April 27, 2015

From the Department of Social Welfare and Development

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reiterates to parents and guardians
to secure travel clearances for their children, 17 years old and below, who will be traveling
abroad without them.

Secretary of Social Welfare Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that the travel clearance aims to
prevent child trafficking and other forms of abuse that a minor might encounter while traveling
abroad.

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.

The travel clearance shall be issued by the DSWD to a Filipino minor traveling to a foreign
country unaccompanied by his/her parents and to an illegitimate child traveling with his/her
father. Personal appearance of the minor is not necessary.

The requirements needed to obtain a travel clearance for minors traveling abroad are:

 Duly accomplished application form;

 Photocopy of National Statistics Office (NSO)-issued birth certificate of minor;
 Written consent of both parents/solo parent/legal guardian permitting the minor to travel
to a foreign country alone or with a specific companion; and,
 Two pieces colored passport size photo of the minor taken within the last six months.

For minors under the care of their parents, they should present a photocopy of NSO-issued
marriage certificate of their parents.

For minors under the care of legal guardians, they should present a photocopy of the certificate
of legal guardianship of the minor.

For minors under the care of a solo parent, they should present either a photocopy of the solo
parent identification card from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, or a
photocopy of solo parent certification from the Local Social Welfare and Development Office.

For minors with a deceased parent, they should present a photocopy of the parent’s death
certificate.

For illegitimate minors, they should present a certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR) from
NSO. If they are traveling abroad accompanied by their biological father, they are still required
to secure a travel clearance certificate as parental authority is vested only to the mother of the
child, per Article 176 of the Family Code of the Philippines.
If the minor is traveling with a person other than the parents or legal guardian, a photocopy of
the passport of the traveling companion should be presented.

The application for travel clearance together with the required supporting documents shall be
submitted by the parent/s or legal guardian or a duly authorized representative to the nearest
DSWD regional office. The application forms may also be downloaded from the DSWD website
(www.dswd.gov.ph).

The travel clearance is approved and issued within 24 hours as long as supporting documents are
complied with and the social worker’s assessment is completed.

As of December 2014, DSWD has issued 40,282 travel clearances to minors traveling abroad.
DSWD-Field Office in NCR issued the most number of clearances, amounting to 10,405.