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. ^_^
Hello. I'm not sure if this is the right place to be posting this, but I can't see any ask button whatsoever so I'm just gonna post my questions here.
TumugonBurahinSo this is my case. I've been a DOST scholar for 3 years and 6 months, and I graduated last April 2011. I have never been outside the country and I've never applied for a passport whatsoever since there was one time I tried to apply for an NBI clearance and I was a "hit" as they called it, I cannot get one. I think it was around 2006. Anyway, I'm also an athlete and right around May 2011, I was chosen to play for the (then) upcoming World Championships (October 2011-Turkey) and SEA Games (November 2011-Indonesia),so at that time I knew I had to process my passport and report this to DOST. The regional office said that the only way for me to be able to leave the country was to secure a cash bond. But I was kinda hoping it would be waived since technically, I'm still serving the country, right?(under the Philippine Sports Commission-PSC) Only this time,through sports. I asked them about this and they were not really sure. It was hard for me to decide, a hundred thousand or so pesos is not easy to get by and it would be pointless for me to train for 6months and find out in the end that I can't travel after all. Luckily, my mom is friends with a PSC officer and the officer raised my case in one of their meetings, and she called my mom saying "basta magtraining lang siya ng mabuti, kami na bahala" So, question is, do you think DOST has any categories where they allow scholars/former scholars to leave (without any hassle/cash bonds/etc)if their reason is to compete and represent the country? Be it in the form of sports, arts, music etc. Anyway, in the end, I wasn't able to go. I got injured during training and it wouldn't heal in time. @_@ huft. So I was spared from ever finding out what would've happened with my DOST WLO.
Another question is, is it true that all scholars/former scholars have been temporary lifted from the WLO? And until when is this?
Thank you so much and more power!:D
Hello. Thanks for visiting my blog. Sorry for the late reply. Anyway, based on my personal experience, the answer to your question is yes. I have read in DOST guidelines before that If you will represent the country or your university in a contest, performance or whatsoever abroad, you can just present a letter of intent and proof about your participation in that contest. For my case, I was a member of the dance troupe and we went to Japan last 2006 and although I was not detected as a scholar at that time, my other dancemate who was ahead of me and was detected in the immigration office just presented a guarantor's letter to DOST along with the other requirements. I have a sample in previous blogs. It will just say that that person (guarantor) is willing to pay for your scholarship if ever you dont return. cash bond is not needed. I mean, why should they force you to pay a cash bond when your reason is official?
BurahinSecond, yes I think it has been lifted. In fact I saw the memorandum circulating in facebook and maybe I will try to put it here. As for when it will end, I really dont know. Anyway, as for passport application, the experiences of many DoSt scholars vary. Sometimes people don't present their NBI clearance anymore. Instead, they provide other IDs (driver's licence, PRC ID) so they can apply for passport. Actually I was able to renew my passport without the NBI clearance issue.
Hope that helps
Oh.... I see. Alright.. Yup it helped a lot! Like, really. :D Thank you Thank you!. :D
Burahin