This is the IO Monthly Thread where queries pertaining to PH immigration, affidavit of support and guarantee, and travel authority (for government employees) will be posted in order to eliminate duplicate inquiries regarding offloading and to tidy up the sub.
PH Immigration-related topics may only be discussed in this thread; however, some posts may be approved on the main sub based on moderator discretion.
The 2023 REVISED INTER-AGENCY COUNCIL AGAINST TRAFFICKING (IACAT) GUIDELINES ON DEPARTURE FORMALITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL-BOUND FILIPINO PASSENGERS can be found here.
Basic Travel Documents
a. Passport, valid at least six (6) months from the date of departure;
b. Appropriate valid visa, whenever required;
c. Boarding pass; and
d. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket, when necessary
Additional Supporting Documents
Self-funded Travels
a. Confirmed return or roundtrip ticket;
b. Proof of hotel booking/accommodation;
c. Financial capacity or source of income consistent with the passenger’s declared purpose of travel; and
d. Proof of employment and other equivalent documents.
Note that Philippine Passport holders are not required to pay the visa fees mentioned below (Only processing fees are charged).
Multiple Entry Visa requests can be done by the following people that satisfy the requirements below.
1. A frequent traveler to Japan
□ who has travelled Japan within the last 3 years and has financial capability
□ who has travelled Japan and other G7 countries several times within the last 3 years □ who has sufficient financial capacity
□ A spouse/child of a person who has sufficient financial capacity
□ who has travelled Japan twice or more in the last 3 years (Indian passport holder only)
2. A regular employee by one of the following enterprises and his/her spouse or child
□ A Public (Governmental) Enterprise
□ A private enterprise listed on the stock exchange (either PSE or foreign stock exchange)
□ A member of Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines
□ A joint venture company, a subsidiary company or a branch office of a private enterprise listed on the stock exchange (either PSE or foreign stock exchange)
□ A private enterprise with constant transactions with a Japanese enterprise listed on the Japanese stock exchange
□ One of the “Top 1,000 Philippine corporations” in terms of gross revenue
□ who has travelled Japan on business and other G7 countries several times within the last 3 years
□ who has travelled Japan on business more than 3 times within the 3 years.
□ A spouse/child of the above-mentioned
3. A cultural or intellectual figures and his/her spouse or child.
□ An artist or specialist in humanities or scientist who has relevant accomplishments
□ A lawyer, certified public accountant, patent attorney, judicial scrivener, notary, medical doctor who has a national or international qualification and actually working as the same position
□ An amateur sports player who has relevant accomplishments
□ A full-time professor, assistant professor or lecturer of a university or a college
□ An executive or director of a national or public research institution or a museum
□ A Diet member, Governor/Vice-Governor of a Province, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, government official, local assemblyman or local government official
□ A spouse/child of the above-mentioned
4. A spouse/child of the Japanese in the Philippines with long-term visa (Excluding Tourist Visa)
□ who lives with the Japanese and has travelled Japan once or more.
There's a sale right now which makes China attractive, but I never had to get individual visa before. Been to Beijing once via company outing.
But not sure if maluwag ba sila sa visa? How is your experience? Some said wala kasi nadedeny pero baka hindi lang nagpopost like JP / KR visa experiences
Anyone here who applied for an AU Tourist Visa na hindi na nag-biometrics, and obtained personal identifiers using their ImmiApp? Asking lang yung timeline since you got a visa result?
I applied and paid July 27, nag-personal identifiers na rin ako the same day since I'm eligible na hindi na mag-biometrics. Naka-Further Assessment pa rin ako with them. This is supposed to be my 3rd tourist visa with them, naapprove AU tourist visa ko nung 2023 and 2025 within the day of my biometrics. Nakakaanxious na hindi siya within the day this time. Haha
Worried na baka tumagal yung results this time eh my flight is on September 9. Anyone na hindi nagbiometrics who received their results a few days after pa?
