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Mai-tide · 25-05-2013, 22:29

My brother in law wants to know if it is ok for him to sail from Hawaii to the Philippines without a passport. However he will be carrying his Hawaiian state id and his birth Certificate from Hawaii. He is not able to renew his passport due to the fact that he owes child support and taxes.

He just wants to crew a sailboat with his friends to the Philippines and back to Hawaii. So would it be ok if he just stayed on board while they are at port in the Philippines? So technically he never touches land in the Philippines.

Help anyone?

mausgras · 25-05-2013, 22:35

NO .- he can't

Aargau · 25-05-2013, 22:36

Nope. If they enter territorial waters, they have to declare all crew with passport info for each.

daddle · 25-05-2013, 22:38

It is illegal. That is certain. He can try. Better bring cash for a return air ticket. Nobody ever comes to the boat or checks anything. So chance of initial success is high.

The foolish captain would best drop him off at the first beach and both deny they ever saw each other.

Philippine jail is probably of lovely abode.

He'll ruin it for everybody if he gets caught.

Mai-tide · 25-05-2013, 23:09

I thought so too. He keeps on arguing with me that he can since his passport actually will expire this July. Well thanks for confirming things and winning a $10 bet

mausgras · 26-05-2013, 03:01

Sounds to me like he needs to pay that child support and those taxes ..........

MarkJ · 26-05-2013, 03:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by mausgras

Sounds to me like he needs to pay that child support and those taxes ..........

+1

bgallinger · 26-05-2013, 04:51

In a word....NO

**boatman61** · 26-05-2013, 05:10

YES...... but remember...

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction...

Boatguy30 · 26-05-2013, 05:11

Your brother eh?

S/V Illusion · 26-05-2013, 05:44

Did it occur to you to tell him to be a man, be responsible and get a job to pay his child support rather than go sailing?

**skipmac** · 26-05-2013, 06:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Did it occur to you to tell him to be a man, be responsible and get a job to pay his child support rather than go sailing?

What a concept. Own up to his responsibilities instead of partying?

banjoship · 26-05-2013, 06:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by daddle

It is illegal. That is certain. He can try. Better bring cash for a return air ticket. Nobody ever comes to the boat or checks anything. So chance of initial success is high.

The foolish captain would best drop him off at the first beach and both deny they ever saw each other.

Philippine jail is probably of lovely abode.

He'll ruin it for everybody if he gets caught.

I can only agree with Daddle. For your BIL to arrive with expired passport and expect to get in reeks of American arrogance and superiority, treating the Philippines as an inferior country. Things are lax in the Philippines, but not that lax.

Any cash your BIL might have when he arrives, will disappear on initial apprehension, from then on deportation will be an ugly affair.

Last January I had the experience of a personal guided tour through a low/medium security prison in a province noted for a low crime rate. A foreigner there without local family support and outside income would have a very hard time of it. I cannot think what conditions might be like in a higher security prison in Luzon.

I can only agree that if your BIL gets caught it will help ruin things for everybody. The Philippines is possibly the most liberal country in SE Asia when it comes to immigration and customs clearance for yachts. Its so easy to comply. Those who don't and get caught will lead to an inevitable tightening.

In my travels, I have met various people travelling under the radar in the Philippines...illegal aliens, yachts that have not cleared in or done immigration. Some of these people are rat smart and may get away with it, others are just plain stupid. Where is your BIL?

I will stop now, you may sense a bit of heat in my post.

Lee