Cordillera Administrative Region- The Department of Social Welfare and Development – Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD FO CAR) urges travelers below 18 years old who are travelling abroad unaccompanied by any of the parents or legal guardians to apply for a travel clearance from the DSWD. This is amidst the vacation season in the country.
DSWD FO CAR Regional Director Maria A. Catbagan-Aplaten, PhD reminds the public that the said clearance is necessary for Filipino minors travelling alone.
“The travel clearance is not just a document required by the immigration authorities, but it is our way to prevent child trafficking”, Director Aplaten said.
The Travel Clearance for Minors Traveling Abroad (MTA) is a document issued by the DSWD to minors traveling abroad alone, or with individuals other than their biological parents or legal guardians. Filipino minors traveling with their prospective adoptive parents are also required to secure the clearance. Filipino minors with illegitimate status and is travelling with their biological father are also mandated to apply. A minor below thirteen (13) years old, accompanied by a relative who is over fifteen (15) years old and whose travelling to permanently join the parent/s abroad are also required to secure the clearance. Moreover, a Certificate of Exemption is also required when the minors accompanied by their biological father who has sole parental or legal custody over the minor, when the minor is travelling with their legal guardian as evidenced by a Court Order, when the minor is orphaned and is travelling with substitute parent/s or nearest kin as per Family Code and when the minor is orphan to non-married parents is travelling with substitute parent/s from the maternal side.
On the other hand, minors of legitimate status accompanied by either of the parents or their legal guardian and minors of illegitimate status accompanied by the biological mother or of their biological father who has been granted sole parental or legal custody are exempted from the travel clearance. Minors accompanied by the person granted with sole parental authority or legal custody by the court and those accompanied by their adoptive parents are also not required to secure travel clearance. Furthermore, a minor who is an immigrant or a permanent resident abroad, with foreign passport is also exempted.
“We encourage the travelers to process the clearance days before the scheduled travel for the DSWD to have enough time to review the submitted documents”, Director Aplaten added.
For 2025, the MTA clearance is already in a digitized format and applied in an online application system through the Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System (HELPS) platform of the DSWD. Applicants need to log online using the MTA online system within the HELPS portal and fill up the respective application form, upload requirements, and pay upon receipt of payment order. A social worker reviews the documents and assesses its completeness and verifies the authenticity. Once the documents are found sufficient, the applicant will be scheduled for an online interview and assessment. The applicant will receive the link to the approved Digital Blue Card upon successful interview and assessment.
Basic requirements for the application include the following:
- Child’s QR-coded Birth Certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);
- QR-coded Marriage Certificate of the minor’s parents or Court Decision on Legal Guardianship, Solo Parent ID, whichever is applicable;
- Affidavit of support or evidence of financial capability of the sponsor;
- QR-coded Death Certificate, in case of death of parent/s;
- Scanned copy of colored passport-size photo of the minor with white background taken within six (6) months;
- Valid ID or passport of parents bearing signature; and
- Passport of minor, if available.
For succeeding applications, the following are required:
- Scanned copy of colored passport-size photo of the minor with white background taken within six (6) months;
- Valid ID or passport of parents bearing signature, Solo Parent ID; and
- Affidavit of support or evidence of financial capability of the sponsor.
Social workers may ask for additional documents upon assessment of the circumstances.
Applications made through the MTA online system are being processed at the Central Office (CO). Subsequently, the release of the travel clearance is also done by the CO. “Unlike before, all applications for MTA clearance are forwarded to the Central Office. The Field Office is only mandated to assist walk-in clients while we are still in the process of institutionalizing the online application system. We ask for the understanding of our clients to be more patient and allot more time when securing the clearance for minor travelling abroad”, Director Aplaten said.
As of 28 April 2025, the DSWD Field Office CAR has assisted approximately 519 clients—both online and walk-in applicants—in securing the required travel clearance. MTA Focal Trisha Candelario will provide technical assistance to walk-in clients until 30 June 2025. Other concerns may be directed to cpo-mta@dswd.gov.ph or through www.facebook.com/DSWD.MTA or www.facebook.com/dswdcordilleraregion. Online orientations are also conducted every Tuesday from 2 to 3 PM through the DSWD MTA Facebook Page.# DSWD-CAR, Social Marketing Unit, Nerizza Faye G. Villanueva-Trinidad, Information Officer II
