A travel clearance is a document issued by the DSWD to a Filipino child (below 18 years of age) traveling abroad alone or with someone other than his/her parents.

WHO NEEDS A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

• 13 year old but below 18 year old minor travelling alone to a foreign country;
• A minor traveling to a foreign country accompanied by a person other than his or her parents; and
• An illegitimate child travelling to a foreign country accompanied by a person other than the mother.

WHO DOES NOT NEED TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

• A minor traveling to a foreign country with either parent or with his or her solo parent or legal guardian;
• A minor traveling abroad whose parents are in the Foreign Service or living abroad or are immigrants, provided he/she is holding a valid pass such as a dependents visa/pass/identification card or permanent resident visa/pass/identification card which serves as proof that he/she is living with parents abroad and their travel does not constitute child trafficking.
• A minor with permanent residency card;
• A minor who is not a Filipino citizen and holds a foreign passport;
• An illegitimate child travelling abroad with his/her mother.

DOES A MARRIED MINOR REQUIRED TO SECURE A TRAVEL CLEARANCE

• A minor, regardless of civil status who is traveling alone or with other person/s is required to secure a travel clearance.

IS A MARRIED MINOR REQUIRED TO SECURE A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

• A minor, regardless of civil status, who is traveling abroad alone or with person/s other than his/her parent is required to secure a travel clearance.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS IN SECURING A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

A. For a minor traveling alone to a foreign country for the first time

1. Duly accomplished application form
2. Photocopy of the Birth Certificate OR PSA-issued Birth Certificate of the  minor
3. Notarized (notarized at the place of residence) affidavit of consent of both parents or the solo parent or the legal guardian, indicating the authorized travelling companion of the minor and his/her relationship to the minor, country of destination, length of stay, purpose of travel, and tentative dates of departure and arrival
4. As appropriate, a PSA-issued marriage certificate of the minor’s parents or a photocopy of the certificate of legal guardianship of the minor or in the case of solo parents, a PSA-issued Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) and a photocopy of the solo parent identification card from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office or a photocopy of a certification from the Local Social Welfare and Development Office of being a solo parent or Tallaq or Faskh certification from the Shariah court or any Muslim Barangay or religious leader or in the case of an illegitimate minor, a certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR)* from the National Statistics Office (NSO) or in the case of a deceased parent, a photocopy of the death certificate
5. For abandoned minor with alleged missing parent, if parents are married, the following are required:
   1. Social Case Study Report executed by a licensed social worker of the local government unit;
   2. Blotter report from either the local police or barangay certification from the locality or the last known address of the alleged missing, and
   3. One (1) returned registered mail to the last known address of the alleged missing parent(s) or known relative(s).

*Issuance of CENOMAR will take 1-5 days for cases of uncommon
surnames and 1-15  days for common surnames.
* Issuing office of CENOMAR is the National Statistics Office not the Local Civil Registrar.

5.    Two colored passport size photos of the minor taken within the last six (6) months

B. For a minor traveling for the first time with a person other than the parents or legal guardian

1. Duly accomplished application form
2. A photocopy of the birth certificate of minor
3. An Affidavit of Consent of both parents or the solo parent or the legal guardian permitting the minor to travel to a foreign country with a specific person other than them, indicating the authorized travelling companion of the minor and his/her relationship to the minor, country of destination, length of stay, purpose of travel, and tentative dates of departure and arrival
4. As appropriate, a photocopy of the marriage certificate of the minor’s parents or a certificate of legal guardianship of the minor or in the case of solo parents, a solo parent identification card from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office or a certification from the Local Social Welfare and Development Office of being a solo parent or a court decree of separation, annulment or divorce, or Tallaq or Fasakh certification from the Shariah court or any muslim barangay or religious leader or in the case of an illegitimate minor, a certificate of no marriage  from the Philippine Statistics Office (formerly National Statistics Office or NSO) in the case of a deceased parent, a photocopy of the death certificate

* Issuance of CENOMAR will take 1-5 days for cases of
uncommon surnames and 1-15 days for common surnames

*Issuing office of CENOMAR is the National Statistics Office not the Local Civil
Registrar

5.    Two colored passport size photos of the minor taken within the last 6 months.
6.    Photocopy of the passport of the traveling companion

“The social worker may require additional documentary requirements during the assessment of the Travel Clearance application to make  sure that no child shall be trafficked and that the child’s best interest and welfare is ensured”

C. In case of illegitimate children who is traveling abroad accompanied by their biological father, they are still required to secure a travel clearance certificate as parental authority is vested only to the mother of the child, per Article 176 of the Family Code of the Philippines.

IS THERE A VALIDITY PERIOD FOR A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

A DSWD travel clearance is valid for a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance and shall be valid for multiple travels within the validity period, provided the conditions under which the travel clearance was issued have not changed. If a change in condition occurs like a change in traveling companion, a new travel clearance must be obtained.

HOW MUCH IS THE PROCESSING FEE FOR A TRAVEL CLEARANCE ISSUED TO A MINOR?

The DSWD shall collect a processing fee for each travel clearance issued to minors traveling abroad under the following options:

• Php 300.00 with validity of one (1) year.
• Php 600.00 with validity of two (2) years.

WHERE CAN ONE FILE THE APPLICATION?

The application for travel clearance, together with the supporting documents required shall be submitted/filed at the DSWD Regional Office that has jurisdiction over the minor’s residence.

