Philippines: Resumption of In-Person Requirements for Emigration Clearance Certificates and Applicants of Spousal Visas
December 8, 2023
Individuals applying for the regular Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) or ECC-A at the Main Office of the Bureau of Immigration must now make a personal appearance in order to obtain the certificate to depart the Philippines. The ECC-A are issued to departing foreign nationals to show that they have no negative criminal records in the Philippines and have no pending obligations with the government at the time of issuance. This requirement was already in place at the Bureau’s Extension Office at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the PEZA Immigration Extension Office. ECC’s are required for departure for holders of Temporary Visitor Visas who have stayed in the Philippines for six months or more; holders of expired or downgraded immigrant or non-immigrant visas; and holders of Temporary Visitor Visas with Orders to Leave. Additionally, applicants for spousal visas are again required to attend in-person interviews at the Bureau of Immigration, after COVID-19 concessions expired. Interested parties should note that both the petitioner spouse and the applicant spouse must appear in person for the interview, and they can also be accompanied by an attorney.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected]. We worked closely with our Philippine affiliates in Manila to prepare this alert.
Explore more at Fragomen
Podcast
Associates Stephanie D. Weaver and Julia Manacher examine immigration issues emerging in a popular reality television series, including K-1 visa denials, consular non-reviewability, fraud findings and changing adjudication policies.
Blog post
Manager Dr. Adela Schmidt examines common misconceptions in German citizenship law, including birthright citizenship, dual citizenship, citizenship by descent and naturalization processing, and explains why eligibility often depends on specific legal requirements, timelines and documentation.
Awards
Partner Audrea Golding, Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Senior Talent Development Director Wendy Milici have been named finalists in the 2026 TLC Lions Human Awards Americas, recognizing their contributions to human-centered leadership, workplace culture and inclusion.
Media mentions
Fragomen and SICPA have launched a global joint venture to develop an end-to-end digital identity platform that enables secure identity verification, document authentication and verifiable credential management.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how potential changes to H-1B visas, employment-based green cards and OPT could impact employers’ workforce planning and compliance obligations.
Media mentions
In a Leaders in Motion interview with World Business Travel Forum, Partner Ali Haider and Nomadic CEO Carsten Østberg discuss recent travel and mobility developments across the Middle East and practical considerations for employers managing cross-border talent in the region.
Media mentions
Partner Rachel Beardsley explains how new DHS guidance clarifies that dairy employers may use the H-2A program when they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and SICPA announced the formation of a global joint venture to advance next-generation digital identity solutions for governments, enterprises and individuals.
Blog post
Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Adam Schwartz, Director in the Global Mobility practice at Andersen, discuss how immigration and tax considerations intersect across common US immigration classifications and why early coordination can help travelers, employers and advisors reduce compliance risks and make more informed mobility decisions.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Sarah Melnick and Kimberly Elmazi discuss key considerations for foreign nationals planning international summer travel, including visa appointment planning, document preparation, consular interviews, port-of-entry procedures and I-94 review.
Podcast
UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Jonathan Thomas of the Social Market Foundation, Dr. Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory, University of Oxford and Steve McCauley of the University of Cambridge to discuss what a new UK Prime Minister could mean for immigration policy, employers and workforce mobility.
Podcast
Associates Stephanie D. Weaver and Julia Manacher examine immigration issues emerging in a popular reality television series, including K-1 visa denials, consular non-reviewability, fraud findings and changing adjudication policies.
Blog post
Manager Dr. Adela Schmidt examines common misconceptions in German citizenship law, including birthright citizenship, dual citizenship, citizenship by descent and naturalization processing, and explains why eligibility often depends on specific legal requirements, timelines and documentation.
Awards
Partner Audrea Golding, Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Senior Talent Development Director Wendy Milici have been named finalists in the 2026 TLC Lions Human Awards Americas, recognizing their contributions to human-centered leadership, workplace culture and inclusion.
Media mentions
Fragomen and SICPA have launched a global joint venture to develop an end-to-end digital identity platform that enables secure identity verification, document authentication and verifiable credential management.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how potential changes to H-1B visas, employment-based green cards and OPT could impact employers’ workforce planning and compliance obligations.
Media mentions
In a Leaders in Motion interview with World Business Travel Forum, Partner Ali Haider and Nomadic CEO Carsten Østberg discuss recent travel and mobility developments across the Middle East and practical considerations for employers managing cross-border talent in the region.
Media mentions
Partner Rachel Beardsley explains how new DHS guidance clarifies that dairy employers may use the H-2A program when they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and SICPA announced the formation of a global joint venture to advance next-generation digital identity solutions for governments, enterprises and individuals.
Blog post
Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Adam Schwartz, Director in the Global Mobility practice at Andersen, discuss how immigration and tax considerations intersect across common US immigration classifications and why early coordination can help travelers, employers and advisors reduce compliance risks and make more informed mobility decisions.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Sarah Melnick and Kimberly Elmazi discuss key considerations for foreign nationals planning international summer travel, including visa appointment planning, document preparation, consular interviews, port-of-entry procedures and I-94 review.
Podcast
UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Jonathan Thomas of the Social Market Foundation, Dr. Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory, University of Oxford and Steve McCauley of the University of Cambridge to discuss what a new UK Prime Minister could mean for immigration policy, employers and workforce mobility.
