Well after a successful spouse visa application my wife and step-daughter are due to fly to the UK in the next couple of days but yet another query I have. They are departing from Manila and we are aware of the travel tax they have to pay before checking in but for the life of me I am unable to find out what the current charge is for an adult (wife) and 6 year old (step-daughter). I have also read about a Terminal Fee that needs to be paid whereas other websites says it no longer exists. She is converting her money to sterling before travel and wants to have just enough pesos before travelling to pay the tax. As with the whole visa process I have searched the internet for clarity but find conflicting information so am turning again to this site for any advice.
Yes bigmac they have, actually attended the seminar prior to visa decision but as you will be aware, they don't get the sticker in the passport until the visa vignette is there, they got that yesterday having travelled to Manila. Flying out Thursday and inbound very soon! Last thing to do is get the BRP at the given Post Office (which is miles away) when they arrive. As an aside, thank you for all your personal advice in my application, hope I can be as helpful for others.
This might help, as you say looks a bit muddled on various sites however look at second paragraph www.detourista.com/guide/philippine-airports/ Good luck hope they have a good journey and landing
Link agrees with my memory of departing internationally from both manila and clark. At Clark definitely have terminal fee but never remember having to pay terminal fee at Manila. Have to pay travel tax at both airports. Seem to remember traveling with philipine airlines that they stated that if traveling with child then the travel tax is not built into the ticket price. Process as I remember is that you go to checkin, they do the majority of checkin and then when confirm that have not paid the travel tax get sent off to the Travel Tax desk to pay and come back with the receipt and then they issue the boarding passes. After that go to departures. Only changed pesos to pounds once at manila airport when traveling with philipine airlines and remember the rate was not great at the one exchange desk in the philipine airlines terminal. That was about two years ago so may have changed. At the philippine airlines terminal sure that there was no money changing options after going through security - got caught on that the first time leaving. Rate at the one money exchange in the terminal was not great either. Other terminals may be better although really want the BDO exchange desk as they always seem to have the best rates at the airports for GBP to Pesos. Can change the money after paying all the taxes but before going through security although might want to keep something for snacks in the departure area. Adult Travel Tax is 1620 and child travel tax is 820 assuming that you are traveling economy. http://tieza.gov.ph/travel-tax/ Have a good trip
Just make sure she has 4- 5,000 available in pesos, which will cover any expenses inside the terminal, plus drink/snack en route if transiting. Don't fret over exchange rates on that amount.
Last year I flew from MNL to Thailand with the g.f. She had to pay the tax at the airport. To avoid the queues at peak times we actually paid the tax a few days before the departure date during a quiet time of day.
Asawa, just like OFW’s is excempt from travel tax. http://tieza.gov.ph/travel-tax/travel-tax-exemption/
Reading that you have to be in country for less than a year. This scenario is leaving for first time. I wondered about it as wife and stepchildren were in UK and came back in September on temporary visit visas and planning on going to UK begining of Feb on settlement visa but of course only have vignette as opposed to BRP when leaving this time.
Maybe you should both arrive at NAIA with minimal amounts of cash, then when inside you can ask what you need to pay, then just use an ATM to withdraw whats needed in Php.. plenty of ATM,s in the Terminal.. I think the Travel Tax is included in the airfare now, but the Terminal fee still needs to be paid..
@Stevembe is in the UK currently and it is his wife and step-daughter who are departing Manila. I think @graham59 makes a valid suggestion in his post above.
Well it turns out, my wife enquired, that the travel tax is included in all flight bookings now but it never used to be. Terminal fee still applies which she had to pay. All good now, using flight tracker they are both just about to fly over India heading for London Heathrow and they will be here early hours tomorrow!
@Stevembe a little tip for in the morning. If they are held up at UKBA and you feel you need to speak to somebody in UKBA there are free internal phones you can use that go into UKBA they are situated on the Stanton in the arrivals hall near WHSmiths. Hope it all goes well and enjoy every moment of them walking through the doors
Thanks @Mattecube. They were through immigration quickly and walked into arrivals 45 minutes after landing. A truly happy moment!
