BI now requires international airline crew members for immigration inspection

2016_0915_naia-ramp
Beefing up security. Various airports in the country now enforces immigration inspection upon arrival and before departure of crew members of international airlines in the Philippines. IT will enable the bureau to scrutinize airline crew identities and other personal details while enforcing the agency's role in the regulation on entry and stay of aliens in the country. PHoto here of the ramp towards the Ninoy Aquino International airport terminal.

Various airports in the country now enforces immigration inspection upon arrival and before departure of crew members of international airlines in the Philippines.

This is the new policy by the Bureau of Immigration which began implementation beginning August of this year aimed at strengthening border security operations.

The new rule requires all crew members of commercial airline flights, including those operated by the national flag carriers, to queue at the designated immigration counters for departure and arrival with their passport or airline ID for inspection.

It is also geared at identifying every foreign crew member as really a bona fide employee of the airline being represented and not included in the blacklist of undesirable or unwanted alien.

The process will enable the bureau to scrutinize airline crew identities and other personal details while enforcing the agency’s role in the regulation on entry and stay of aliens in the country.

Commissioner Jaime Morente confirmed that the immigration officer can even deny the admission or defer the departure of a crew member in situations when the crew member is in the blacklist, watch list or hold departure list of the bureau.

Part of the smooth implementation of the new procedure includes the submission of the airline representatives of two copies of the general declaration of the inbound or outbound aircraft prior to arrival or departure from the airport.

Previously, foreign airline crew members pass the airports’ immigration counters without the thorough check of identity.

*26

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *