Travelling to RP on an RP passport, which is about to expire, and returning to Spain

[johncar54]

My wife has a Filipino Passport and has permanent resident status in Spain.

Her passport expires mid Feb. She intends travelling to RP in Jan and renewing it there. I don't suppose there is any problem with this but can someone who has done similar please confirm.


In addition, She has been told that when she renews her passport, she will need to attend the seminar at CFO and get an exit stamp again. Anyone know about this first hand please.


Thanks John and Elaine

[sars_notd_virus]

hello johncar this link should help your missus http://epassport.com.ph/info/requirements/for/renewal

and about the CFO thing i remembered your justifiable answers on my thread which is ''just lie to them and tell them to mind their own business coz its against human rights''( tell them u dont know the truth as what is indicated on ur reply on my thread) http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....%29?highlight=

[johncar54]

and about the CFO thing i remembered your justifiable answers on my thread which is ''just lie to them and tell them to mind their own business ....................... ]

Sorry Sars, but don't understand how that comment is in any way an answer to the question I put. Maybe it me who is being obtuse.

In case anyone else finds my question confusing it was:-
My wife has a Filipino Passport and has permanent resident status in Spain.

Her passport expires mid Feb. She intends travelling to RP in Jan and renewing it there. I don't suppose there is any problem with this but can someone who has done similar please confirm.


In addition, She has been told that when she renews her passport, she will need to attend the seminar at CFO and get an exit stamp again. Anyone know about this first hand please.


Thanks John and Elaine

[somebody]

Dont have a scooby about the CFO part. But the Wifes Mum has mentioned people she knows in Italy (with i understand Italy resident stasus gained during amnesties) travelling back with less than six months on the passport. Which didn't seem to phase the Passport control at the Airport in Manila as they are Phill by Birth.
I dont know if they had prolonged conversations or a bit of waiting but they seemed to have returned and had no major issues.

[rani]

what i experienced in the validity of the passport is when me and my kids were scheduled to travel to singapore last year... i didnt check until when was the validity of their passport, we arrived at the airport very early in the morning just to found out that my kids cant travel with me coz their passport will be expired in two months time... the airline personnel (at the counter) said that the passport should be valid for at least 6 months... i was asking for consideration since its just an asian tour, but they said that if the singapore immigration wont allow my kids to enter the country then the airline will have to pay some huge amount as penalty... that's why they wont take the risk.

i think you also should check on the airlineabout the passport validity because they also wont allow you to check in if the passport has any problem.

hope this helps... good luck

[Terpe]

Johncar54
I would say yes BUT, different country, different rules. She will be allowed to enter the Philippines as she is a citizen but will she be allowed to leave? Check the carriers’ information helpline. It’s the check in staff who decide on behalf on the airline. Normally Philippines Airlines is OK

From my own experience (3 years ago) if you are a Filipino, then generally there is no problem going back to the Philippines as long as your passport has not expired on the day of your trip back home. If you are not a Filipino citizen, then you need to have at least six months till the date of the expiration of your passport in order for you to travel.
Be aware though in the Philippines, this 6 month validity rule MAY be strictly enforced if you are pregnant.

It really depends on the ‘normal renewal’ in the Philippines.

As always, it can be grey area.
Generally, depends and as I understand is always a grey area.

The safest thing to do is to renew the passport ASAP
If that is a problem (for whatever reason) check with the Phil Embassy and the carrier.

I have personally witnessed (and been part of) some very odd practices at Philippine Immigration. But never at check-in.

Just my two Euro’s worth

Terpe

[rusty]

I don't think there should be a problem when she returns to the Philippines.

When my wife visited home earlier this year, she got a new passport in her married name. When she left she had her new and old passport that had her visa and CFO stickers and had no problems.

[somebody]

THe biggest Issue I guess might be with any transit country

[johncar54]

Thanks guys. Any more first hand advice will be greatly appreciated

[johncar54]

I sent a couple of email enquiries to the RF Consulate in Madrid, without getting a reply. I then sent the same enquiry to RF consulate in London. The reply is copied below.

We were hoping to avoid having to travel 700 mile round trip to Madrid to renew the passport, over night stay etc.

Any comments please, from anyone who has been in this situation, will be appreciated,

Reply from RF Consulate London:-

Sir

1. Airlines observe a 6 month passport validity rule for international travel

2. Your wife will therefore have to apply for a new passport or have the validity of her current passport extended. She should contact the Philippine Embassy in Madrid regarding either of these services

thank you
Philippine Embassy, London

[aposhark]

Hi John,

My first thoughts were echoed by the reply from Philippine Embassy, London.

Best to be safe than sorry, you don't want any nasty surprises at the airport when she leaves to go back to Phils.

[johncar54]

Since my last post I called Crystal Travel, they said the 6 month rule would not apply as she is going to her country of nationality.

Like most things in life, the simplest things get complicated.

My natural reaction is that if one is of a certain nationality one should not need a passport to enter ones own country. I.e. if I go to UK, I am British therefore that's all they need to be satisfied about.

Aposhark.
Thanks.

The problem is we are 700 miles round trip from Madrid and we need to make the renewal in person. Then we must wait at least a month and a half for the new passport to arrive from Manila, then it must be collected personally or collected by courier service.

[aposhark]

John, have you contacted the airline who she is travelling with also? Just to be safe

[RickyR]

We have Filipino crew who have returned to the Philippines on a passport with less then 6 months prior to expiration, when returning to the home country there is no problem, and it would be a ridiculous request of an airline to require something more. Remember people travel back to the UK on temporary passports.

[johncar54]

Ricky that is my point too. One can also get a temporary travel permit (piece of paper) from RP consulate which is valid for travel.

However, that logic is blown away by the reply I got from RP consulate UK.


I have just sent another email to RP consulate London (copied to Madrid) raising the point about temporary travel documents. I will post the reply.

copied

1. Airlines observe a 6 month passport validity rule for international travel

2. Your wife will therefore have to apply for a new passport or have the validity of her current passport extended. She should contact the Philippine Embassy in Madrid regarding either of these services

thank you
Philippine Embassy, London

Aposhark. We have not booked yet, as its catch 22. Should we make a firm booking without knowing that she will be able travel.

I have emailed a couple of the airlines which we might book with but so far they have not replied.

[Terpe]

Johncar54
Please review my previous post.
Contact the carrier and get reply and assurances in writing, as they (as only they!!!) will decide, regardless of Embassy advice or legality.
Be advised your wife is legally allowed to travel to Philippines…..but if the carrier refuses at check-in (even the check-in staff do not fully accept or understand) there’s nothing you can do!!

It seems you have time to do it
In my judgement it’s better to bite the bullet and be 100% safe.
How long will your wife be in Philippines?? What will happen if unforeseen events dictate that renewal cannot be made in time? (for whatever reason)
I’m sure you know by now there are many possibilities for unforeseen events in RP
Ultimately it’s your call.
Legally, …should be… usually etc etc is just not enough for this.
Please do the right thing
I do understand your situation

Terpe

[johncar54]

Thanks for suggestions.

Renewing before my wife goes will cost at least £300, with travelling 1,000 kms and overnight stay etc., thus unless it is imperative not the obvious choice.

I now have an email from The RP embassy in Madrid that the B.I. (Bureau of Immigration) will allow any Filipino national into the country even if they do not have a passport. Thus no problem on arrival.

I have now asked the RP embassy in Madrid to send us a letter to the effect that entry will be no problem. Whether they will commit themselves to paper waits to be seen.

In the, meanwhile, I am sure there must be Filipino nationals who have travelled to RP with less than 6 months validity on their passports.

I should be most grateful to hear from you if you have done so.

Thanks

[xebec]

Certainly we found that we couldnt check in online with Cathay Pacific in June this year with Daisy's passport expiring at the end of August. They were looking for 6 months passport validity.

Fortunately we did this 48 hours before the flight and living in London were able to make 2 trips to the Philippines embassy to obtain an emergency passport extension before we travelled.

We then managed to travel and the only time the extension was commented on was leaving the Philippines.

I assume that had we turned up at LHR with the original passport we would have been refused travel

[johncar54]

Thanks for that.


Info re others experience appreciated please.

[johncar54]

I have now booked the flight from Spain to ROP for my wife with Emirate Air, who have sent me a confirmation email that a Filipino citizen can travel to ROP without them having a passport with 6 month validity.

My wife will renew her PP when in Manila (fingers crossed ! ) and we will inform the airline of the new PP number, for the return flight to Spain..

I have spoken to a friend who had the same experience flying from Malaysia to UK, no problems. (He was not though allowed to fly directly to Spain as he had wished, thus he renewed his PP in UK and then came on here).

The ROP embassy also confirmed that they have no problems with a Filipino traveling to ROP (entering country) on a passport with even one-day's validity.

From a practical view. If one losses their passport when they are visiting another country, they can return to their home country with an emergency travel document, which is of course valid for just one day.

Incidentally. I have not received a written reply (even an email) from the ROP embassy in Spain, but then, with all due respect to Filipinos, I was not holding my breath !!!!