Questions about visiting and possible refused entry (split)

[Corgent 93]

I have a question. My Filipina girlfriend is extremely likely to be offloaded if she attempts to travel to another country alone. She has a passport but is currently unemployed and never traveled outside the Philippines before. If we found a second person who was willing to travel with her to the other country, such as a friend or family member (and I paid their expenses), would she still risk being offloaded? She would travel on the basis of tourism and not mention to immigration officials that the purpose of her trip is to meet with her foreign boyfriend.

 

I haven't seen anyone talk about whether a Filipina traveling with someone else can help circumvent the offloading problem.

[canadian_wife 1,829]

I'm sorry that I don't understand your 'offloading' term.  What does that mean?

 

Do you mean denied entry into the US?  If yes, traveling with a friend will not hurt or help her situation.  Her entrance into the US is determined at the port of entry based on HER circumstances. 

 

Good luck 

[Boiler 46,074]

Does she have a visa?

[Chancy 6,243]

1 minute ago, canadian_wife said:

I'm sorry that I don't understand your 'offloading' term.  What does that mean?

 

Offloaded = not be allowed by the Philippine exit immigration officer to board the plane, due to high risk that the traveler is a potential human trafficking victim or planning to become an illegal worker abroad

 

Might be a Philippine thing?  I've never heard of the term being used anywhere else.

 

[HRQX 4,145]

2 minutes ago, canadian_wife said:

into the US?

OP might be talking about a third country where OP and his girlfriend can meet; "another country"

4 minutes ago, canadian_wife said:

I'm sorry that I don't understand your 'offloading' term.  What does that mean?

It means not being allowed by the Philippine exit counter officials to leave the Philippines: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294245-i3256-k9386701-Offloading_at_NAIA-Philippines.html

[Adventine 3,210]

When asked about the purpose of her trip, she has no choice but to be honest.

 

As you mentioned she is unemployed and has never travelled outside the Philippines before, PH exit immigration will most likely ask her many questions. I think any companion would face the same questions.

 

If her companion is similarly unemployed/with no travel history/no significant assets or ties to the PH, that basically doubles the risk of offloading.

There's really no way to find out for sure except to try. They had both better be prepared with documentation. You can search this forum for recent travel experiences from the Philippines.

 

[Chancy 6,243]

1 hour ago, Corgent said:

I haven't seen anyone talk about whether a Filipina traveling with someone else can help circumvent the offloading problem.

 

It's possible for both of them to be offloaded if they cannot convince the BI officer that they have legit plans for tourism and returning to the Philippines.  In one of my FB groups, I know of 3 friends who were offloaded together on their first planned trip to Hong Kong.  And that was pre-COVID.

 

Anyway, I recommend these articles for your girlfriend to prepare for her trip.  Need updating with the new COVID-related requirements, but the tips remain relevant --

 

HOW TO AVOID GETTING OFFLOADED: Airport Immigration Requirements

https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2014/03/offloaded-philippine-immigration-rules-requirements-airport/

 

FIRST TIME ABROAD: Airport Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2013/03/philippines-first-timer-international-flight-travel-guide-abroad/

 

[nelmagriffin 151]

46 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

Offloaded = not be allowed by the Philippine exit immigration officer to board the plane, due to high risk that the traveler is a potential human trafficking victim or planning to become an illegal worker abroad

 

Might be a Philippine thing?  I've never heard of the term being used anywhere else.

 

Greetings!

Chancy is right. and I think it would help if your fiance' will read more about this matter. Here is a link. It is 2019 and I am not sure if there are any updates. Here is a link:

Reference: HOW TO AVOID GETTING OFFLOADED: Airport Immigration Requirements | The Poor Traveler Itinerary Blog

Ty, NG

[top_secret 2,498]

Recently BI seems to be making tourists with foreign sponsors go through a special kind of CFO hell even though tourism should be outside the scope of CFO.  CFO will ask for a truly mind boggling array of incredibly invasive requirements and even at that there is no certainty a CFO certificate will be granted.  But if a couple does successfully pass the tourist CFO gauntlet and get their CFO qr code e-certificate then there is a much higher probability the girl would make it past BI without getting offloaded.