The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded all international travelers to register in the one-stop electronic travel declaration system (eTravel) when arriving or departing from the country’s ports of entry and exit.
“We have sent reminders to airline companies to remind passengers to register on the eTravel platform prior to arrival or departure from the country,” shared BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.
Tansingco emphasized that all arriving and departing passengers must register in the eTravel system as it is required for the immigration formalities conducted by BI officers at international airports and seaports.
These passengers required to register in the eTravel are arriving and departing Filipino and foreign crew members and passengers.
Passengers exempted from registering include foreign diplomats and their dependents, foreign dignitaries and delegation members, holders of 9(e) diplomatic visas, and holders of diplomatic and official/service passports.
Tansingco mentioned the BI plans to purchase eTravel kiosks to enable on-the-spot registration for those without smartphones or internet access.
Several government agencies and stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry, including the BI, Department of Information and Communication Technology, and Department of Tourism, launched eTravel a few months ago as a joint project. Through eTravel, international passengers are no longer required to fill out arrival and departure cards by the BI before being cleared by immigration officers. All data needs are now harmonized into one joint platform, reducing paper-based requirements.
eTravel registration is available through the eGov PH App or the government website at https://etravel.gov.ph.
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