# Too risky to try and fly GF out to meet in a 3rd country?



## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

Hello everyone,

TLDR
_Is trying to fly out my GF and meet her in the Maldives a workable idea? Or is it too risky?_



> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Hope this finds all of you well (and vaccinated!).

Its coming up on 2.5 years since I was last with my GF and Im under no illusions that borders will remain closed for potentially another year - perhaps more 😔

I'm starting to see that some other countries have opened. Some, like the Maldives. They only need a negative PCR before flying.

After my GF gets her shots (no idea when that will happen) and if borders remain sealed to us foreign tourists I have this wild idea of flying her out and meeting her in the Maldives. From the UK Govt site:

*



Restrictions in response to coronavirus
Screening on arrival

Click to expand...

*


> All visitors must present a negative PCR test for COVID-19 on arrival to Maldives. The test and negative PCR certificate must be issued no more than 96 hours prior to departure. You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test.
> 
> All travellers to the Maldives must fill in a Traveller Health Declaration form 24 hours before departure to and return from the Maldives.
> 
> ...




Now to my question - is this a risky idea? I ask because I am very aware that the Philippines is perhaps the only country I know of that makes it so intimidating for a woman to travel OUTBOUND alone and is also known to kick them off the airplane at the last minute. 

I gather this is because of their aggressive human-trafficking law which I completely understand but I also hear this unfairly ensnares even legit outbound Filipina TOURISTS.

I would of course cover all her costs and send all the evidence she needs to present but Im still apprehensive. All this needs is the wrong Immigration Officer who goes "Hmmm....nope" and thats it $$$$ flushed.

So I want to ask the forum - has anyone (who like me in the UK are trapped in their home country) done this? Even if you haven't Id love to hear your thoughts. Are my fears real of her getting booted off the plane?

Thanks much.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

First things first. Does she even have a Philippine passport?

My asawa recently went to the local DFA to "renew" her PI passport and they told her no renewal, no new passports. They are "only" processing OFW walk ins with employment documents and airline tickets.

They told her to monitor this site *for any location in the country *when they will begin accepting appointments for renewals/new passports.

Take a look*, No appointments, as far out to Feb 2022.*

DFA PASSPORT SITE: https://www.passport.gov.ph/appointment


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

I found a link on marrying in the Maldives Marriage Maldives Might might need to contact Maldives and also Immigration in the Philippines. Philippine Bureau of Immigration Facebook


*Philippine law requires all foreigners* to provide a “Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage” before filing for a marriage license. This certification affirms that there are no legal impediments to the foreigner marrying a Filipino (i.e., that the foreigner is not currently married to someone else).


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

Hey_Joe said:


> First things first. Does she even have a Philippine passport?


Good question, I should have put that info in the main post. She got a new passport in 2019 with a 10 year validity. 

And I have also done this before - flown her out I mean. We met in Singapore for the first time in 2018. I flew her out from Iloilo. I sent her so much paperwork including actual printouts of our chat convos to show the officer we had been in a serious LDR since 2015. All timestamped. I told her to be ready to show them her phone as well. A tense moment came when she was taken aside to a room and they asked more questions....but finally let her board. 

And its this that has me worried now. They'll think that a female on her own to "meet some dude in the Maldives" might actually be going to work , money is tight in these pandemic times so this kind of thinking will be at the forefront of the immigration peoples minds. This is the worry. 



M.C.A. said:


> I found a link on marrying in the Maldives Marriage Maldives Might might need to contact Maldives and also Immigration in the Philippines. Philippine Bureau of Immigration Facebook
> 
> *Philippine law requires all foreigners* to provide a “Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage” before filing for a marriage license. This certification affirms that there are no legal impediments to the foreigner marrying a Filipino (i.e., that the foreigner is not currently married to someone else).


Very interesting, thank you, will check that out. This idea has actually never crossed my mind. Something to ponder for sure...


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## freebiefan (Nov 11, 2020)

If your gf is cute and under 30 then she has a probability fo being " denied boarding". Yes she has flight and boarding pass, and yes she has money and yes she has pics and emails from you etc..but still some minor minion at BI might think shes being trafficked and so will deny her boarding. They dont actually say you cant board they just lock all the young attractive ladies in a room and ask stupid questions till they say, oops the plane left without you. If your gf knows her rights and can stand up for herself and demand supervisors names etc and isnt shy to shout about her rights ( "Im a lawyer Im a lawyer" can work ) she might be allowed to board. If shes over 30 she has a chance.
The reason for all this denied boarding nonsense is the US pays countries to stop countries from trafficking.. .so the more people the Phil govt deny boarding to, the more pera they get from US.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

KatanaDV20 said:


> All this needs is the wrong Immigration Officer who goes "Hmmm....nope" and thats it $$$$ flushed.


