Travel consultants must protect clients from denied boarding or entry problems caused by incorrect visa advice, so interviewers check whether the candidate will verify rather than guess.
Acknowledge the question, state that you need to confirm current requirements, then explain the exact steps you would take to check an official government or airline source before answering.
Start by thanking the client for flagging the itinerary, then say plainly that you will not guess because visa rules change frequently and a wrong answer could cost them a flight. Explain that you would first identify the country and the specific transit airport, since some nations exempt passengers who stay airside for under a certain number of hours while others require a transit visa even for a two-hour connection. Next, tell the interviewer you would check the official embassy or immigration website of that country, not a travel forum, and cross-reference it with the airline's own transit requirements, because the carrier can refuse boarding if they believe entry rules are not met. Mention that you would also note whether the client holds a Philippine passport or another nationality, as visa waivers differ by citizenship, and that you would call the embassy or airline hotline if the website is unclear. Finally, say you would give the client the verified answer in plain Taglish if that helps them understand, and offer to email the link so they have proof for their records. This shows you treat every visa question as a research task, not a memory test.
Many Filipino candidates say 'Ay, hindi ko po sure, parang wala naman po yata' and then make a guess to please the client. Instead, say 'Let me confirm that for you from the embassy website so I can give you accurate advice.'
Situation
During my practicum at a travel agency, a client asked whether they needed a transit visa for a layover in a country I had never booked before.
Task
I needed to give the client a clear answer without guessing or making up a visa rule.
Action
I told the client I wanted to give accurate information and would verify it. I noted the exact citizenship, layover airport, and length of stay, then asked my supervising consultant to help me check the destination country's official embassy website. We confirmed the current requirement together, and I explained the answer to the client in simple terms, including where to find the official source if they wanted to double-check.
Result
The client received the correct information, and my supervisor praised me for not giving an unverified answer under pressure.
When you are unsure, verifying with an official source is always safer than guessing.
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