Possible problem w/ Phil Immigrations during flight..Help!

[gil-n-joy 1]

Hi everyone.. I am bound to fly to be with my fiance on April 27.

I am however worried that an existing liability with the DOST (where I have a scholarship contract I have to fulfill i.e., reimburse the scholarship amount because I wasn't able to finish my graduate thesis) will cause a problem for me at the Phil immigration.

What are the probable reasons that this happens in the immigration?

What I'm trying to do right now is get clearance from DOST. The problem could have been solved if I can issue post-dated checks for DOST to clear me. But, I dont have a checking account and it seems the banks are stricter nowadays in issuing checking accounts so its almost impossible to get one right away. Another option is to ask my fiance to issue checks for me but I dont know how he can from US with only 3 days left in the regular working days..

I know my case is not common, but I was just wondering if there is anyone here familiar with immigration rules and procedures at the Phil airport on cases like this...

Thanks.. I hope someone here can help. please please..

Edited April 21, 2009 by giL & joy

[CaNdiD wiTcH 0]

Hi everyone.. I am bound to fly to be with my fiance on April 27.

I am however worried that an existing liability with the DOST (where I have a scholarship contract I have to fulfill i.e., reimburse the scholarship amount because I wasn't able to finish my graduate thesis) will cause a problem for me at the Phil immigration.

What are the probable reasons that this happens in the immigration?

What I'm trying to do right now is get clearance from DOST. The problem could have been solved if I can issue post-dated checks for DOST to clear me. But, I dont have a checking account and it seems the banks are stricter nowadays in issuing checking accounts so its almost impossible to get one right away. Another option is to ask my fiance to issue checks for me but I dont know how he can from US with only 3 days left in the regular working days..

I know my case is not common, but I was just wondering if there is anyone here familiar with immigration rules and procedures at the Phil airport on cases like this...

Thanks.. I hope someone here can help. please please..

I guess that would not be a problem.. Hold departure order are for those who have criminal offenses or those who have pending criminal liabilities in court.. Somebody correct me if I am wrong..

[hellINTIM 9]

Hi everyone.. I am bound to fly to be with my fiance on April 27.

I am however worried that an existing liability with the DOST (where I have a scholarship contract I have to fulfill i.e., reimburse the scholarship amount because I wasn't able to finish my graduate thesis) will cause a problem for me at the Phil immigration.

What are the probable reasons that this happens in the immigration?

What I'm trying to do right now is get clearance from DOST. The problem could have been solved if I can issue post-dated checks for DOST to clear me. But, I dont have a checking account and it seems the banks are stricter nowadays in issuing checking accounts so its almost impossible to get one right away. Another option is to ask my fiance to issue checks for me but I dont know how he can from US with only 3 days left in the regular working days..

I know my case is not common, but I was just wondering if there is anyone here familiar with immigration rules and procedures at the Phil airport on cases like this...

Thanks.. I hope someone here can help. please please..

i got rumor with that case. same with my auntie's client but she said they paid it bfore they go in states. u got ur visa and ticket thats not a problem anymore unless they hold u in immigration.

[gil-n-joy 1]

Hi everyone.. I am bound to fly to be with my fiance on April 27.

I am however worried that an existing liability with the DOST (where I have a scholarship contract I have to fulfill i.e., reimburse the scholarship amount because I wasn't able to finish my graduate thesis) will cause a problem for me at the Phil immigration.

What are the probable reasons that this happens in the immigration?

What I'm trying to do right now is get clearance from DOST. The problem could have been solved if I can issue post-dated checks for DOST to clear me. But, I dont have a checking account and it seems the banks are stricter nowadays in issuing checking accounts so its almost impossible to get one right away. Another option is to ask my fiance to issue checks for me but I dont know how he can from US with only 3 days left in the regular working days..

I know my case is not common, but I was just wondering if there is anyone here familiar with immigration rules and procedures at the Phil airport on cases like this...

Thanks.. I hope someone here can help. please please..

i got rumor with that case. same with my auntie's client but she said they paid it bfore they go in states. u got ur visa and ticket thats not a problem anymore unless they hold u in immigration.

Yes.. Paying it off before leaving will definitely solve the problem or at least pay post-dated checks.. Problem is I dont have the money and I don't have a checking account...

