Mother And Son Not Allowed To Leave Philippines

[earthdome]

Well now all the new flights are booked, and there are no refunds with Nok air (connecting flight) and the refund policy of Air China will be interesting to test as well... all in all about 1'000 Euros spent on this lesson, as you can imagine I'm not very happy. I might be Swiss but I'm no money-sh&tting pig. 

 

Repeat after me...

 

The Philippines Expat forum is your friend.

 

In this case searching the forum or asking about international travel for a filipina on this forum could have saved you about 1,000 Euros.

[Jack Peterson]

Well now all the new flights are booked, and there are no refunds with Nok air (connecting flight) and the refund policy of Air China will be interesting to test as well... all in all about 1'000 Euros spent on this lesson, as you can imagine I'm not very happy. I might be Swiss but I'm no money-sh&tting pig. 

 

 

OH DEAR! No doubt my friend, you have confirmed with DFA that she and your Son have been given Clearance being issued with a passport is not the end of it, i am afraid to say, as i understand it, a First time Evacuee :)  needs an ECC. er from Immigration and that, is a whole lot different to the DFA.  I hope and Pray that you have covered this Base before you re re booked. the ECC is Good for 30 days I believe, that would have been Plenty of time to re book.

 

FTB I really do hope you have done this the right way Round?

 

 

JP :tiphat:

[afathertobe]

 

Well now all the new flights are booked, and there are no refunds with Nok air (connecting flight) and the refund policy of Air China will be interesting to test as well... all in all about 1'000 Euros spent on this lesson, as you can imagine I'm not very happy. I might be Swiss but I'm no money-sh&tting pig. 

 

Repeat after me...

 

The Philippines Expat forum is your friend.

 

In this case searching the forum or asking about international travel for a filipina on this forum could have saved you about 1,000 Euros.

 

 

True, true. But this was an unknown unknown, otherwise I would have asked. I simply couldn't imagine that a country would prevent its citizens from travelling abroad, and I'm certainly not new to Asia, having lived in and travelled the region for now 12 years. 

[afathertobe]

 

Well now all the new flights are booked, and there are no refunds with Nok air (connecting flight) and the refund policy of Air China will be interesting to test as well... all in all about 1'000 Euros spent on this lesson, as you can imagine I'm not very happy. I might be Swiss but I'm no money-sh&tting pig. 

 

 

OH DEAR! No doubt my friend, you have confirmed with DFA that she and your Son have been given Clearance being issued with a passport is not the end of it, i am afraid to say, as i understand it, a First time Evacuee :)  needs an ECC. er from Immigration and that, is a whole lot different to the DFA.  I hope and Pray that you have covered this Base before you re re booked. the ECC is Good for 30 days I believe, that would have been Plenty of time to re book.

 

FTB I really do hope you have done this the right way Round?

 

 

JP :tiphat:

 

 

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. They've both got passports, and have been told by the immigration officers at the interview that they could only leave in my company, on the same flight, hence my rebooking. Is there another thing we have to do?

[Jack Peterson]

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. They've both got passports, and have been told by the immigration officers at the interview that they could only leave in my company, on the same flight, hence my rebooking. Is there another thing we have to do?

 

 

When you all get to passport Control, the officer will ask, Your ECC MAM? FTB tell her to go to Immigration and check the ECC ( Exit Clearance Certificate) This to make sure she is not leaving debts and Arrest warrants behind.. any one here over 6 months has to have one and I am 99.9% certain she will need one as it is her first time out of the country, Please get her to check this, if she does need it and does not have it, she will be denied Exit.

 

A phone call to the BOI will confirm

 

Hope i am wrong but.............................

 

 

JP :tiphat:

[Dave Hounddriver]

True, some filipnas have to get an ECC before leaving.  But not all.  I know of many men who take their wives out of the country without getting them an ECC (I used to do it with my gf)  BUT I remember standing in line behind a filipina at BI in Cebu when she was crying because she was going to miss her flight and miss her grandmother's funeral because it was going to take 48 hours for her ECC to clear and she had not allowed that time.

 

How do you avoid all that?  This is Philippines, you plan for the worst and hope for the best and there is no avoiding the bureaucracy if someone decides they want to make your life miserable.  BUT, another but,  most of the officials could not be bothered to make your life miserable if you do your best have a good attitude, and treat them like they are holier than thou.

[Jack Peterson]

How do you avoid all that?  This is Philippines, you plan for the worst and hope for the best

 

 

 

 Well said Dave, this is what i was getting at, just a phone call and FTB ( well his lady) has the answer

Better to be aware and sure. cost of a Phone call versus another 1.000 Euro additional Cost 

 

No contest for me :no:

 

JP :tiphat:

[robert k]

That is some very interesting background information, thanks for that.

 

Well now all the new flights are booked, and there are no refunds with Nok air (connecting flight) and the refund policy of Air China will be interesting to test as well... all in all about 1'000 Euros spent on this lesson, as you can imagine I'm not very happy. I might be Swiss but I'm no money-sh&tting pig. 

There was a deeper meaning. The deeper meaning was that if you had searched threads relating to Filipinos traveling that you would have learned much in advance. I have never heard a story about a Filipino travelling where it was said, ""they never even looked at me"". That tells a story in itself.

[afathertobe]

 

That is some very interesting background information, thanks for that.

 

Well now all the new flights are booked, and there are no refunds with Nok air (connecting flight) and the refund policy of Air China will be interesting to test as well... all in all about 1'000 Euros spent on this lesson, as you can imagine I'm not very happy. I might be Swiss but I'm no money-sh&tting pig. 

There was a deeper meaning. The deeper meaning was that if you had searched threads relating to Filipinos traveling that you would have learned much in advance. I have never heard a story about a Filipino travelling where it was said, ""they never even looked at me"". That tells a story in itself.

 

 

See above. You can't always know what you don't know. And since this isn't even an issue anywhere else in SEA I simply didn't expect anything like it. Even my Chinese colleagues seem to have an easier time travelling abroad. 

[Thomas]

How do you avoid all that?  This is Philippines, you plan for the worst and hope for the best

 

 

 

 Well said Dave, this is what i was getting at, just a phone call and FTB ( well his lady) has the answer

Better to be aware and sure. cost of a Phone call versus another 1.000 Euro additional Cost 

Yes, IF being lucky finding one who KNOWS  :)

Not uncommon to get DIFFERENT answers from different people working in such places...    :unsure:    Some don't want to show they don't know and just tell "anything"...  :bash: