The Most Important Travel

Documents for your Trip

If you thought that passengers traveling with the incorrect documentation was a minor
issue for the world’s carriers, think again. The 60,000 travelers turned back at
destination or transfer points by immigration authorities each year cause stressful and
frustrating situations for travelers. They also cost the world’s airlines a substantial
amount of money in fines and associated costs

Whether it is rules implemented at a short notice or papers presented in the wrong

format or language, passengers and airlines can struggle to keep up with ever changing
requirements. This is why it’s more important than ever to be well prepared for your trip
and to make sure that you have the correct travel documents, especially when traveling
internationally.

What Documents Do you Need when Traveling to Another Country?

 
The travel and health documents required for your trip can vary based on your itinerary
and personal situation. This is why it is important to prepare in advance and use tools
such as the IATA Travel Centre to get personalized travel advice. The IATA immigration
specialists consistently update this information, but rules and regulations change on a
daily basis. Nonetheless, you can be certain that these documents will be useful for any
trip:

Passport, Travel Visa and National ID Card

Proper identification is the foundation of international travel. As a result, you should

ensure to always have an official identification document with you. You can even
consider having multiple documents such as your passport, national ID card or driver’s
licence. If you don’t feel comfortable bringing several documents, you can consider
bringing copies. These can be especially useful if you lose your passport and must take
steps to prove your citizenship at your country’s ambassy or consulate.

When traveling abroad, it is also essential to have a valid passport. Many travelers don’t
realize that most countries apply rules in regard to the passport expiration date. For
most countries, visitors must have a valid passport for six-months after they plan to
arrive at their destination, however this period can vary. Either way, if you are planning
a trip abroad, always make sure to check the passport validity requirements and the
expiry date of your passport. This will help avoid unfortunate issues at the airport or at
immigration at your destination country.
Health Travel Documents

Health travel documents are not new to international travel. Certain countries have long
lasting entry requirements such as yellow fever vaccination certificates, however this
was limited to specific countries whereas the COVID-19 travel document entry
requirements have been enforced by the majority of countries around the world.
Currently, we are seeing a reduction in COVID-19 travel restrictions, however it's still
important to check the latest rules before your departure as some might be
implemented at a short notice.

IATA has put in place several solutions such as the IATA Travel Centre to help travelers
and IATA Timatic Widget to help businesses navigate this ever changing environment.
The common platform (database) used to verify the latest COVID-19 travel document
requirements is IATA Timatic. Timatic is powered by human-validated data, meaning a
team of immigration specialists checks each update manually with IATA’s Sourcing
Network of official sources to make sure the information is correct. An update is only
done once one of the 2,000 government or airline officials from the respective country
confirms the change. The team also verifies conflicting reports and make updates only
when they’re 100% sure they’re accurate.

Travel Itinerary Details

Flight ticket details, accommodation reservations, car rental confirmation, all are
important for your trip. Keeping up with all your reservations can be difficult and having
copies of your itinerary and reservations with you can make your trip go much
smoother. It can help sort out any issues during check-in at the airport or hotel and it’s a
simple way of helping you keep track of your travel plans. You can have these as
printed copies or use one of the several Travel Planner apps or tools that you can find
online. You can even set yourself a reminder to do your check-in or to book a taxi to the
airport in advance.

Medical and Travel Insurance Proof

Unforeseen situations can occur and they can be especially stressful when you are
abroad. That is why travel insurance is important. Travel insurance can be summed up
in two main categories:

1. Insurance for medical expenses and

2. Insurance for trip cancelations.

 
It is important to have a copy of your travel insurance certificate with you. Insurance
companies often provide a printer-friendly card or summary that includes emergency
contact details which you should always have with you or you can use their mobile app
so that you have all the required information at your fingertips. It is also recommended
to contact your insurance provider to verify what exactly is covered under your
insurance plan.

Other Documents

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic several countries have introduced passenger
locator forms which must be presented at check-in or at immigration. After filling the
form, travelers are often provided with a QR code or a reference number. Other
documents could also be required, that is why it is always important to check what is
required for your trip when planning your holiday and ideally verifying the requirements
once again closer to your departure date as entry rules and regulations change on a
daily basis.

