Now this is a tricky question.
Technically yes but sometimes you can survive without it.
Because as I write this post, I am talking to my batchmate, also a DOST Scholar during our college days, and he is about to go to Singapore to work for good.
Did he apply for a DOST SEI Travel Clearance? NO! (Please keep it a secret! ^_^) But he is going to SG in 3 days and isn't that exciting?
We both received 5 years of scholarship benefits from DOST and while I did all the effort to secure a travel clearance for studying abroad (with all the pains of having to post surety bonds with GSIS), he did not even bother to go to DOST to ask for a DOST travel clearance. Yet, he was able to apply for a passport, process his papers for work etc.
What was his stategy?
Well the worst thing that can happen to you when you don't apply for a DOST Travel Clearance is that you will be held from departure on the day of your flight itself. And who has the authority to stop you? Of course, the immigration officers. But instead of being surprised on the day itself, you can freely check if your name is in the immigration watchlist. And that was what my friend did. He went to the Bureau of Immigration and asked whether or not his name was on the watch list. And lo and behold it was not!!! (please keep this a secret again!) So after knowing that he had no derogatory records whatsoever, he decided not to get a DOST Travel Clearance. Thinking about it now, I wish I went to BI first before going to DOST too. Who knows, my name may not be in the list as well. Oh well, past is past.
But whether or not this plan will work, I will know in 3 days and I will keep you guys posted. Until then, I am wishing my friend all the best.
