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| A notarized affidavit of support can help prevent offloading at Philippine airports |
If you have family members whom you wish to sponsor for their travel to Hong Kong (or elsewhere abroad), make sure you secure an affidavit of support and guarantee from the Philippine Consulate General (PCG).
This was the advice given recently by Vice Consul Angelo Manuel when he spoke about the services provided by the notarial section of the Consulate which he heads.
Manuel said that in about 90% of the cases of offloading of sponsored travelers at Philippine airports, what was lacking was an affidavit of support from the person sponsoring the trip.
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Conversely, he said there has not been a single incident of offloading that occurred when a sponsorship letter notarized at the Consulate had been obtained for the traveler.
Offloading of passengers is a device used by Philippine immigration authorities to stop or minimize the problem of human trafficking. Often, it is caused by insufficient or missing documentation, or by the failure by the traveler to satisfactorily explain why they are flying out of the country.
Offloading of passengers at Philippine airports has become so prevalent that it has raised concerns among the public and lawmakers, especially as only a small percentage of those who were stopped from boarding their flights were linked to trafficking.
In the latest full statistics provided by Immigration in 2023, more than 36,000 Filipinos were denied boarding at international airports. In the first half of 2024, there were 16,217 cases recorded. In 2022, it was found out that only about 1.5% of the 32,404 offloaded passengers were tied to trafficking.
To obtain an affidavit of support, the applicant must either appear personally at the Consulate or apply for the document online. The applicant must produce the originally signed affidavit and one photocopy; original and two photocopies of passport and HK ID.
The notarial fee is HK$200 for regular mailing and HK$280 for express mailing.
For full details, consult the PCG website: https://hongkongpcg.dfa.gov.ph/
Philippine Immigration has recently issued an advisory to outbound passengers to avoid offloading. For those on sponsored trips, they must have an affidavit of support and guarantee from the sponsor at the country of destination, duly authenticated at the Philippine Consulate in the country of destination.
The traveler must know the contents of the affidavit, including the name and contact details of the person, organization or company that issued the invitation or is sponsoring the trip, as he or she will be interviewed by immigration officers on the details of the document presented.
Immigration says the affidavit of support does not fully guarantee a hassle-free exit from the Philippines, but it strengthens the traveler’s claim to legitimate travel.
For those travelling as tourists, they must show proof that they are financially capable of completing their travel, including cash on hand, credit card, etc. In addition, they must have a return ticket and a valid passport with at least six months’ validity.
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