MANILA, Dec 9: As the holiday season approaches, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) is gearing up for an expected surge in international travelers by issuing a crucial reminder on Saturday. The announcement underscores the mandatory registration requirement in the one-stop electronic travel declaration system, known as eTravel.

The eTravel registration mandate, applicable to both arriving and departing passengers, was emphasized by Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco. In preparation for immigration formalities at international airports and seaports, all passengers are required to register on the eTravel platform.

Commissioner Tansingco stressed the importance of active cooperation from airline companies, urging them to inform customers about the mandatory nature of registering with the eTravel system. He noted that this registration is a prerequisite for both inbound and outbound travelers in the Southeast Asian nation.

While exemptions exist for foreign diplomats and their dependents, foreign dignitaries, and holders of specific diplomatic visas or passports, all arriving Filipino and foreign crew members, as well as departing Filipino passengers, must adhere to the eTravel registration requirement.

The eTravel initiative, a collaborative effort involving BI, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Tourism (DOT), and various government agencies and stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry, aims to streamline and digitize the entry and exit process.

To facilitate the registration process for individuals without access to smartphones or the internet, Commissioner Tansingco revealed plans to provide eTravel kiosks. This initiative replaces the traditional arrival and departure cards, reducing paper-based requirements by consolidating all necessary data on a unified platform, marking a significant step toward modernizing and enhancing the efficiency of immigration processes in the Philippines.