Are you a passport holder or planning to apply for a passport? Either ways, you should know about the updates of information in your passport. This is applicable particularly in the new e-passport in which the exact birth place is required.
According to Vice-Consul Elizabeth Picar Ramos, if only the province is indicated in the birth place of the applicant, he or she should bring a birth certificate on the appointment date in the DFA. The new advanced system of DFA is requiring to include the municipality or city where an individual was born.
Both the passport application and birth certificate are scanned together and send it to the central office. Otherwise, the printing of passport is suspended and the processing as well. This update started in August and the consulate is expecting that all applicants will adhere to this update.
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Likewise, the consulate is also encouraging applicants to organize and complete the documents needed for new passport application or renewal, thus save on time. Ramos reiterated that Filipinos who will apply for passport renewal should book for online appointments 10 months prior to the expiration. This will give enough time to request for new passports.
In addition, passport application is strictly by appointment through the Passport Appointment Portal and no payments required. However, senior citizens, children below 12 years old, seafarers and domestic workers can apply directly to the DFA office. Applicants who won’t show up during the appointment dates will re-apply for new appointment date online.
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Thus, if you’re planning to travel next year and your passport is about to expire, the best thing to do is to set an appointment online to avoid delays of passport renewal. Make sure to bring all the necessary requirements especially the NSO issued birth certificate during your appointment date.
Meanwhile, the guidelines about the newly approved 10-year validity of passport have not yet issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.