[gil-n-joy 1]

One question I have here also is.. Is it possible to issue a check from a US bank to an entity in Phils?

[David & Kezia 25]

Joy, kamusta yung nangyari sa DOST mo? Magkano ang binayaran mo?

Problema ko rin ýan ngayon. I didn't expect that I'd get a hit at the NBI because I already got a local clearance from them in 2004. I was even able to go to Hongkong for a few days last November 2009, and I didn't have any problems at the Immigration pati sa application & renewal ko ng passport ko.

Ang biggest worry ko ngayon ay sa Nov 22 ang schedule ng interview ko, at bumili na itong si David (na super excited at nami-miss na talaga ako) ng non-refundable non-rebookable tickets sa PAL for Dec 30. Even if I can reschedule my interview to give me more time to secure my DOST clearance (as a pre-requisite for the NBI clearance) and Immigration clearance, I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to prepare for everything until that Dec 30th. Andaming holidays na magkasunod-sunod ngayon. :-((

One major problem is money. I don't have any savings, and I don't have any job that can be credited with DOST, and he just started working again last year (and still has more than a hundred thousand dollars in student loans himself), so I don't know where we are going to get that money which must be a big amount, since I'm from the Physics program (3.5K yata ang allowance namin nun) and the interest will be computed for the past 10-13 years as I was awarded the scholarship in 1997.

I don't mind paying that amount myself later, pero sana naman I can have everything cleared before Friday next week (Nov19), dahil maagang maaga sa Monday ng Nov22 ang appointment ko at mahirap kumuha ng appointment ngayon. Pwede kayang utangin yun? Gaano kaya kabilis kumuha ng clearance?

I hope that you can share your experience with me.

Thanks!

-Kezia

[rheanick 42]

Hi everyone.. I am bound to fly to be with my fiance on April 27.

I am however worried that an existing liability with the DOST (where I have a scholarship contract I have to fulfill i.e., reimburse the scholarship amount because I wasn't able to finish my graduate thesis) will cause a problem for me at the Phil immigration.

What are the probable reasons that this happens in the immigration?

What I'm trying to do right now is get clearance from DOST. The problem could have been solved if I can issue post-dated checks for DOST to clear me. But, I dont have a checking account and it seems the banks are stricter nowadays in issuing checking accounts so its almost impossible to get one right away. Another option is to ask my fiance to issue checks for me but I dont know how he can from US with only 3 days left in the regular working days.. <img src="http://www.visajourney.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wacko.gif" />

I know my case is not common, but I was just wondering if there is anyone here familiar with immigration rules and procedures at the Phil airport on cases like this...

Thanks.. I hope someone here can help. please please.. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/helpsmilie.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="helpsmilie.gif" />

I have several friends who are DOST scholars.

2 friends both scholars in UP engineering masteral program had to pay before they could fly out to other countries to continue with their PhD scholarship. They are both PhD graduates now.

They are able to fly out after they submitted post dated check to DOST and got clearance from them.

DOST does not care where you get the money. You just need fund to pay them.

Use your brain. (I could not help saying this last line. Most of my scholar friends here this from me. Scholars have brain, that's why they are scholar. USE IT. )

[gil-n-joy 1]

It's good I found this old thread. I cant see anymore the old posts. It's good somebody made a comment and I got the link from the alert. Anyway, I've been here in Phoenix for a year and a half now. Here is the update to this experience...

Back then I have a DOST scholarship for my masters degree. I wasn't able to complete my thesis and decided to drop from masters in early 2009. Because I was in a contract that if I dont finish the degree I have to pay DOST back, I was afraid that they would put a hold-departure order for me in the Phil immigration at the airport.

What I did --- I went to DOST and gave them post-dated checks essentially to pay off what I owe them. Up to now I am still paying these monthly checks. They gave me a temporary clearance which I held onto in case they ask about it at the airport.

The checks I used were not mine. A good friend who trusts me had let me borrow her checks. I just transfer the money to her BPI account every month or whenever I have the money to cut down the debt. I maintain up to now my BPI account. I use Xoom to transfer money to my BPI, and then I transfer from my BPI to my friend's BPI account. I make sure my friend doesn't get in trouble with the checks she had let me borrow. I pay her on time or way in advance so the checks won't bounce. It's the only way to repay her goodwill.

