MANILA, Philippines — Foreign and local travelers arriving at and departing from the country’s ports of entry and exit throughout the holiday season must register in the one-stop electronic travel declaration system (eTravel), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport again reminded travelers.
eTravel registration, which can be completed through the official website https://etravel.gov.ph or the eGov PH app, improves border control services and gives travelers a smooth and easy travel experience, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said.
The BI chief further urged airlines to cooperate in the implementation of the project, stressing that it is their duty to inform all passengers that eTravel system registration is required.
He added that they are set to procure eTravel kiosks to allow individuals who have no access to smartphones or the internet to register on the spot.
According to the regulations, all departing and arriving Filipino travelers, as well as the flight crews and foreign passengers, must register on eTravel.
Foreign diplomats and their dependents, foreign dignitaries and members of their delegation, holders of diplomatic and official/service passports and holders of diplomatic visas are among the passengers who are exempted from registering.
eTravel, which was initiated several months ago, is a collaborative project among the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Tourism, the BI, other government agencies and stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry.
The eTravel replaced the arrival and departure cards that international passengers were required to fill out prior to being cleared by immigration officers. It lessened paper-based requirements by harmonizing all data needs in one joint platform.