Child Travel Consent for the Philippines From Australia

The Philippines controls children leaving the country, not arriving. A Filipino child under 18 who leaves the Philippines alone, or with someone other than a parent, needs a travel clearance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It rests on a notarised affidavit of consent from the parents. A parent living in Australia signs it before a notary here.

Key takeaways

• A DSWD travel clearance is issued to a Filipino child under 18 travelling abroad alone or with someone other than their parents.
• No clearance is needed if the child travels with either parent, a solo parent or a legal guardian.
• A child who holds a permanent resident or dependant visa abroad, showing they live with their parents there, is exempt.
• A child who is not a Filipino citizen and travels on a foreign passport does not need one.
• The clearance rests on a notarised affidavit of consent, notarised where the parent lives, with a copy of the parent's ID showing their signature.

When is a DSWD travel clearance needed?

The DSWD describes a travel clearance as a document it issues to a Filipino child, below 18, travelling abroad alone or with someone other than their parents. It is a check against trafficking at the point a child leaves the Philippines, and the Bureau of Immigration looks for it at departure. A common Australian situation is a Filipino child who has been staying with grandparents in the Philippines and is flying to Australia with a grandparent, an aunt or a family friend.

Who is exempt?

The DSWD's guidance names several groups that do not need a clearance, and some of them fit Australian families closely:

• A child travelling with either parent, or with their solo parent or legal guardian.
• A child who holds a valid pass abroad, such as a permanent resident or dependant visa or identification card, which shows they live with their parents abroad. The DSWD says a permanent residency card is a valid pass for this purpose. A Filipino child living in Australia on a permanent visa may fall here.
• A child who is not a Filipino citizen and holds a foreign passport. An Australian child with no Filipino citizenship, visiting on holiday, does not need a clearance.

The DSWD adds the other side: a Filipino child living abroad who does not hold a permanent resident visa or pass does need a clearance when travelling alone or with others. If your child holds both Filipino and Australian citizenship, ask the DSWD or the Philippine Embassy how the rule applies to them, because the exemption for foreign passport holders is written for children who are not Filipino citizens.

What goes into the application?

The DSWD lists the documents for a child travelling for the first time with a person other than the parents or legal guardian:

Document	Notes
Application form	Available from any DSWD field office or the DSWD website
The child's birth certificate	A photocopy
Written consent	From both parents, the solo parent or the legal guardian, permitting travel with a named person
Proof of the parents' status	For example the parents' marriage certificate, a guardianship certificate, solo parent ID, a court decree, or a death certificate for a deceased parent
Photos	Two coloured passport-size photos taken within six months
Companion's passport	A photocopy of the travelling companion's passport

DSWD field offices describe the consent as a notarised affidavit of consent, notarised at the parent's place of residence and signed by both parents, or by the mother, a solo parent or a guardian as the case requires, with a copy of their valid ID showing a specimen signature. Field offices also list an affidavit of support from the person paying for the child's travel and care, and, where the companion is not a relative, an affidavit of undertaking by that companion.

How does a parent living in Australia give consent?

This is where an Australian notary comes in. Because the DSWD asks for the affidavit to be notarised where the parent lives, a parent resident in Australia signs it before an Australian notary, who confirms their identity, administers the oath or affirmation, and adds a notarial certificate. Send it with a copy of the parent's passport or other ID showing their signature.

DSWD pages differ on the extra step for a parent abroad. Some field offices describe the parent having the affidavit acknowledged by a consular officer at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate where they live. Since the Philippines joined the Hague Apostille Convention, a notarised document apostilled by the issuing country is the usual way to authenticate a foreign public document there. Ask the DSWD field office that will process the application which it accepts, before the parent signs, so the document is done once. The DSWD's own FAQ also says that faxed or emailed consent from parents residing abroad has been accepted, but the office may still ask for the original at release.

Does the affidavit need an apostille?

Possibly, depending on the field office. Only DFAT issues apostilles in Australia; an apostille confirms the notary's signature and seal, never the contents of the affidavit. The Philippines is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention; membership changes, so check the HCCH status table on the day. Allow time for the apostille and for posting the original to the Philippines before the child's flight. Our guide to apostilles for the Philippines explains the DFAT step, and our apostille and authentication page covers the service.

How do you apply?

The DSWD describes the process in its FAQ. The application is made in the Philippines, usually by the person the child will travel with or a relative there, with the parents' consent sent from Australia.

1. Get the application form from any DSWD field office or the DSWD website.
2. Gather the supporting documents: the child's birth certificate, the parents' consent, proof of the parents' status, photos and the companion's passport copy.
3. Arrange the parents' notarised affidavit of consent, and the affidavit of support and companion's undertaking if the office asks for them.
4. Submit the application at any DSWD field office.
5. On the appointed date, go back to the field office that processed it, hand over the original supporting documents and pay the processing fee.
6. Collect the travel clearance certificate, and carry it with the child's passport at departure.

How long is a clearance valid?

The DSWD says a travel clearance is valid from the date of issue for one year, or for two years under the longer option, and can be used for several trips within that period, as long as the conditions under which it was issued have not changed. If something changes, such as the travelling companion, a new clearance is needed. We do not quote the processing fee; the DSWD publishes it with the application details.

What if the parents disagree?

The DSWD says a child who is the subject of an ongoing custody dispute will not be issued a clearance unless a court order allows the child to travel with one parent or an authorised guardian. Families can also ask the Bureau of Immigration to include a child on its watchlist of minors travelling abroad. Whether an order can be obtained, in the Philippines or Australia, is a family law question for a lawyer, not a notary. Our general guide to travel consent letters covers the Australian side, including Family Court watchlists.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming a grandparent needs nothing because the child is going to join a parent in Australia.
• Forgetting the mother's consent for an illegitimate child travelling with the father.
• Having the affidavit witnessed by a JP; the DSWD asks for a notarised affidavit.
• Skipping the apostille question until the document is already in the Philippines.
• Changing the travelling companion without getting a new clearance.
• Missing the parent's ID copy with a specimen signature.

Here is an illustration, not a real case.

A Filipino couple in Brisbane have a seven-year-old daughter who has been living with her grandmother in Cebu while they settled in Australia. She is a Filipino citizen and does not yet hold an Australian visa showing she lives with them. Her grandmother will fly with her to Brisbane once the visa is granted. The parents ask the DSWD field office in Cebu what it needs, sign the affidavit of support and consent before a notary in Brisbane, have DFAT apostille it as the office asks, and courier it with copies of their passports. The grandmother applies for the clearance with the girl's birth certificate, photos and her own passport.

In short

A Filipino child under 18 leaving the Philippines alone, or with someone other than a parent, needs a DSWD travel clearance, unless they hold a permanent resident or dependant visa abroad. A child who is not a Filipino citizen does not need one. The clearance rests on a notarised affidavit of consent, notarised where the parent lives, so a parent in Australia signs before an Australian notary. Ask the DSWD field office whether it also wants an apostille or consular acknowledgement. Our declarations and affidavits page explains how a notary takes a sworn statement.

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