I was just in my first year of my 10 SOR when i visited the Philippines to see my friend and family, which was great. A big birthday was planned 2 months later so I decided to go back to attend. Many arrangements were made for me by the family and I went to Manila.........only to get the shock of my life and was denied entry. I have posted on here before about this experience, and i do not wish it on anyone. I broke down in tears (yes men in their 60's do !!) and was put back on the plane to the UK. 

So as well as trying to explain to friends and family why I came back early, I do not want to repeat this experience. 

So what now? I am sponsoring a friend in Bohol (the island hit by the typhoon on 17th December 21) and am desperate to go there to help him rebuild the house we built together (my money, his design and his project management). Obviously with covid it is impossible anyway, but what for the future? My PPU officer knows how clean and honest i am and no Green notice should be issued for any of my trips, but what of the Philippines Immigration? Will they have me on their records and refuse me a second time?

Anyone with experience of this?

Hi, I have extended family in Thailand and my last visit was when I was on bail, non of the authorities tried to stop me - by that I mean the investigation officers.
I am/have always been classed as low risk, have not been suitable for any SO course etc, my offence was I paid for sex and the female turned out to be under 18, something I did not know.
The various PPUs I have been under have all stated a no to a return as SE Asia is classed as a high risk area for an ex SO no matter their risk status, so I am pleasantly surprised you say your PPU are happy. Or are they because just maintaining a "friendly image" because they know the Philippine's immigration will stop you?  
I hope someone has a solution for you but please be honest to your prospects as well.

Good luck



Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.

Hi Harry,

I have a couple of questions about your last trip to the Philippines

Did you have a conversation with your PPU, before leaving, and did you ask them, if they had any objections or concerns about you going there?

You say no green notice "should" be issued. Is that because you have been told by the ppu that they have officially classified you as low risk, and that they would not issue a green notice, or is it because you regard yourself as being low risk, which is a very different thing.

It is perfectly possible, for a low risk person to be issued with a green notice, if they are visiting a high risk country. But it would depend on the opinion of their ppu, who can choose whether to issue the notice or not.

There is also the matter of your immigration record in the Philipines showing that you were deported before. There is no way of knowing what they will make of that.

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If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

If a green notice had been issued, it would automatically expire after 5 years. This is to allow for the possibility that the individuals risk level has changed. You can also contact Interpol and make a request for a notice to be removed.

https://www.fairtrials.org/asking-removal-information-interpols-files

Hi and thanks for reply. My previous PPU officer was ok with me and I had no problem visiting my friend. I do not remember having a conversation with him or asking him, maybe as it  was the beginning of my SOR I did not know how to deal with travel. So I was just one year into the 10 yr SOR and was nieve. When i said I thought it was wrong a green notice was probably issued against me, it is because from offending online to starting my suspended sentence, I had changed 100% and managed to deal with the porn addiction. In their mind maybe they thought differently, but no one asked why I was going back. My current PPU officer only visits once a year to check on me. As I said before, I have never been a risk to physically harming anyone, but pleaded guilty to to online actions.

I fully understand despite how I may have changed and even if I had the full support of my PPU officer, that going to a country with high levels of child abuse could still result in a refusal.

I do feel that those of us that view under 18 year old images are damned as it is considered that we will then hop over to an asian country and physically abuse children. I find that a really sick thing to imply.

Thank you that is very useful. It is nearly 5 years since my attempt to revisit my friend so I will ask them. 

It may well be a sick thing to imply, but you have to remember many in the police and the general population think that all SO's are basically the same and just waiting for the chance to commit another offence. Apparently, we're not choosy, so any offence will do. ☹🤬

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If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

Hi

I do feel that those of us that view under 18 year old images are damned as it is considered that we will then hop over to an Asian country and physically abuse children. I find that a really sick thing to imply.

It is not only image viewing that fall into this presumption.
Unfortunately I am of the belief it is the perception that fuels the "distrust" against a SO.
In my case I have been to SE Asia circa  8 times; even whilst on bail, no offences or accusations, but "society" have their own belief on every ex-SO is a SO no matter the offence, even if it is not proved.

Ask a stranger why a man (or woman) goes to SE Asia.

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.

Given that we already have a provision for foreign travel bans, as part of an SHPO, you would think that anyone who was considered at risk of offending abroad, would have that written into their SHPO. That would leave the rest of us free to travel, without being under constant suspicion and risk of harassment. 

The system of Interpol notices, would then act as a backup, to cover situations where a new risk was identified, that had not been picked up at the original trial. Instead, the PPU are free to imagine any risk they choose and to act disproportionately to address it, in contravention of the R v Smith proportionality rules.

If I read this correctly Harry, then you went to the Philippines without discussing it with the PPU first. You would have told the sergeant at your local police station, where you were going and filled in the forms. That information was subsequently picked up by the PPU. They may have been aware that you had a friend there, but they did not attempt to contact you, to discuss why you were going there. They may have just seen the word 'Philippines' on the computer and issued a green notice automatically, without thinking any more about it.

This really highlights the importance of keeping in contact with the PPU, particularly if they only visit once a year. The police are not under any obligation to reach out to you and discuss your reasons for going abroad. You cannot assume, that they are going to be ok with you travelling, you should always ask them first. If they don't respond, then do not go. Their silence should not be taken as tacit approval.

Before going back there, you may want to check with Interpol first, to see if there are any notices outstanding. But you should still consult the PPU as well.

https://www.interpol.int/en/Who-we-are/Commission-for-the-Control-of-INTERPOL-s-Files-CCF/How-to-submit-a-request