The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) completed the roll-out of the e-Travel Customs System in all international airports. With this, all arriving and departing passengers can now fill-out the electronic Customs Baggage Declaration Form (e-CBDF) and electronic Currencies Declaration Form (e-CDF), as applicable, using the e-Travel website at https://etravel.gov.ph/ or by downloading the eGovPH application within 72 hours [three (3) days] prior to arrival into or departure from the Philippines.

For a seamless travel clearance, one QR code per passenger shall be used in the e-Travel System starting May 10, 2024.

Upon arrival or before departure, passengers shall present their passports to the Immigration Officer for e-Travel registration confirmation and the QR Code to the Customs Officer for clearance.

The e-CBDF must be filled-out by all arriving passengers, while the e-CDF is filled-out by arriving and departing passengers when they are bringing-in into or taking out local and/or foreign currencies beyond the allowed threshold.

The BOC also reiterates its strict implementation of the rules on cross-border transfer of currencies, particularly the following:

a. Any person, who brings into or takes out of the Philippines foreign currency, in excess of USD10,000 or its equivalent is required to declare the whole amount brought into or taken out of the Philippines in the e-CDF.

b. For Philippine currency, a person may bring into or take out of the Philippines an amount not exceeding PHP50,000. Amounts in excess of the limit shall require:
(a) prior written authorization from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP); and
(b) declaration of the whole amount brought into or taken out of the Philippines in the e-CDF.

The BSP, however, allows cross-border transfer of local currency in excess of the limit only for the following purposes: (a) Testing/calibration/configuration of money counting/sorting machines; (b) Numismatics (collection of currency); and (c) Currency awareness.

VIOLATION OF THE RULES ON CROSS-BORDER TRANSFER OF CURRENCIES OR FALSE DECLARATION OR NON-DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE OR FOREIGN CURRENCIES SHALL RESULT TO CONFISCATION BY CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES.

Moreover, passengers are reminded that the BSP does not issue a written authorization upon arrival or after confiscation of the excess peso. ##