Offloading is denying passenger’s entry to another country due to insufficient documentation, inconsistent response to interview questions and possible safety risk of the traveler in the intended destination.

The Philippine government monitors our travel activities in effort to protect us in possible human trafficking. This is the primary reason why some of us are being offloaded at the airport.

Not only can it be humiliating, it also puts to waste everything invested on planning the trip: money, time, effort and emotions. Nobody wants to throw away all of the things they've put in preparing for the trip and nobody would want to be embarrassed in front of a lot of people.

Here are some effective tips to avoid getting offloaded at the airport:

PROVIDE SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION: There are things that you must present to the Immigration Officer before you are allowed to board: Valid passport and work visa. Make sure that your passport is valid at least six (6) months from the date of your departure from the Philippines and make sure that the visa in your passport is valid and agrees with your purpose of travel.

Make these documents handy too: employment contract, OWWA membership, and proof that you attended the required seminars for outgoing Filipino workers like PDOS.

PROVIDE CONSISTENT ANSWER TO BI OFFICERS: The key is “Confidence”. Answer in a straightforward manner and provide only information that is being asked. They will ask for more documents to prove you would be returning.

PROVIDE OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE (OEC): If you are a contract worker, make sure that you have your OEC obtained from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency or Philippine Foreign Service posts.

BE AWARE OF YOUR TRAVEL HISTORY: If you have past history of being offloaded, learn why you got denied and address that concern.