Don't send money, buy a refundable ticket in her name and send it to her.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Hey_Joe said:


> My asawa recently went to the local DFA to "renew" her PI passport and they told her no renewal, no new passports. They are "only" processing OFW walk ins with employment documents and airline tickets.
> 
> They told her to monitor this site *for any location in the country *when they will begin accepting appointments for renewals/new passports.
> 
> ...


I know two Filipinos who just got a passport last week. The appointment was only a week in advance, and at their appointment last month the entire area had rows and rows of seats filled for both renewals and new passports.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Shadowman said:


> I know two Filipinos who just got a passport last week. The appointment was only a week in advance, and at their appointment last month the entire area had rows and rows of seats filled for both renewals and new passports.


I have been checking daily for the past few weeks. I just now clicked on every DFA site in the country, there are no appointments being offered in the entire country.
Here is the site: https://www.passport.gov.ph/appointment

Were they OFW's?

What DFA site did they get their passports from?


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Perhaps you & your GF can get some other options from Love is not tourism-Philippines
that was mentioned in this article: Love is not tourism: Binational couples long to reunite


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

KatanaDV20 said:


> Good question, I should have put that info in the main post. She got a new passport in 2019 with a 10 year validity.
> 
> And I have also done this before - flown her out I mean. We met in *Singapore* for the first time in 2018. I flew her out from Iloilo. I sent her so much paperwork including actual printouts of our chat convos to show the officer we had been in a serious LDR since 2015. All timestamped. I told her to be ready to show them her phone as well. A tense moment came when she was taken aside to a room and they asked more questions....but finally let her board.
> 
> And its this that has me worried now. They'll think that a female on her own to "meet some dude in the Maldives" might actually be going to work , money is tight in these pandemic times so this kind of thinking will be at the forefront of the immigration peoples minds. This is the worry.


 Before covid Filipinos had easier to get to "Asia7" countries as e g VietNam and Malaysia. I believe Singapore belonged to this trade union too. When I searched now for "Asia7" to check which counries, I didnt find it. Perhaps that trade union is replaced by RCEP 2020., which has more countries. I dont know if these countries have less travel restrictions between each other as Asia7 had. I mean BESIDE the covid travel restrictions countries have.

Pehaps worth checking with that point of view, which country to try to go to.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Hey_Joe said:


> What DFA site did they get their passports from?


*DFA Cebu*
Address: 4th Floor Pacific Mall-Metro Mandaue, UN Ave. cor. MC Briones St., Brgy. Estancia, Mandaue City. Operational Hours: Mondays - Saturdays 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Like I said it was their first passport, but the place was packed. Appointment was made by an agent who did everything else as well, for a fee.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

KatanaDV20 said:


> kick them off the airplane at the last minute. I gather this is because of their aggressive human-trafficking law


Which law prevents adults from leaving the PH on their own?


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## freebiefan (Nov 11, 2020)

There is no law.. thts the sad part of what these BI thugs do.. they know that as most filipinas are passive and wont stand up for their rights ( or dont even know they can speak up when a guy in uniform tells them what to do ). Ive been through the airport with a 32 year old lady and we breezed through.... went through with a 24 years old who Id known for a year... they took her to one room and kept asking her questions how long we had known each other, whether we lived together, why I didnt have facebook as if thats relevant, whether Id met her parents, what we intended to do where we were travelling to, ??... etc etc ..till they made final call and I was on the plane but she wasnt. Vacation plan ruined. So a single lady trying to get on the plane, despite having tickets, hotels, etc can still be a total lottery.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Shadowman said:


> Which law prevents adults from leaving the PH on their own?


 As Katawana wrote Phils have a law to prevent human trafficing, which is understandable by many Fiipinos get abused abroad,
but its to wide stoping kind people too. I dont remember if he is from Ausralia or New Zealand but an expat got in big trouble just by assisting a Filipina to get work in his home country somehow. I dont know any details.

Some years ago I had an idea how to attract more of older foreign businessmen to chose Phils to marry and add jobs to Filipinos in Phils, but I had to skip it because of that law! 