On the day of my flight, nothing untoward happened. The thing with DOST was never even brought up by the immigration officer. I doubt if my case has even reached their radar. But I was confident because even if it did I was ready with my clearance from DOST.

So all was well after that. I hope this helps.

Edited November 11, 2010 by giL & joy

[gil-n-joy 1]

It's good I found this old thread. I cant see anymore the old posts. It's good somebody made a comment and I got the link from the alert. Anyway, I've been here in Phoenix for a year and a half now. Here is the update to this experience...

Back then I have a DOST scholarship for my masters degree. I wasn't able to complete my thesis and decided to drop from masters in early 2009. Because I was in a contract that if I dont finish the degree I have to pay DOST back, I was afraid that they would put a hold-departure order for me in the Phil immigration at the airport.

What I did --- I went to DOST and gave them post-dated checks essentially to pay off what I owe them. Up to now I am still paying these monthly checks. They gave me a temporary clearance which I held onto in case they ask about it at the airport.

The checks I used were not mine. A good friend who trusts me had let me borrow her checks. I just transfer the money to her BPI account every month or whenever I have the money to cut down the debt. I maintain up to now my BPI account. I use Xoom to transfer money to my BPI, and then I transfer from my BPI to my friend's BPI account. I make sure my friend doesn't get in trouble with the checks she had let me borrow. I pay her on time or way in advance so the checks won't bounce. It's the only way to repay her goodwill.

On the day of my flight, nothing untoward happened. The thing with DOST was never even brought up by the immigration officer. I doubt if my case has even reached their radar. But I was confident because even if it did I was ready with my clearance from DOST.

So all was well after that. I hope this helps.

I am paying I think over 150K to DOST. My monthly payment is PhP7166 ($150+) for 24 months, so that's 24 checks in that amount.

[David & Kezia 25]

I am paying I think over 150K to DOST. My monthly payment is PhP7166 ($150+) for 24 months, so that's 24 checks in that amount.

Thanks for the response Joy!

I'll see if I can find a way to do that too. Manghahagilap ako kung kanino ako makakakahiram ng ganung tseke.

If only I could show up at the interview without that NBI clearance and they'd allow me to go without that NBI clearance, wala siguro akong problema. I never had any problems with DFA and the Immigrations, and I found posts that several from our batchmates (1997) and others also from 1996 haven't had any problems with either, only with NBI, kaya malamang na hindi talaga kami listado dun sa dalawa.

Anong batch ka ba? Ilang sems ba yung sa'yo? I'm just wondering kung magkano kaya ang aabutin ng sa akin, kasi sabi sa Bicutan ay 5 semesters daw ako, although I don't remember being that long in the DOST Physics program. Sinabi pa nga sa akin nung matigil yung scholarship ko na hindi ko daw kailangan magbayad dahil di naman ako umabot ng 3rd year. No one told me then that I should have a clearance or a termination certificate. Wala ring naningil sa akin, kundi baka nabayaran ko yan nung 2004 or 2005 when I still had money. I'm hoping if you could tell me your batch and the number of semesters, maka-estimate ako sa aking babayaran din.

I'm going to UP Diliman today, after my medical (which I hopefully be cleared and have no issues), to get the real story and computation. Di nga lang ako nakatulog kagabi, pati si David, at kawawa naman yung isa dahil nagreport sa trabaho ng walang tulog. I'm still hoping and wishing that my real records would show that I didn't get the money for more than 4 semesters, so I can just get a termination certificate (which is all that the NBI officer said I'd need). And maybe I'll be able to get my NBI clearance, and worry about paying everything later. I have more than a month to worry if I am really listed at the immigration, as long as I get the NBI soon and have it for my Nov 22 interview.

I'm still praying...

:-(

Kezia

[iya 0]

Batchmate? DOST, awarded '97 din. Only had it for 2 years, decided in the end it wasn't worth it for me.

