12/10/2018
Kinakabahan ka na ba sa interview mo with the Immigration Officer? Natatakot ka na baka mag power trip sila sayo? Na baka ma offload ka sa di maipaliwanag na dahilan? Huuuuuuuy, ramdam kita! Hindi ka nag-iisa.
Here are the TIPS that may actually help you pass the nerve wrecking interview at the Immigration:
1. COMPLETE ALL THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS WHEN TRAVELLING ABROAD AND BACK IT UP WITH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. ✔️
✖️Initially, all you have to present is your PASSPORT (should be valid – passports with less than 6 months before the expiration should be renewed before the desired flight), RETURN TICKET (valid plane ticket papunta at pauwi) and VISA (if travelling to countries that requires visa).
✖️On top of these, the Immigration Officer (mga beshy natin yang mga yan!) may ask for additional documents such as: TRAVEL ITINERARY, CONFIRMED HOTEL BOOKINS, COE (Certificate of Employment), Company ID, and approved LOA (leave of absence) – that would serve as proof na capable kang mag travel abroad, na magbabakasyon ka lang, na may trabaho ka sa Pilipinas na babalikan kaya wala kang balak mag TNT (tago ng tago).
✖️And if you are on a sponsored visa like me, you have to prepare the affidavit of support and guarantee (filled up completely and signed by your sponsor and notarized), your sponsor’s copy of passport (colored), work visa, overseas employment certificate, employment contract, tenancy contract and original NSO birth certificate of you both (the birth certificate served as proof that my sponsor is my cousin, and that she’ll shoulder all my expenses abroad so there’s no need for me to show any proof of income).
2. DRESS DECENTLY. ✔️
✖️Don’t get me wrong, you can still look sexy naman, pero dapat classy. You have to look like a tourist not like a tambay sa kanto. Ako nga, I’m used to wearing slippers, shorts and t-shirt lang kasi yun yung comfy for me; but for the sake of passing the IO interview nag effort naman akong mag sapatos,pantalon and blazer (para mukhang tao at may pera, kahit wala naman talaga).
✖️Also, you will have to consider the appropriate dress to wear when visiting another country. Kapag pupunta ka sa Middle East countries like UAE syempre dapat hindi ka masyadong revealing, at para sa mga kapatid natin from the LGBT community, wag po tayo magcross dress. It’s a traveller’s responsibility to check on the proper dress code of the country you will be visiting.
3. ANSWER THE IMMIGRATION OFFICER'S QUESTIONS CONFIDENTLY. ✔️
✖️Alam ko kabado ka, alam din nila yun for sure lalo pa’t first time mo ‘to. Okay lang kabahan, basta wag kang magpapakain sa kaba mo.
✖️Utang na loob, wag kang uutal-utal sa pagsagot, hindi ka kakainin ng mga beshy natin!
✖️Wag na wag mong hahayaan na pangunahan ka ng takot mo.
✖️Isipin mo lang na ginagawa lang nila ang trabaho nila (they want to make sure that your sole purpose abroad is to travel – at hindi ang mag TNT).
✖️Anyways, usually yung mga tanong nila is very basic lang naman like; KUMAIN KA NA BA? Charoooooot hahaha! 😂😂😂
FAQS (frequently asked questions):💯💯💯
🌀FiIRST TIME MO?
➰kailangan pang Ms Universe and pagsagot. Dapat kahit it’s your first time, makita at maramdaman nila na confident ka at alam mo ang ginagawa mo.
🌀KAILAN ANG BALIK MO?
➰O diba, ang taray, di ka pa nakaka-alis yung pagbalik mo na agad ang tinatanong – tapos sesegundahan pa yan ng “ilang araw ka nga ulit mag-sstay dun?’ so make sure you know the date of your return as well as the number of days you will be staying at the country destination
🌀ANONG GAGAWIN MO DUN?
➰at this point you may present your travel itinerary and dapat memorize mo yung mga plano mong puntahan)
🌀ANONG TRABAHO MO DITO SA PILIPINAS?
➰impress them with your career reputation, giving them the impression that you have a good paying job here that you were able to travel internationally, and that you have no plans of looking for a job in the country you will be visiting since you already have an established career here
➰if you have your own business naman, present your business permit
🌀SINO PUPUNTAHAN MO DUN?
➰in cases where someone will be sponsoring your visit abroad, you have to memorize your sponsor’s name, number, address, company and etc. just in case they ask for it).
So ayun, basically yun lang naman ang mga dapat nyong tandaan. Another tip lang is to read as many articles/blogs as possible and learn from those who already did this. May ibang nagsasabi na iwasan daw yung pagbabasa kasi nga baka lalo lang daw ma-praning. Personally, mas maigi na ‘yung marami kang alam kesa clueless ka sa mga mangyayari or pwedeng mangyari.
Yung iba, iniiwasan nila yung immigration sa Manila sa takot na ma offload. They fly from other airports kung saan hindi gaanong mahigpit “DAW” yung mga IO. Well, it’s up you parin naman. Ako, first time ko din and ang payo saakin ng karamihan is to fly Davao-Singapore-Abu Dhabi kasi nga baka hindi ako makalusot sa immigration ng Manila since it’s my first time to fly internationally nga tapos babae pa ako, flying solo and single (which they said RED FLAG na for IOs). Pero I took the risk and flew directly from Manila to Abu Dhabi, UAE and it went well naman. I was nervous, scared but confident at the same time na I will make it kasi kumpleto naman documents ko and natuto din ako sa ibang blogs na nabasa ko.
So I hope this blogpost will be able help you or your friends and or family members who plans on flying abroad. ♥️
You think I missed something? Please comment down your own tips on how to pass the IO interview and save another traveler’s soul from getting his/her broken! ⤵️
Please visit http://www.immigration.gov.ph/faqs/travel-req for more info.
-The life abroad
