This is a long overdue post about what I did in the Bureau of Immigrations after receiving my temporary travel clearance for graduate studies abroad (You can read about my previous post here).
So I already got my temporary DOST SEI clearance. DOST SEI then advised me to proceed to the Bureau of Immigrations (BI) to bring this clearance (which is technically a letter addressed to the BI commissioner allowing us to go).As you well know, the database that immigration officers in the airport use are all consolidated in this government agency, so this is the best place to ask whether or not you are in the watch list. Upon presenting your DOST SEI Clearance, theoretically your name will be lifted from the watch list.
I arrived at around 4 pm, barely reaching there because of the traffic along Taft Ave. There was not as much people as I anticipated, maybe because it was almost closing time. So here is the run down of the events as far as I can remember:
1. ENTER main door and say hello to "Manong Guard"
I entered the main door where the guards were checking your stuff and asking you about your transactions. I told them I was giving my DOST SEI clearance so the guard let me in and gave me a visitor's ID.
2. PROCEED to Information Desk just in front of main door
Because I already forgot where to go, I went to inquire at the Information Desk. They asked me to go to a Window 5 (Left Side when you enter the building)
3.SUBMIT your letter/clearance to the person in charge and wait until your name is called
After about 10-15 minutes my name was called and they gave me the letter again stamped
"No Derogatory Records"
4. FINISHED. That's it. I did not have to pay anything. The person said I was good to go and it would all depend upon the immigration officer whether or not he will look for the letter on the day of the flight itself. But for my case, they did not.
So it was that simple.
By the way, I forgot to tell you it did not end this way. I was actually puzzled about the "No Derogatory Records"stamp for a while now...What does this actually mean? Does this mean that I really dont have any records at all and there is no need for me to get a clearance whatsoever???
So I went to the 2nd floor and asked the immigration officers...but this is another blogpost. ^_^