When getting the NBI clearance, nag-flag nga na may kontrata ako with DOST, and that I needed clearance from them (for some reason, only the college contract flagged.. yung HS contract namin, wala lang ). Not sure what exactly it was that I brought with me to Bicutan (proof that it terminated at the end of my second year.. pero di ko talaga maalala what it was), but I did get the clearance. I might have had to come back for it? It's been 3 years since I did it kaya di ko maalala. In any case, after I got the clearance from Bicutan, deretso na ako sa NBI to get their clearance.

Since you're going to UP Dil, advice ko lang.. stock up on those original TORs! Yan ang hassle sa akin ngayon. When I applied for a job sa govt, they wanted the original copy. E isa na lang ang copy ko.. so now I'm out. I know pwede naman mag-place ng order from here, pero ang mahal. At least compared to how much it costs to get them there. Since both my mom and my brother are still in UP (PhD and fresh grad na bibisibisita pa) I figured I can get one of them to get me copies. Wag lang tamarin!

[David & Kezia 25]

Batchmate? DOST, awarded '97 din. Only had it for 2 years, decided in the end it wasn't worth it for me.

When getting the NBI clearance, nag-flag nga na may kontrata ako with DOST, and that I needed clearance from them (for some reason, only the college contract flagged.. yung HS contract namin, wala lang ). Not sure what exactly it was that I brought with me to Bicutan (proof that it terminated at the end of my second year.. pero di ko talaga maalala what it was), but I did get the clearance. I might have had to come back for it? It's been 3 years since I did it kaya di ko maalala. In any case, after I got the clearance from Bicutan, deretso na ako sa NBI to get their clearance.

Since you're going to UP Dil, advice ko lang.. stock up on those original TORs! Yan ang hassle sa akin ngayon. When I applied for a job sa govt, they wanted the original copy. E isa na lang ang copy ko.. so now I'm out. I know pwede naman mag-place ng order from here, pero ang mahal. At least compared to how much it costs to get them there. Since both my mom and my brother are still in UP (PhD and fresh grad na bibisibisita pa) I figured I can get one of them to get me copies. Wag lang tamarin!

Batchmate!!! Great! I wasn't expecting another UPD person here, much less a batchmate and a DOST scholar too. You make me smile :-)

Ang sabi sa NBI, Termination Letter nga yata ang kailangan. Dapat kasi ay noon pa ito naibigay sa atin, but for some reason, they didn't give me mine after I lost my scholarship and I was only told at Diliman that I don't have to pay since I didn't reach my 3rd year. Hinalungkat nga kahapon yung records ko sa UP DOST Core Group pero hindi nila mahanap yung disbursements ko at yung Termination Letter ko. Wala rin daw ako sa 1999 nila na disbursement (which was when they started in UP) and I hope that it means that I didn't get anything in that year. Yung nakita lang nila ay copy ng grades ko and the records that show that I was on LOA for the whole school year 98-99. I hope that the same thing will show in the Bicutan records and I will only have 3 semesters under the program, or a maximum of 4 sems if ever.

Medyo magulo pa ang system ng DOST during our time, because if I remember it right, bago lang ang program natin and we were one of the few batches. Marami sa mga batch '96 and '97 ang nagrereport that they don't get hit, at yung '96 nga ay wala talagang hit totally. They failed to enter us into the databases of those 3 agencies dahil siguro may tinamad na mag-encode or naiwala ang listahan, except for the NBI (for us anyway). Wala ka rin bang problema sa passport (DFA) at sa airport (DFA)?

As for your clearance, I hope that you got the final clearance and not just the temporary clearance, and you're totally removed from their databases. Some newer batches are complaining that even with the final clearances, they still get the same trouble everytime they go out of the country or get their passport or get their NBI clearance, because they don't update their databases even if they already "cleared" you on paper. You might want to check that.

