Filipinos wanting relatives to visit UAE urged to visit embassy

A number of Filipinos have resorted to dealing with unscrupulous travel agencies that overcharge for a required affidavit, which can often be a fake.

ABU DHABI // Filipinos who want relatives to visit the UAE are being urged to appear in person at their embassy or consulate to have affidavits notarised.

Some Filipinos have resorted to dealing with unscrupulous travel agencies that overcharge for affidavits that are often fake.

The affidavit is presented at airport immigration in the Philippines as proof that a relative is financing the trip and that the traveller is not being trafficked and is entering the UAE legally.

“It’s our line of defence against human trafficking,” said Constancio Vingno Jr, the Philippine ambassador to the UAE.

“Recently, we had to resolve five cases of human trafficking,” he said. “The victims were all women who came here to work as housemaids but ended up being forced into prostitution or mistreated by their employers. They arrived here on tourist visas.”

In February, the embassy issued an advisory on stricter rules for obtaining affidavits of support and guarantee for Filipinos arriving on tourist visas.

Those trying to obtain the document need to show authenticated birth certificates or marriage certificates to show proof of the relationship. They also need to earn at least Dh3,500, and provide a copy of their salary certificate and labour contract. A hotel booking is required, or a tenancy contract, if the holder of the tourist visa is staying in the residence of their sponsoring relative.

“There are some Filipinos who would no longer file their application upon seeing the list of requirements,” Mr Vingno said.

"But there are Filipinos who obtain affidavits of support from travel agencies, which turn out to be fake.

“Airport immigration officers are able to verify the authenticity of the documents issued by the embassy.”

Those caught with fake affidavits and are “offloaded”, or prevented from leaving the Philippines, Mr Vingno said.

A supervisor at a travel agency in Dubai said they had stopped issuing the document.

“We used to charge Dh200 to process the affidavit,” she said. “We advise clients to apply for the document at the consulate or embassy, because a personal appearance is required.”

In 2013, Migrante UAE investigated the issue. It found that notarised documents were readily available from at least 10 travel agencies in Dubai for Dh300.

“The affidavit of support and guarantee is a form of state exaction,” said Nhel Morona, the country co-ordinator for migrant rights group Migrante Middle East. “It’s a useless document that does not guarantee that a passenger will be allowed to depart.”