Application forms maybe obtained from any DSWD-Regional Office or maybe downloaded from the website www.dswd.gov.ph. [click here to download application form in MS Word Format]

• On the appointed date, go to the DSWD Regional Office that has jurisdiction over the minor’s residence which processed your application, to submit the original copy of your supporting documents and pay PhP300.00 per travel clearance certificate. The travel clearance certificate will be obtained thereafter.

Other Frequently Asked Questions…

WHO ARE EXEMPTED FROM SECURING A TRAVEL CLEARANCE?

• A minor with permanent residency card
• A minor who holds a valid pass such as dependents visa/pass/identification or permanent resident visa/pass/identification card is no longer required to secure travel clearance from DSWD. A permanent residency card is a valid pass and a holder of such is exempted from securing a travel clearance.
• A minor born abroad but has no permanent residency card
• A minor who is not a Filipino citizen and holds a foreign passport is not required to secure a travel clearance.

WHO WOULD GIVE THE CONSENT FOR THE TRAVEL OF A TOTALLY ORPHANED MINOR WHO HAS NO APPOINTED LEGAL GUARDIAN?

Paternal/maternal grandparents who exercise parental authority over a minor whose parents are both deceased may issue the consent even without guardianship order from the Court. But in cases where both the paternal/maternal grandparents are deceased, relatives/acting guardians of the minor should work for their legal guardianship over the minor.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS HAVE MARITAL CONFLICT AND ARE ON HOLD ORDER?

A minor who is the subject of ongoing custody battle between parents will not be issued a travel clearance unless a Court Order is issued to allow the child to travel abroad with either one of his/her parents or authorized guardian. The family shall be responsible to notify the Bureau of Immigration to include the name of the child/ren in the watchlist of minors travelling abroad. It is therefore the Bureau of Immigration’s responsibility to ensure that no child under the watchlist order leaves the country.

CAN A TRAVEL CLEARANCE BE ISSUED TO ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN WHO ARE STILL APPLYING FOR THEIR VISA IN THE EMBASSY?

Illegitimate children are under the custody of the mother. If they will be traveling with the mother, they are not required to secure a travel clearance from the DSWD. If they are traveling with person other than the mother, they must secure a travel clearance.

IS A FAXED COPY OF THE PARENTAL CONSENT OF PARENTS RESIDING ABROAD ACCEPTABLE?

Faxed written consent is only applicable to parents whose place of work is not land-based e.g. seafarers, etc.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN ABANDONED BY THE MOTHER AND UNDER THE CUSTODY OF THE FATHER OR OTHER RELATIVES WHO WILL BE TRAVELING ALONE OR WITH THE FATHER OR OTHER RELATIVES?

Since the mother has the absolute parental authority over her illegitimate children the father would need to secure a Court Order vesting in him the parental authority over the illegitimate children. If a parental authority has been granted to the father, and the minor will be traveling with the father, he is not required to secure a travel clearance. If the minor will travel alone or with someone other than the father, he/she is required to secure a travel clearance.

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Fore more inquiries, kindly contact the nearest Field Office near you (see the Directory of the Field Offices below):

DSWD-National Capital Region
389 San Rafael Street, corner Legarda St.,
Sampaloc, Manila
Tel/Fax: (02)313-1435 loc 210,733-0010 to 14/488-3104

DSWD Field Office I
Quezon Avenue, San Fernando, La Union
Tel/Fax: (072) 888-2505/888-2184

DSWD-Field Office II
3 Dana Pagyaya, Regional Government Center
Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
Tel/Fax: (078)846-7532/846-7043

DSWD-Field Office III
Government Center, Maimpis,
San Fernando, Pampanga
Tel/Fax: (045)861-2413 (telefax)

DSWD Field Office IV-A (CALABARZON)
Alabang-Zapote Road, Muntinlupa City
Tel/Fax: (02) 387-2632 or 850-8380/807-1518

DSWD Field Office IV-B (MIMAROPA)
1680 F.T. Benitez corner Gen. Malvar Sts., Malate, Manila
Tel/Fax: (02) 336-8106 local 401/336-8106 local 103

DSWD Field Office V
Magnolia St. PBN Buraguis, Legaspi City
Tel/Fax: (052) 821-7920 or 480-5346/480-5754

DSWD Field Office VI
M.H. del Pilar Street, Molo, Iloilo City
Tel: (033) 300-0526/ 337-6221

DSWD Field Office VII
MJ Cuenco Avenue corner Gen. Maxilom Ave., Cebu City
Tel/Fax: (032) 233-8779 or through trunkline no. 412-9908

DSWD Field Office VIII
Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City
Tel/Fax: (053) 321-3090 or 321-1176/ 321-1007

DSWD Field Office IX
General Vicente Alvarez St., Zamboanga City
Tel/Fax: (062) 991-6030, 991-6056 (trunkline)/993-0652

DSWD Field Office X
Masterson Ave., Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City
Tel/Fax: (088) 858-88-92/858-89-59

DSWD Field Office XI
Suazo St., cor. Magsaysay Ave., Davao City
Tel/Fax: (082) 226-28-57/227-8746

DSWD Field Office XII
9506-Purok Bumanoag, Brgy. Zone 3, Koronadal City
Tel/Fax: (083) 520-0572 or 228-3180/228-8637

DSWD Field Office CARAGA
R. Palma St. Butuan City
Tel/Fax: (085) 346-0113/815-9173

DSWD Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
40 North Drive, Baguio City
Tel/Fax: (074) 444-3209 or 444-3262/442-7917