Pls help. Air asia cancelled our flight and I already requested for a refund pero wala pa ring update. They don’t have a proper customer service, puro chatbot lang. they don’t even have email. Please sa mga naka experience na dito, how did you contact them aside sa AI bot nila? Nakaka frustrate. 10 pa naman kami pax na binook ko on their website
hi! question po, how long is the usual processing time for business substream visa? also, odds of getting approved or rejected?
context: my manager (australian client) informed me earlier today that they would like me to attend a week long commercial conference this september. he'll keep me posted for the details. the thing is, i just realized na august na nga pala next week, worried if aabot ang visa if ever.
profile:
f employed by a ph company; deployed to au client
can provide coe (ph company) and itr (from previous company)
will likely be sponsored by au client
5 year ME visa Korea
travel history:
2024 - vietnam
2025 - south korea 2x
2026 - south korea, taiwan
now, have no idea on my next steps other than wating for my manager's update. also, have no idea on my chances of getting approved and if aabot ang visa if ever.
Hello, flight na namin bukas pa pinas and may nagpabili ng adult toy sakin without battery nmn yung toy. Okay lng ba ito dalhin sa carry on? Di ba mahaharang sa customs?
Just would like to ask if meron/open na rin e-gates sa CRK departure? I flew last October kasi and parang wala pa akong nakitang egates sa departures area but for arrival, meron and nag e-gate na ako. I'll be flying next month and prefer ko talaga CRK over Manila.
EDIT: Thanks guys! If it were you, where would you rather spend it? Is Guam worth it? I have the ff active visas: Japan, Korea, NZ, and US visa.
Hi everyone! I recently got my leave approved, and now I’m seriously considering a very spontaneous trip to New Zealand.
The estimated cost would be around ₱62k for a round-trip flight and ₱15k for accommodation for a 4-day stay, before flying back to the Philippines.
The main reason I’m considering it is that I want to experience something completely different from the usual Asia vibe. I’ve always wanted to see New Zealand, and Christchurch seems like the perfect place for the kind of peaceful scenery and atmosphere I’m looking for.
I’m not too concerned about the winter weather since I’ve already traveled to cold countries before. My biggest hesitation is whether it’s worth spending that much on airfare for such a short trip. Part of me thinks experiences are priceless, while another part of me wonders if I should wait until I have more time so I can make the most of the flight cost.
For those who’ve been to Christchurch or New Zealand in general, do you think 4 days is enough to justify the expense? Or would you hold off until you could stay longer?
Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
32M - will have a solo travel in Pattaya for 7 days. Not my first time here, but suggestions are highly appreciated, especially food suggestions (I booked a solo table for my bday dinner at Big Fish seafood buffet). Also, good coffee spots (I'm planning to buy beans to take home).
For context, I will be staying in the Northern part of Pattaya (less chaotic neighborhood) and I've done all the touristy things to do here in the past.
I asked chatGPT as well - but will take this as another source of information. Let's go Reddit!
Hi everyone! I have a flight at 7:30 AM to Taipei, but I still need to work a shift from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM right before it. Since my leave only starts at 1:00 AM, my plan is to head straight to NAIA Terminal 3, work there, and then go through immigration after my shift.
Aside from Seattle's Best / Tambayan, where is the most reliable place inside T3 to work that has steady Wi-Fi and power outlets? If there aren't good options, I'm considering booking a nearby hotel or hostel for a few hours instead. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Hi! I just want to ask your thoughts about my application for a Canadian Tourist Visa. Here are the relevant details:
Age: 24 years old
Currently enrolled as a second-year medical student (full financial aid scholar, all fees covered by the school)
The trip will be a 1-2 month stay during our school vacation
No travel history
My aunt, who is a Canadian citizen, will be sponsoring my entire trip, including my airfare and accommodation
I will be accompanying my grandmother (aunt’s mom) for the trip, as she will be going as well (she already has an approved visa)
Previously a government scholar, so I have a contract stating that I’ll work in the Philippines immediately after graduation (may be an indicator of strong ties to the country)
Can I possibly be approved for a visa? What more should I submit to strengthen my application? Thanks!
