Taking One Pre-Schooler To U.S Without Wife

[scott h]

23 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Just checking...

sorry Tommy...….an old Yankee joke youse guys north of the 45th parallel might not use it 

[Tommy T.]

 No need for sorry...

I spent my "formative years" south of that... I knew what you did... but just had to bust you!!!

But "youse guys???" You sound like you are from Chicago!

Sorry OP... we have ventured way off topic as sometimes happens...

Edited April 2, 2020 by Tommy T.

[OnMyWay]

44 minutes ago, scott h said:

Just to put your mind at ease, you "should" have no problem at all. Sense you have lots of time, just fill out all the paper work, cross you I's and dot your T's and you'll be find. Most like long and drawn out process, but you got the time 

What paperwork?  What long and drawn out process?

[OnMyWay]

1 hour ago, OHNO said:

Dave, Thank you for for the relevant questions. My mistake was to think because I am completely legit everybody here can magically read my mind. We are the boring married, child born in wedlock. I am a typical neurotic and probably has every legal document related to birth and after I run out of them I have pictures of the little monster stuffing carrots in his nose. Yes we are legit as most people define it.

Thank you for the highly productive questions so I don’t miss anything. (sincerely) 

Yes, you made this harder by not stating the exact circumstance at the beginning, which is that your son is a dual citizen with a U.S. and Filipino passport, was born in the Philippines, and has never traveled outside the Philippines.  Correct me if I am wrong.  You should not have any issues and are headed in the right direction.  I have taken my 2 dual citizen kids out of the country several times, but never by myself. 

However, I see one missing piece of information.  Are you a permanent resident of the Philippines with a permanent resident visa?  If you are on a tourist visa trying to take your permanent resident child out, that may be an issue.

Here is what I would check and do if it were me, and I am on a 13A permanent resident visa.  Like you, I like to have all my ducks in a row.  Names on documents are important.

1.  His passports should have the same name on them.  The structure of first-middle-last may differ on the U.S. and Filipino passport, but they should match.  And that name should match his NSO / PSA birth certificate.

2.  On his NSO / PSA birth certificate, your name should match your passport and your wife's name should match her ID, preferably her passport.  I don't see a need to notarize the BC as long as it is the original from NSO / PSA.

3.  You don't need DSWD clearance.

4.  The main reason for a letter from your wife would be to refute any ideas that you are carrying out a parental abduction, which is the most common form of child abduction.  I usually do overkill on stuff like this, just to be safe, and never use it.  Makes me feel secure!

A.  Make the letter on a sheet of paper that includes a color copy of her passport bio page.  Short and sweet paragraph about why you and the son are travelling without her and the baby, with her permission.  Signed and dated of course.  I really don't think it needs to be notarized, but that is what I would ask BI.

B.  Recent pictures of the family together.  Have her sign and date.

5.  Your air tickets should be round-trip, for a reasonable length of time, and names must match.

6.  As mentioned, Philippines Immigration is fairly responsive on their Facebook page.  Might be slow now with all the offices closed.  Message them and ask them what your need to do.  Make sure you state clearly "my son is a dual citizen with a U.S. and Filipino passport, was born in the Philippines, has never traveled outside the Philippines, and will travel with only his father".

7.  At the airport, always give both passports to immigration in PH and US.  The immigration agent at Manila gave me a hard time about that last time.

8.  If you are on a 13-A marriage visa, you will need to get an ECC-B at the airport.  For other visas, you will get ECC-A beforehand at an immigration office.  Your son does not need ECC.

9.  Depending on your visa status, you may need to pay travel tax.  Your son will need to pay it.

Keep us updated.  I may need to do this some day.

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by OnMyWay

[hk blues]

Might just be me but it seems strange to join a forum and immediately start throwing around terms such as "civilization" and "third world country" when asking questions of forum members. many of whom are likely to have chosen the Philippines as their home. 

[Jack Peterson]

6 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Might just be me but it seems strange to join a forum and immediately start throwing around terms such as "civilization" and "third world country" when asking questions of forum members. many of whom are likely to have chosen the Philippines as their home. 

 Could be with respect to the OP at this time, one more of the many new members we have had over the years that just does not want to be here. Of course as with a lot of things, I may be wrong but HK no, it is not just you.  My sometimes suspicious Mind  is well known to my contemporaries here and yes, it has sometimes put me in trouble But...................

[hk blues]

2 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Could be with respect to the OP at this time, one more of the many new members we have had over the years that just does not want to be here. Of course as with a lot of things, I may be wrong but HK no, it is not just you.  My sometimes suspicious Mind  is well known to my contemporaries here and yes, it has sometimes put me in trouble But...................

We're on the same page, Jack. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

4.  The main reason for a letter from your wife would be to refute any ideas that you are carrying out a parental abduction, which is the most common form of child abduction.  I usually do overkill on stuff like this, just to be safe, and never use it.  Makes me feel secure!

If I was the official at the "emigration" booth at the airport, my first question would be:  Why is the mother not going.

Personally, I do not care what the reason is.  The poster just needs to be prepared to answer that question to the satisfaction of the official.

[OnMyWay]

22 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

If I was the official at the "emigration" booth at the airport, my first question would be:  Why is the mother not going.

Personally, I do not care what the reason is.  The poster just needs to be prepared to answer that question to the satisfaction of the official.

Yes, and I think one reason is that she will have a newborn.  And of course, cost is always a factor.  My wife has encouraged me to go visit my relatives with just one daughter, because the cost for 2 of us much less that our entire family of 5.  My older daughter just turned 6 so it is something I might consider in the future.

Also, I forgot to mention, it would be good if the wife can go to the airport.  Depending on the airport, she would not be able to go far inside, but she could wait outside until all is well.  On the remote chance that there is a problem, she would be nearby.  Arrive at the airport early!

[hk blues]

20 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Also, I forgot to mention, it would be good if the wife can go to the airport.  Depending on the airport, she would not be able to go far inside, but she could wait outside until all is well.  On the remote chance that there is a problem, she would be nearby.  Arrive at the airport early!

Excellent advice