Guidelines for Travel to the Philippines (Non-

OFWs and Foreign Nationals)
Update: Effective 1 April 2022, fully vaccinated passport holders from non-visa required
countries, HK and Macau SAR passport holders (for stay period not exceeding 14 days),
diplomatic and official/service passports with existing visa waiver agreements, and
foreign nationals with valid visas shall be allowed entry into the Philippines provided
they:

(1) Are holders of passports valid for at least six (6) months at the time of arrival;
(2) Have a return or outbound ticket to their country of origin or next country of destination;
(3) Have any of the following proofs of vaccination against COVID-19 recognized under existing
IATF regulations: (i) World Health Organization International Certificates of Vaccination and
Prophylaxis; (ii) VaxCertPH; or (iii) National/state digital certificate of the foreign government
which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement (unless otherwise permitted by
the IATF); and
(4) Update: Foreign nationals aged 18 and above who have received primary series COVID-19
vaccine and at least one (1) COVID-19 booster shot, foreign nationals aged 12 to 17 who are
fully vaccinated with primary series COVID-19 vaccine; and foreign nationals below 12 years
old, regardless of vaccination status, accompanied by parent/guardian who have received a
complete primary series and one booster shot NO LONGER need to present a pre-departure
RT-PCR/ART test. Those who do not belong to any of the mentioned categories shall present a
negative Reverse Transcription – Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test taken within forty-
eight hours (48hrs) or laboratory-administered antigen/ART test taken 24 hours prior to
departure from the country of origin
(5) Have obtained, prior to arrival, travel insurance for COVID-19 treatment costs from a
reputable insurance company, with a minimum coverage of USD35,000, for the duration of their
stay in the Philippines.
(5) Have filled out the OneHealthPass Health Declaration Form.

Prior to Departure

1. Three days before departure, register through Bureau of

Quarantine’s OneHealthPass (OHP) Online Registration Platform. Save your
transaction number. The transaction number will also be sent through your
registered e-mail address. 
 Save your transaction number (This is also sent to your e-mail address)
 For travellers who do not have an address in the Philippines, you may put
your company address or the address you will stay in after your
quarantine period in the “permanent residence” field 
 Every traveller, including children, should each have an OHP Registration.
2. Travellers with NO BOOSTER shot must secure and present a negative pre-
departure RT-PCR test taken within 48h OR negative laboratory-administered
antigen/ART test within 24h from their travel from an MOH-approved
provider. Foreign nationals with NO Booster shot who test positive on their pre-
departure RT-PCR or ART (whether fully-recovered or as new infection) WILL
NOT be allowed entry into the Philippines under current regulations.
3. On the day of your departure, update your OneHealthPass/OHP registration (seat
number, health declaration, RT-PCR test results and other details). Input your
transaction number and last name. Save or print the QR code generated. The OHP
QR Code will also be sent through your registered e-mail address.
4. Be ready with a print-out of your digital vaccination certificate from notarise.gov.sg,
with QR Code) and OneHealthPass QR Code.
 While Inflight: Fill out the Arrival Card and Customs Declaration Form provided by the flight
attendant.

Upon Arrival

1. Proceed to the One-Stop-Shop Holding Area for a briefing on health and safety
protocols.
2. Present your OHP QR Code at the DOT Help Desk.
3. Proceed to the Bureau of Immigration for arrival clearance then to baggage claim and
customs inspection.
4. Take the accredited or arrange transport service (airport taxi for non-OFWs and
foreigners).
5.  
SELF-MONITOR FOR 7 DAYS
Fully vaccinated travelers NO LONGER need to quarantine, but will be required to self-monitor for any
COVID-19 signs and symptoms for 7 days.
Any sign or symptom must be reported to the local government unit of destination.

Once admitted into the country, fully vaccinated foreign nationals are no longer required to
observe mandatory facility quarantine but shall self-monitor for any COVID-19 signs and
symptoms for seven (7) days, with Day 1 as the date of arrival in the Philippines. They are
required to report to the local government unit (LGU) of their destination should they manifest
any symptoms.

Those who fail to fully comply with the conditions set forth shall be denied admission and shall
be subject to appropriate exclusion proceedings.