TRAVEL CLEARANCE. A social worker interviews a boy and his parent applying for a travel clearance for the minor's travel abroad in this undated photo. Department of Social Welfare and Development 7 (Central Visayas) Director Shalaine Marie Lucero on Friday (Jan. 20, 2023) advised parents or guardians to apply for travel clearance for their children a month before the scheduled trip to avoid inconvenience. (Photo courtesy of DSWD-7)
CEBU CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DWSD) office in Central Visayas on Friday advised parents and guardians to secure travel clearance for minors who are going abroad, at least a month before the travel date.
Shalaine Marie Lucero, DSWD 7 (Central Visayas) director, made the call after several circumstances where parents and guardians file applications for travel clearance too late, usually a day or two before the actual date of the travel.
Lucero said to avoid inconvenience when the agency requires other documentary requisites, it is still best to secure the clearance way ahead of the scheduled travel.
“The travel clearance is approved and issued within 24 hours as long as the supporting documents are complete and in order with the social worker’s assessment. However, we encourage the parents or guardians to process their application ahead of time and not a day before the actual date of their travel to avoid inconveniences,” Lucero said in an interview.
A travel clearance is a document issued by the DSWD to a Filipino minor who is traveling to a foreign country unaccompanied by his or her parents or to an illegitimate child traveling with his or her father.
The issuance of a travel clearance is specified under the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act and the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.
According to her, under special circumstances, the issuing officer of the DSWD would require applicants to submit additional requirements, especially for minors migrating to another country who needs a VISA petition approval.
She said a minor who will attend conferences, study tours, competitions, student exchange programs, summer camps, pilgrimages, World Youth Day, and other related activities needs certification from a sponsoring organization.
Those minors whose parents are seafarers need a certification from the manning agency, attesting to the parent’s employment and a photocopy of the seaman’s book, she said.
For an abandoned minor with an alleged missing parent and if the parents are married, the applicant needs to accomplish a social case study report executed by a licensed social worker of the local government unit, a blotter report from either the local police or barangay certification from the locality or the last known address of the alleged missing, and returned registered mail to the last known address of the alleged missing parents or known relatives.
Every travel clearance can be obtained after payment of PHP300 per minor with validity for one year and PHP600 for two years. (PNA)
