What are the requirements and procedures for the lifting of Hold Departure Order (HDO) here in the Philippines? Read on as we will show you the step by step guide on how to lift your hold departure order. But first, here is a piece of quick information about HDO: A Hold Departure Order (HDO) is issued to person/s with pending criminal case as ordered by a trial court such as RTC, Sandiganbayan, or the Supreme Court. It prevents the person/s from leaving the country without asking permission from the court where the case is pending. You must file to lift your hold departure order only if your case is dismissed or if you are acquitted of a criminal case.
Here are the requirements and procedures for the lifting of Hold Departure Order:
Step 1.
Before you should start, you must first verify if you have a derogatory record filed at the Bureau of Immigration (BI). To do this, you must go to the BI main office and file a request for verification at the Clearance and Certification Section. Just fill out the required form, present your passport, and pay the fee for the transaction. If positive that you have a Hold Departure Order, please proceed to Step 2.
Step 2.
Get a copy of the order/decision from the court that issued the dismissal or acquittal of your case.
Step 3.
Make a letter request for the lifting of your HDO. Your lawyer may help you compose the letter request.
Step 4.
Go to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) main office and submit the case order along with the letter of request. Pay the required fee.
Step 5.
You will have to wait because the whole process of the lifting of HDO at the Bureau of Immigration usually takes a week or two. The BI will transmit a notice to different airports and other concerned offices for implementation once your HDO is lifted. You may call the BI trunk line number at (032) 465-2400 to follow up on the status of the lifting of your hold departure order.
After receiving verbal information from your lawyer or your contacts at the BI that you are now allowed to travel abroad, it is recommended to follow “Step 1” for verification. This will make sure that the information on the lifting of your HDO has been properly disseminated around the country.