I have red whole the law, so I know it excist  but dont remember the name if it, but suppouse interested can find it with Google.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Lunkan said:


> Phils have a law to prevent human trafficing


Most nations do, I meant the PH law that prevents adult citizens from traveling outside the country.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Lunkan said:


> As Katawana wrote Phils have a law to prevent human trafficing, which is understandable by many Fiipinos get abused abroad,
> but its to wide stoping kind people too. I dont remember if he is from Ausralia or New Zealand but an expat got in big trouble just by assisting a Filipina to get work in his home country somehow. I dont know any details.
> 
> Some years ago I had an idea how to attract more of older foreign businessmen to chose Phils to marry and add jobs to Filipinos in Phils, but I had to skip it because of that law!
> ...


Would this be it? Republic Act 9208

Another link easier to read this document but not from the Government Republic Act 9208


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Shadowman said:


> Most nations do, I meant the PH law that prevents adult citizens from traveling outside the country.


I don't know if this will work but here's a link on Philippine Travel Requirements PBI Philippine Citizen Travel Requirements


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> Would this be it? Republic Act 9208
> 
> Another link easier to read this document but not from the Government Republic Act 9208


That law mentions "involuntary migration", which is understandable. 

There doesn't seem to be a law prohibiting voluntary migration.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Shadowman said:


> Most nations do, I meant the PH law that prevents adult citizens from traveling outside the country.


 I believe its ame law but I dont remember. And to booring for me to read through whole again 
Back when I did read many Phil laws, I just learned better stay out of eveything which they withn any posibility can interpreete that law to be, including dont travel with a (young) Filipina other than if I have married her.


M.C.A. said:


> Would this be it? Republic Act 9208
> 
> Another link easier to read this document but not from the Government Republic Act 9208


 I dont remember, it was like five years ago I did read, but at a hasty look it seem same.


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> I don't know if this will work but here's a link on Philippine Travel Requirements PBI Philippine Citizen Travel Requirements


That's it: "Passenger discloses a doubtful...or suspect travel intent"

which seems to contradict the RA 9208: "It is hereby declared that the State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees the respect of individual rights."


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Shadowman said:


> which seems to contradict the RA 9208: "It is hereby declared that the State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees the respect of individual rights


 There are several such laws in Phils  made during the colonial period to protect the powerful rich against the poor  E g some situations when the justice system in OTHER countries make investigations AUTOMATIC, while in Phils wictims have to file a case AND PAY a fee to the police, which many cant afford... There are such still valid!!!


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Anti-mail order bride sentiment long ago prompted a lot of the current travel rules/laws for women in the PI.

I remember as far back as almost 40 years ago seeing in the local PI newspapers advertising for girls who would receive money to show up at different locations throughout the country to have their pictures taken, bio, mailing address then placed in mail order bride magazines. These magazine reps (locals who received a commission based on sign ups) would show up at colleges looking for girls (students) to put in their mail order bride magazines The process was well known back then as a way to earn money & marry a foreigner. Foreigners from all over the planet would then pay for these magazines and order a girl like an item from Lazada or Amazon & then the girl was on a plane no questions asked. The process eventually gave the PI a bad rep & led to many of the current strict travel laws.

Anti-mail order bride law.
SOURCE: Republic Act No. 10906


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## Shadowman (Apr 20, 2020)

Hey_Joe said:


> Anti-mail order bride law.
> SOURCE: Republic Act No. 10906


Makes sense, they defined a crime and made it illegal, if a crime occurs, the criminal is punished, that's how laws work in most nations.

The PH however due to cultural differences takes an additional step that other nations do not, the rights of citizens are suspended _before _any crimes occur:



Hey_Joe said:


> led to many strict travel laws.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Hey_Joe said:


> Anti-mail order bride sentiment long ago prompted a lot of the current travel rules/laws for women in the PI.
> 
> I remember as far back as almost 40 years ago seeing in the local PI newspapers advertising for girls who would receive money to show up at different locations throughout the country to have their pictures taken, bio, mailing address then placed in mail order bride magazines. These magazine reps (locals who received a commission based on sign ups) would show up at colleges looking for girls (students) to put in their mail order bride magazines The process was well known back then as a way to earn money & marry a foreigner. Foreigners from all over the planet would then pay for these magazines and order a girl like an item from Lazada or Amazon & then the girl was on a plane no questions asked. The process eventually gave the PI a bad rep & led to many of the current strict travel laws.
> 
> ...