Yung sa TOR naman, I'm getting mine from UPV in Miag-ao, dahil sa Cebu na ako nag-graduate. Mas hassle dahil mas malayo, pero tumatanggap naman sila ng online request plus money order (and I hope later tumatanggap na sila ng remittance). Kahapon, dahil pinabalik ako sa Bicutan dahil wala nga ang records ko sa UPD, I was required to submit my TOR or TCG daw. Eh sobrang tagal kumuha nun, at holiday pa man din sa Tuesday. Kailangang kailangan ko na ng clearance ko by Thu at dapat ma-clear ako sa NBI before 5PM on that day para makahabol ako sa appointment ko sa embassy. Buti na lang nag-suggest ang UPD people na mag-printout na lang ng grades sa CRS at ipakiusap sa Bicutan. Kulang kulang ang results sa CRS at hindi updated for removals and LOAs, pero napakiusapan ko naman na tanggapin na muna para lang maging basehan nung subjects ko talaga for those few years. Hassle talaga dahil may accident pa sa SLEX kahapon at tumagal ng 3 hours ang byahe ko from MRT at naging 200+ ang binayaran ko sa taxi na normally ay nasa 70 lang. Muntik akong di umabot sa mga tao sa DOST-SEI, at pasalamat ko lang na mababait pa rin ang mga tao doon, at hindi rin sila nag-FLYday. I'll just call her again on Monday to remind her of my case, and I hope that she can find my records before noon and assess everything so I can know my real status (at makatulog na) after lunch.

Just to be sure, and in case that I'll be required to pay, maghahagilap na rin ako ng bank sa Monday morning na papayag na mabigyan ako ng checking account (with my first checkbook) right away, even with a zero banking or credit history, basta may opening deposit and maintaining balance lang. Gusto ko sana ng BDO, pero 6-months history on the same branch ang requirement nila, kaya may nag-suggest sa akin na sa BPI daw. I just hope that it's true.

Over all, ang DOST scholarship na yan ay pinagsisisihan ko ng malaki. I had other options then, and I even had the UP Gov't. Scholarship, pero dahil hinahabol ko yung promised 3.5K stipend ng DOST na hindi ko rin naman nakuha, yun ang tinanggap ko. Dapat pala ay yung UPGS na lang ang kinuha ko dahil walang gaanong conditions at pwede pa sa kahit anong kurso, because it was only based on merit from my UPCAT. Andaming hassle nitong DOST. May iba pang batches na nagco-complain dahil kahit hindi nila tinanggap ang scholarship, basta nakapasa lang, napa-flag na kaagad dun sa 3 agencies at kailangan pang gumastos ng malaki at magbuhos ng oras just to get all the clearances.

Kaya doon sa mga nakakabasa na may mga kapatid, anak, at iba pang relatives and friends na nag-aambisyon ng DOST Scholarship in college, advice them against it kung may ibang options na lang din naman. Mas maganda na ang private scholarships na walang gaanong condition, or kung meron man it's usually to work at their company, which is a good deal because it's guaranteed work after graduation.

For now, I'm wishing and hoping that I don't have to pay, AND I get my clearance by Thursday morning at the latest.

-Kezia

[David & Kezia 25]

Moderators, can this thread be added a subtitle that says something like "for DOST Scholars"? It's to make it easier for others to see that it's a specific thread for such issues, because the main title is too broad and a DOST Scholar who is still unaware that he/she might get problems wouldn't see it easily (and open it). It would be easier for our peers to see and read this thread right away when they see it, and way before they discover their problems too close to their interview dates.

Thanks!

-Kezia

[iya 0]

Well, it's been ~3 years since I got my clearance sa NBI, so baka nagbago na ang requirements nila for clearance from DOST contracts. For sure, ang natatandaan ko, nung unang punta ko ay sabi nung Mr NBI guy ay "Ano ba ang plano mo? Hindi ka ma-c-clear hanggat hindi mo naaayos itong sa DOST. Kailangan mong pumunta sa Bicutan." at hindi Termination Letter ang binigay sa akin. Hindi ko na nga sinubukan yung sa Core group at di naman talaga ako natutulungan dun kapag may kailangan ako They're great people, pero iba lang siguro ang expectations ko.

In any case, hassle nga talaga ang DOST scholarship. Tama ka, kung may ibang options, why not? I didn't think it was going to be that much of a hassle for me dahil whether I took the DOST scholarship in college or not, technically ay may kontrata pa ako with DOST nung HS (pisay). Buti na lang at hindi nag trigger yun sa system.. although if needed, I could have scrounged up proof of employment locally in a science-ish field. Yung kapatid kong kaka-graduate lang, tinapos with DOST and oblation.. so doble ang utang nya, so to speak. Gusto sanang mag master's sa Utah, pero dahil andaming churva ng DOST, parang nag-aalangan na tuloy. You really have to weigh the cost of the scholarship!! For some people, it's worth it dahil wala naman silang plano whatsoever na umalis ng Pinas (that was also my case.. malay ko ba na US cit ang mapapangasawa ko, diba?)

I'm not so sure about the scholarship stuff being "bago" around our time. Matagal nang may scholarship ang DOST, kahit nung NSDB pa sya. My mom was on that scholarship, too, pero dahil jurassic na ang account na yun ay walang record sa NBI. Pero siguro, during our time sila nag-o-overhaul ng system with computerization of records and actually communicating with the other agencies. Dun tayo nasabit. I know some of my teachers in HS (former pisay or DOST scholars din na slightly older than us lang) had problems with their NBI clearances, kaya hindi sa batch natin nag-umpisa ang problems.

Sa DFA, I had no problems whatsoever. Sa airport, syempre tense ako dahil baka nga may stop order pa ang DOST.. Kahit may visa and ticket and everything na, makalimutan lang nilang i-clear ka sa isang aspeto, problema na! But it all went through with no problems. Ang pinaka-hurdle talaga ay yung DOST-NBI clearance combo, at yung interview sa embassy.

I must say, though.. ang hirap ng kaso mo. Ang dami naman nilang hinihingi na super specific! In my case, dahil wala naman akong termination letter, i THINK ang meron ako ay class cards (na bungi bungi), posibleng tcg (na hindi sa last sem ko with DOST) at form-5 for the semesters when I started paying for tuition (buti na lang pack rat ako, and I had some of those with me!). I remember nung nagpunta ako ng Bicutan, naglabas sila ng giant hardbound notebook, tas dun hinanap yung pangalan ko (feeling San Pedro at the pearly gates! Haha). I think hindi nabigay sa kanila ng Core group ang last set of grades ko kaya technically hindi "terminated" ang status ko sa Bicutan. Parang awol, or waiting for updates or something. So nung pinakita ko yung grades and papers ko, may sinulat lang sa giant notebook, and then balikan ko daw after <x amount of time>. From pick-up ko nung clearance, deretso na ako sa NBI and got my clearance the same day. I'm not worried about whether it's temporary or not. The way I see it, cleared na ako, and if I go back with a US passport, wala nang look-ups sa DOST dbase nyan

Good luck sa clearance! I know it's stressful and can be quite frustrating. Sana nga ay hindi mo kailanganing magbayad, since hindi ka naman tumuntong ng 3rd year with the scholarship. Pasensya na at wala akong mai-recommend na mapagkakatiwalaang bangko. Hindi rin ako nagkaron ng checking account o credit card dyan. I did have that landbank atm account for DOST dahil required for stipend remittance Baka bigyan ka ng consideration ng landbank if you want to open an account with them, considering it's for DOST, and they have ties?

PS

Naaliw ako at binilhan ka agad ng plane ticket! Excited Matinding pagpilit ko na ako ang bibili ng ticket ko noon dahil ayaw ko rin nung additional stress na may hahabulin pa akong flight deadline. Pero kilig moment. Mas kilig pag nakakuha ka na ng clearance at makakatulog na kayo sa gabi! Hope all goes well!!!

[Amelie 2]

Moderators, can this thread be added a subtitle that says something like "for DOST Scholars"? It's to make it easier for others to see that it's a specific thread for such issues, because the main title is too broad and a DOST Scholar who is still unaware that he/she might get problems wouldn't see it easily (and open it). It would be easier for our peers to see and read this thread right away when they see it, and way before they discover their problems too close to their interview dates.

Thanks!

-Kezia

I am so glad I found this thread. Ito kasi ang worry ko ngayon. I enjoyed the scholarship for 4 years. Batch 2001 ako, BS Stat. I was able to work for a total of 2 years and 8 months. Bale babayaran ko pa ang remaining plus interest daw na 12%. My dad is willing to lend me money to pay for it, buti na lang nabasa ko dito na pwede pala postdated checks. Mabigat kasi sa bulsa pag minsanan. Punta ako sa DOST next week at magtatanong. Pero kelangan ko pa ng employment letter from one of my previous employees. Di ko na kasi mahanap. Kaka-stress!