez thank you so much po

[@elyvalendez]

@@HannahDayanan balitaan mo kami ha? Thankssss!

[@butchfajardo8832]

We all must fight for immigration screening first before buying tickets.

[@elyvalendez]

@@butchfajardo8832 hindi nga lang makakalusot lalo kapag walang tickets. 😅

[@butchfajardo8832]

@@elyvalendez, doon sila tumitiba daw eh! May percentage daw sila sa tickets! 🤣🤣🤣

[@elyvalendez]

@@butchfajardo8832 ohhh. Nice angle din ‘yan if ever true na may cut sila because that would be corruption. Let me do my research. Pwede nating next topic. Hindi kasi pwedeng dumaan ng immig kung walang ticket kasi mandatory ang boarding pass before ka makaharap sa immigration officer. Also, it won’t make any sense dahil mas mahal ang ticket kung bibili ka sa airport on the day of your travel.

[@butchfajardo8832]

@@elyvalendez, sabi ko noon, you just have to look at the airport to see the problems! All they have to do is make the passengers do the immigration screening before buying tickets, pay all the fees before going to the airport. Designate an office where we will go. Kung pumasa na sa immigration, punta ka na sa pag bayad ng other fees! So pag punta sa airport ng passenger, check in baggage ka na lang and wait for your flight! Just imagine this! Malaking comfort sa passengers, di ba?

[@butchfajardo8832]

@@elyvalendez, please do your research on the percentage of the tickets. Ka konchaba nila ang mga airlines! Malaki kita nila pareho lalo na kung na offload ay going to Europe! We didn't research on this! We just happen to talk to the right people! Decades na namin alam ito!

[@causeitsmylife2023]

Jusko haha malapit na flight ko 😅

[@elyvalendez]

is it your first time to fly out of the country?

[@causeitsmylife2023]

Yes po😂

[@elyvalendez]

@@causeitsmylife2023 all the best! Just be confident and relax when answering IO questions. Happy travels! 😍

[@JoyceElizabethFelix-y2z]

Hello po balak po kaso namin mag travel ng mga anak ko, parehas po silang minor, and then illegitimate child po silang pareho, bale ang mag sposor po samin eh yung mother in law ko po na nasa macau, tapos nasa macau din po asawa ko, .. ano po mga papers na hahanapin sa immigration? Kelangan pa po ba ng father consent po ng mga bata?

[@elyvalendez]

Hello, I’m not really an expert on this but kung ako magprepare ng documents, I’d prepare the following: 1. Birth Certificates ng mga bata with your name as their mother on it. That would be enough to bring them with you. 2. As for you, if with a sponsor, prepare na lang proof of relationship with your husband. Best to prepare marriage certificate, just in case. 3. Bank statement - to show funds, and proof of remittance from your husband. 4. Accommodation, best na ikaw na magbook ng mga hotels para nakapangalan sa’yo or at least ipangalan nila sa’yo and masend sa email mo confirmation. 5. Sample itinerary for your travel. 6. Return tickets. 7. Bring enough cash, in HK dollars. Prepare lang. Might not be needed but best to prepare. Do not bring them out unless hanapin ni IO. How old are the kids by the way?

[@JoyceElizabethFelix-y2z]

@@elyvalendez Isang 11months old tapos Isang 8year old po

[@JoyceElizabethFelix-y2z]

Yung mother in law ko Po Ang gagawa Ng affidavit of support,

[@elyvalendez]

Ayun. Mainam nga po na meron kayo n'yan. All the best sa inyong byahe. :)

[@JoyceElizabethFelix-y2z]

@@elyvalendez thank you Po ,sobrang helpful Po Ng videos niyo 😍😍