You got everything planned, you already invested so much of your time, money and resources for this vacation. You already have expectations (vs reality haha) and you even have the captions ready for your social media posts. Too much hype and emotional investments.

But before that dream vacation comes to life, you have to go through the immigration officer. The one person that can ruin everything you have planned. I have read quiet a lot of horror stories about them and I had my fair share of butterflies whenever I’m about to face an IO.

The Immigration Officer
I noticed they don’t smile and they don’t greet back. They show no emotion and are very strict and will go straight with the questioning. I think they are trained like that to show that they are in authority.

Here are the requirements that you need to show to the IO.

REQUIRED
Passport – at least 6 months before expiry
Visa (if applicable) – valid visa to your country of destination
Round Trip Tickets – to show that you intend to come back.

SUPPORTING DOCS
(You don’t really have to have all these but if you can bring them (specially for first timers) the better so you can have all the supporting documents you need in case the IO asks for more questions, you can easily show them proof)

Company ID / COE – to show that you are currently employed and have a job to come back to
Itinerary – for touring / sightseeing purposes
Plane Ticket Receipt – to show that the tickets are already paid
Hotel Booking / Confirmation – proof that you have a place to stay
ITR – shows your earning, to prove that you can support this vacation
Approved Leave of Absence – can be a letter or a screenshot of the calendar/leave app. Supporting document to show that you are on leave for the intended dates of your vacation
ATMs/Credit Cards – backup money abroad
ATM Receipts – to show you still have money
Birth Certificate – just bring this in case you’re questioned about your age

I always greet them but they don’t seem to care and just start with their questions. Below are the ones they usually ask:

Where are you going?
Purpose? (they will ask you about your itinerary so better know it by heart)
Who are you going with? (in my opinion, it’s easier to pass the IO if the airline itinerary reflects the people you’re traveling with)
Where will you stay? (show them the hotel confirmation)
How many days are you going to stay? (you can show them your approved leave of absence)
Where do you work? (they will ask for the company ID)
How long have you been employed? (show them the COE in case they ask for it)

There’s only 1 rule when it’s your turn for the interview: Don’t Lie.
That’s basically it. Just don’t lie about your purpose of going out of the country and you’ll be fine. Answer them with confidence (and excitement too) and be consistent. If you don’t have anything to hide then you won’t have problems with them and you’ll be on your way to the boarding gate.

Now go ahead and fulfill how you want this tour to be! 🙂

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