If you are coming back to Thailand from this summer vacation and are confused on what to do, this might be your guide to coming back to the kingdom without any hassle.

This article is written based on the issue of Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) suspension due to an internal investigation by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA). Again, OEC is a requirement for returning employed Filipino workers who were directly or indirectly hired by their employers. After online registration through the Balik Manggagawa (BM) website, you are then set to have an appointment to your local POEA office nationwide. This is believed to be a step by the Philippine government to protect migrant workers employed abroad.

Each Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), upon departure, must secure with them their OECs, whether it be the actual OEC itself or an exemption number if you came home within 1 year since your last departure. This is very important for OFWs since both the POEA and Bureau of Immigration (BI) must have a record of you on their system.

Before checking in with your airline, be sure to have a photocopy of your passport’s cover and visa pages. This is also crucial if you wish to receive your travel tax and terminal fee exemption at the airport. Once your OEC and photocopies are ready and have passed through airport security, approach the OFW booth and present your documents to them. Affix your signatures on all these photocopies to claim your exemption fees.

These steps may vary from airline to airline. The above steps were experienced by Cebu Pacific passengers. While on the Philippine Airlines’ side, some passengers had to ask for a print out of their LI code, which is asked from any ground crew station, be it at the boarding gate or at the check-in counter. This is an additional requirement if you wish to receive your terminal fee exemption.

May these tips and steps be beneficial to returning OFWs, most specially to our beloved followers. Again, this is only a guide to our fellow countrymen and non-inclusive to all.