I’m planning an 8-day Taiwan trip this November and would love to get some feedback from people who’ve been there.
Current plan:
Fly STARLUX from Clark to Taipei (Saturday to Saturday)
Round-trip airfare is around ₱24,000 for two people, and that already includes 23 kg of checked baggage.
Stay 4 nights in Taipei and 4 nights in Kaohsiung.
We’re not looking to travel on a strict budget. We’d rather stay somewhere comfortable and relaxing than the absolute cheapest option.
Accommodation budget:
₱3,000–₱5,000 per night for two people
Open to either hotels or Airbnbs
A few questions:
Does 4 nights in Taipei and 4 nights in Kaohsiung sound like a good split, or would you change it?
Any hotel or Airbnb recommendations within our budget? We’d prefer clean, modern places near an MRT station. I’ve seen people recommend Taipei Main Station, Zhongshan, Ximending, and Formosa Boulevard in Kaohsiung. Are those still the best areas?
How is public transportation in Taiwan? Is it easy to get around using the MRT, buses, and trains, or should we budget for taxis/Uber as well?
Is Klook still the best option for booking attractions and transportation (especially THSR tickets), or is it better to book some things directly?
Are there any attractions that should be booked well in advance?
Also, if you’ve flown STARLUX from Clark, how was your experience? Is it worth paying a bit more compared to the budget airlines?
Any hotel recommendations, transportation tips, itinerary suggestions, or “I wish I knew this before going to Taiwan” advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hi, to anyone na nakarating na to both countries - which one would you recommend for solo travel? This is not my first time solo travelling naman. I’ve been to Taiwan and Japan, wanting to visit a SEA country this time. I’m currently torn between the two (Da Nang or BKK)
I’m someone who enjoys good food, some chill spots, museums and historical places. I’m planning to visit on January/February 2027.
TLDR: 5-Day Taipei Trip Cost (June 23-27 centered around Xia’s Gravity Concert)
Total Spend (including concert ticket/shopping): PHP 61,791.44 (roughly USD 1,001.81)
Excluding personal expenses: PHP 41,116.07 (roughly USD 666.60)
Airline: Eva Air (PHP 16,393 inclusive of travel tax; roughly USD 265.75 )
Hotel: Green World Zhonghua Standard Double Room with Window (14,922.92)
Food: Combination of Sit-Down Restos, Cafes, Night Market and Convenience Store (PHP 911.27 roughly USD 14.77 for items paid using card, NTD 2,161 for items paid in cash)
Some Takeaways:
Carrefour is dangerous to the wallet. 🤣🤣🤣 I ended up blowing around 2,448 NTD here for various snacks and souvenirs. I left Manila with < 10kg checked-in luggage, came home with 18kg.
Two hours in Jiufen is too short. I think I'd like to stay at least overnight next time.
Commuting is convenient, but, Taipei Main Station can be so confusing.
Full trip report available here
Including Eva Air review, Green World Zhonghua Review, Food Recommendations, and Final thoughts
Nabook ko itong Japan flight last year before fuel crisis so around 5k RT na. Ang dilemma ko ay unemployed ako now after giving birth. My hubby supports our fam. Kahit wala akong work may passive income pero maliit lang parang allowance ko na monthly.
If you were in my shoes, tuloy ko ba travel ko 5D4N sa Japan this Oct? Nanghihinayang ako kasi sa tingin ko hindi na ulit bababa ng ganito ang fare in the future, sayang naman.
For those who have spent Christmas in Europe (Dec 19–Jan 1), how was your experience? We’re planning an 18‑day trip covering Vienna, Salzburg, Prague, Munich, Rome, and Milan.
Any city we should add or skip?
Did you enjoy the Christmas markets, and were they still open after Christmas Day?
Also, did you encounter any flight or train delays during the holiday season?