International travelers may soon face an additional fee when entering or leaving the Philippines as the Bureau of Immigration (BI) plans to implement a new border security system under a public-private partnership project.
Under the proposal, international passengers will be charged a $4 fee, or around P240 based on current exchange rates, for both arrivals and departures. This means travelers taking roundtrip international flights may pay an additional P480. According to BI documents, the fee will be integrated into airline ticket costs.
The fee will support the proposed Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS) project, which aims to modernize border management systems across 11 international airports, one international seaport, and six mobile border crossing stations.
The project includes new technologies such as biometric systems, automated border controls, self-service e-gates, traveler screening tools, and real-time risk assessment systems.
According to the BI, the project was proposed by foreign company Securiport LLC in partnership with a local firm through an unsolicited proposal submitted in 2023. The Department of Justice approved the project in December 2025.
The project has an estimated cost of P10.7 billion. BI said the private partner will finance, build, operate, and maintain the system under a Build-Train-Maintain-Transfer arrangement, with no government subsidies or guarantees.
The BI said the modernization project aims to improve border security, passenger processing, and data-sharing capabilities. The agency is targeting to issue a notice of award later this year.
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