I didn't want to go there but I feel this is one of the reasons why Visa rules continue to worsen, it's become a costly and painful Bureaucracy with plenty of Red Tape. I have tried my best to inform my fellow Expats who are seriously involved with a lady to get married or if dating women find someone to latch onto and make it final but hard heads continue to prevail, they seem to feel things will never change but they have been changing.

I've seen that Mail Order Bride book back in 1997. I served with a fellow Sailor on Guam and he showed me this thick large book at work, and it had photos, complete listing of the education, and who she would be interested in ect... and then about a year later he invited me and few other guys to a Super Bowel party complete with tacos and his new bride, she spoke perfect English, very professional and from the Philippines, they seemed to be content with one another, I don't know what's happened since, he built a house just blocks away from the back gate of Andersen AFB, him and his wife seemed to fit in well with his neighbors who were Guam citizens or known there as Chamorro's.


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

Thank you all for your comments and links. I have some thinking to do. 

Now a second concern has reared its head - what will the gf face when she returns to the Ph? 14 day qurantine in some govt hotel...more $$$$ and also will increase her exposure risk to the rona being in crowded airports and such. 

This is idea is starting to look like its going to sink - which I guess on some level might be for the best. 

Shes in a rural area, low density population locally, lower risk than other places and best to keep it this way. Shes registered for her jab but who knows when that will happen.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

KatanaDV20 said:


> what will the gf face when she returns to the Ph? 14 day qurantine in some govt hotel...more $$$$ and also will increase her exposure risk to the rona being in crowded airports and such.


This is as of today. Things change frequently here so it may not apply tomorrow.

Eligible to Depart PI - Eligible Passenger For International Travel

Arriving to the PI - Arriving In The Philippines

Departing from the PI - Departing From The Philippines


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

KatanaDV20 said:


> Thank you all for your comments and links. I have some thinking to do.
> 
> Now a second concern has reared its head - what will the gf face when she returns to the Ph? 14 day qurantine in some govt hotel...more $$$$ and also will increase her exposure risk to the rona being in crowded airports and such.
> 
> ...


Returning fully-vaccinated individuals in the Philippines only have to spend seven days in an isolation facility upon their arrival in the country, according to IATF-EID Resolution 119.

The fully-vaccinated individuals’ quarantine period is shorter than the mandated 14 days imposed on other travelers to the country.

*But if your fiance isn't vaccinated but gets the two doses in another country other than the Philippines:* 

The rule does not apply to fully vaccinated individuals who receive the vaccine shots abroad, Roque earlier said.

On May 6, the IATF-EID issued Resolution 114, requiring all travelers who will go to the Philippines, including those who have already been inoculated against Covid-19, to stay in a quarantine facility for 10 days and observe home quarantine for four days.



PNA Link to article


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Quarantines, Restrictions, Green Country list, all are constantly changing. Things could change 1 hour from now.

Read IATF 128-A https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/health-update/IATFResolution128-A.pdf

and this is new

Quarantine for close contacts back to 14 days, fully vaccinated or not
August 12, 2021
SOURCE ARTICLE: Quarantine for close contacts back to 14 days, fully vaccinated or not


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## Tyrion Lannister (Aug 22, 2021)

freebiefan said:


> If your gf is cute and under 30 then she has a probability fo being " denied boarding". Yes she has flight and boarding pass, and yes she has money and yes she has pics and emails from you etc..but still some minor minion at BI might think shes being trafficked and so will deny her boarding. They dont actually say you cant board they just lock all the young attractive ladies in a room and ask stupid questions till they say, oops the plane left without you. If your gf knows her rights and can stand up for herself and demand supervisors names etc and isnt shy to shout about her rights ( "Im a lawyer Im a lawyer" can work ) she might be allowed to board. If shes over 30 she has a chance.
> The reason for all this denied boarding nonsense is the US pays countries to stop countries from trafficking.. .so the more people the Phil govt deny boarding to, the more pera they get from US.


This happened to my wife before we were married. We were meeting in a third country and they denied her boarding at NAIA because of potential human trafficking. She had a tourism visa, RT ticket, hotel booking, bank statements and affidavit of support from me.

Luckily, I had a contact who was able to go to the airport with her the next day and get her on the plane but not before the airline tried to say that she needed a work visa for the third country. Apparently, they had never seen a Filipina possess a tourism visa for that country.

It was a valuable lesson learned the hard way!


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