Scope and Applicability
- The validity rule applies exclusively to OFWs traveling to countries in the Middle East and Africa where there are no resident Philippine Embassies.
- Applying this requirement is mandatory before processing or issuing the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).
Enumerated Countries in the Middle East and Africa
- Middle Eastern countries covered:
- Cyprus, Palestine, Syria, Yemen
- African countries covered:
- Algeria, Mozambique, Angola, Niger, Benin, Namibia, Botswana, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Sao Tome & Principe, Burundi, Senegal, Cameroon, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Somalia, Chad, Sudan, Comoros, Swaziland, Congo, Tanzania, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Djibouti, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Eritrea, Western Sahara, Ethiopia, Zaire, Gabon, Zambia, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi
Purpose and Rationale
- To prevent issues related to passport expiration during the deployment period.
- To facilitate smooth processing and minimal administrative delays in renewing or revalidating passports abroad.
Procedural Requirement
- Compliance with the passport validity prerequisite is a condition precedent to the OEC issuance.
- The OEC is a critical document needed for legal overseas employment.
Responsible Authorities
- The memorandum circular is based on the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
- The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) enforces the validity requirement.
Implementation Date and Authority
- The memorandum circular was adopted on March 1, 1999.
- Signed and issued by Angeles T. Wong-Garcia, Deputy Administrator and Officer-in-Charge of POEA.