Why do minors traveling solo abroad need a travel clearance?

If you are below 18 years old and are going abroad for a concert or holiday, you must first obtain a travel clearance in order to carry out your plans.

In a reminder issued on March 5, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) outlined the guidelines for securing a travel clearance for minors traveling abroad alone—without parents or legal guardians.

Travel clearance is a document issued by DSWD Field Offices or its attached agency, the National Authority on Child Care, to a minor traveling abroad unaccompanied by any of the people who have parental authority and legal custody over the child.

Its issuance aims to help prevent the exploitation of Filipino children who go abroad to study, compete, or visit relatives.

Under Republic Act 7610, a minor or child is defined as a person “below 18 years of age or one who is over 18 but is unable to fully take care of or protect himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of physical or mental disability or condition.”

DSWD said those who need to obtain a travel clearance are the following:

• Filipino minor who is travelling alone using the Philippine passport only for their travel outside the Philippines;

• Filipino minor travelling with prospective adoptive parent/s for inter-country adoption;

• Filipino minor travelling with a person other than his/her parent/s, legal guardian or person exercising parental authority/ legal custody over him/her;

• Filipino minor who is illegitimate and is travelling with his/her biological father;

• For married minors, the same requirement applies to that of unmarried minors travelling abroad.

However, DSWD said certain minors are exempted from securing a travel clearance.  They are those who are accompanied by the following:

• Either or both of the minor’s parents, if legitimate minor;

• The minor’s biological mother, if illegitimate minor;

• The minor’s father who has been granted sole parental authority or custody by the proper court, if the minor is illegitimate;

• The minor’s legal guardian;

• The person, including one of the minor’s parents, who was granted sole parental authority or legal custody by the proper court, in which case the court decision should specifically include a statement to this effect, i.e., naming the person to whom sole parental authority or legal custody over the minor has been granted;

• Minor’s adoptive parents if the minor is granted with adoption decree and certificate of finality.

DSWD said a minor who is an immigrant or a permanent resident abroad, with foreign passport, or whose parents are in the Foreign Service holding diplomatic/official passport such as Ambassador/ General Consul/Consul/Attaches, provided he/she is holding a valid passport such as dependent visa/identification card which served as proof that the travel does not constitute trafficking, is also exempted from securing a travel clearance.

How to secure a travel clearance

For first-time applicants, DSWD requires a completed application form, a birth certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority (original and photocopy), a marriage certificate of the parents (original and photocopy), a certificate of no marriage or CENOMAR for unmarried parents (original and photocopy), a CENOMAR from the Local Civil Registry for fictitious marriages, and a notarized affidavit of consent signed by both parents or the person exercising parental authority or legal custody over the minor. 

The application also requires valid ID of parents, a valid passport and visa, and a copy of the seafarer’s book, if parents are working abroad. 

Applicants must also submit two passport-sized pictures of the minor, a valid passport of the minor’s traveling companion if not a relative of the minor, and a notarized affidavit of support and certified true copy of any evidence to show the financial capability of the sponsor.

To renew a travel clearance, applicants must submit a completed application form, an original copy of the travel clearance, a signed affidavit of consent from both parents or guardian, valid ID of parents if they are working abroad, two passport-sized pictures of the minor, a valid passport of the minor’s traveling companion, a notarized affidavit of undertaking if the companion is not a relative of the minor, and a notarized affidavit or support and certified true copy of any evidence showing the financial capability of the sponsor. 

Processing time

The travel clearance certificate can be obtained in three working days after all required documentation is submitted and a processing fee of P300 (valid for one year) or P600 (valid for two years) per child is paid.

“In case of loss of the issued travel clearance, a new set of requirements should be submitted to the Field Office and will be issued a new travel clearance. This should not be taken as a renewal of travel clearance but a new application,” DSWD said.

The issuance of travel clearance for minors is specified under the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act and the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.

Any DSWD Field Office under the jurisdiction of the minor’s place of residence may process the clearance on-site.

The complete list of requirements may be accessed at www.dswd.gov.ph/travel-clearance-for-minors/.