The Philippine passport is a mandatory travel document issued to Filipino citizens. It allows the owner to travel to dozens of countries without visas and is accepted in public and government transactions. This passage will talk about passport requirements, how to get a passport online, how much it costs, how long it takes, and other concerning issues.
What Is a Philippine Passport?
A Philippine passport is one of the primary IDs. It is proof of citizenship and identity of a Philippine citizen issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) or the Philippine diplomatic mission office. There is personal information and travel history on it. The newest versions are featured with a chip carrying essential biometrics. It can be used to travel abroad, apply for loans, apply for other forms of identity documents, create banking accounts, etc. There are currently three types of it: regular passport for all Filipinos, official passport for members of the Philippine government departments, and diplomatic passport for diplomatic officers, members of the Cabinet, as well as Philippine delegates in international and regional organizations.
Who Is Eligible to Apply for a Philippine Passport?
Only Filipino nationals are qualified to get a Philippine passport despite their age. Those naturalized in a foreign country and giving up their original Philippines citizenship are no longer eligible. However, according to the Republic Act 9225, also known as the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003 or the Dual Citizenship Law, if they were naturally born in the Philippines and took an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines before a Philippine Consular Officer, their Philippine citizenship will be retained or re-issued. In this case, they can enjoy full civil duties as a local Philippine citizen, including applying for a passport.
What Are the Requirements for a Passport?
To obtain a Philippine passport, applicants must provide the required documents and information to the authorities. The requirements vary according to the applicant’s age.
Passport Requirements for First-time Applicants above 18
- Passport appointment confirmation
- In-person attendance of the appointment
- Completed Passport Application Form which can be filled out online and printed out.
- A Valid ID (original and one photocopy), such as a driver’s license, SSS ID, UMID, Postal ID, PhilID, etc.
- PSA- or NSO-issued birth certificate (for applicants born in the Philippines)
- Report of birth authenticated by PSA (for applicants born outside the Philippines)
- Marriage certificate or report of Marriage (for married female applicants using their husbands’ last name)
- Proof of current Philippine citizenship, such as a valid permanent residence permit, dual citizenship document, Identification Certificate of Naturalization, Oath of Allegiance to the Philippines, order of approval on granting citizenship, etc.
- Payment receipt for passport fees
- Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (FEDEX courier unacceptable)
Applicants might have to submit extra documents in some special cases, for example:
- In the case of a late registered birth certificate within 10 years ago, an ID pre-date the registration or an existing ID along with NBI clearance is needed.
- In the case of a birth certificate or report of birth unavailable, the following is needed.
- Applicants born after 1950 should request the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) or Consular Office in the place of birth for late registration and submit a late registered birth certificate authenticated by PSA as well as an ID pre-dating the late registration or existing ID with NBI Clearance.
- Applicants born in or before 1950 should submit a Certificate of No Birth Record authenticated by PSA as well as an Affidavit of 2 disinterested persons verifying the applicant’s identity and including their IDs.
- In the case of divorcement and request to reinstate the maiden surname, please include
- A PSA Birth certificate and a government-issued ID (both original and photocopy);
- An annotated PSA marriage certificate or report of marriage verifying the termination of marriage; or
- A certified copy of a court order to prove that the marriage has been dissolved.
- In the case of insufficient information on the birth certificate or report of birth, file a supplemental report or correction from the LCR and submit the proof of filing.
- In the case of discrepant information on the birth certificate or report of birth and other documents, applicants should provide proof of any correction or change with official annotation.
- In the case of dual citizenship, please include:
- PSA birth certificate or report of birth;
- FSP (Philippine Foreign Service Post) or BI (Bureau of Immigration) issued identification certificate;
- Valid foreign passport;
- Valid IDs issued by the government of the Philippines or country of second citizenship.
- In the case of obtaining Philippine citizenship by naturalization, a naturalization certificate is required.
- In the case of obtaining Philippine citizenship by election, the Affidavit of Election and a BI-issued identification certificate are necessary.
- In the case of obtaining Philippine citizenship by the Act of Legislation, submit a true copy of proof of granting citizenship and an FSP-authenticated foreign birth certificate.
Passport Requirements for First-time Applicants below 18
Besides the general required documents for adults, minors below 18 should also meet the following requirements.
- Passport appointment confirmation (required for children aged 7 and above).
- Personal appearance at the DFA office with the company of either parent, guardian, or an authorized adult.
- Marriage certificate (when only one parent appears with the minor applicant).
- An Affidavit of Support and/or Consent from the absent parent (when the parents are not married). If it is issued by a foreign country, it must be authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate
- Passport or government-issued ID of either parent or legal guardian.
- School ID (if applicable)
Additional documents might be needed in some special cases, for example:
- In the case of no PSA birth certificate/report of birth, Philippines-born minors should submit a certified copy of PSA-authenticated LCR birth certificate while foreign countries-born minors should include an original report of birth or first endorsement from the Consular Records Division.
- In the case of minor applicants visiting the DFA office without parent(s), please submit:
- a power of attorney signed by parents to authorize the person who accompanies the applicant.
- Passport or Valid ID of the adult companion.
- Passport or Valid ID of the parent(s).
- In the case of minors traveling without parent(s)’ or legal guardian(s)’ company, please submit:
- a DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) clearance;
- Affidavit of Support and Consent signed by parent(s);
- Passport or Valid ID of the adult companion.
- In the case of adoptive minors, please submit:
- PSA Birth certificate;
- Related court order to prove the adoption;
- Passport or Valid ID of the adoptive parent(s).
- In the case of a foundling applicant, please submit:
- PSA Certificate of Foundling;
- Passport or valid ID of the guardian;
- DSWD clearance;
- Affidavit of guardianship.
How to Book an Appointment for Your Passport
To apply for a Philippine passport, applicants must submit the required documents and biometrics at the DFA office in person. Walk-in applications are allowed but will be accommodated when there are available slots after booked applications are processed. Therefore, it is suggested to book an appointment in advance and it can be done online.
- Visit the official website of DFA and choose “Schedule an Appointment”.
- Read the “TERMS AND CONDITIONS”. Check the box to agree on them. Select wither “START INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENT” (for individual applications) or “START GROUP APPOINTMENT” (for family applications).
- Choose the location for the appointment. Select a region, Country/Special Administrative Region, and site from the drop-down list. Check the box next to “I confirm that I have read, understood, and agree to the above conditions.” at the end of the notice and click on the “Next” button.
- Select a date from those marked green on the calendar which means available. Then pick a time slot on the right and click on the “Next” button. Please note that the selected will only be reserved for 30 minutes, so you are supposed to finish it as soon as possible. Some branches might be too busy to be booked on your desired date. If you do have to travel soon, you can change another site from the drop-down list. Slots are not guaranteed, so it is suggested to schedule the appointment at least 2 weeks in advance.
- Provide personal information, family information, and contact information.
- Pay application fees after filling out the form. Choose regular or express processing and click on “PAY NOW”. Check the “I agree” box and click “PROCEED TO PAYMENT”. View the detailed fees and click on “PROCEED”. An email will be sent to you containing a Payment Reference Number and payment methods. Finish the payment at the authorized center.
- Receive an appointment confirmation in your email after payment with the application form, receipt, and checklist attached. Now your appointment has been made. If you can’t attend the appointment as scheduled, please cancel or reschedule the passport appointment in advance.
What to Bring for Passport Appointment?
When visiting the DFA office on the date of appointment, the authority will verify your identity and capture your biometrics. An application package is included in the appointment confirmation sent to your email. You should print it out and bring it to attend the appointment along with the required documents listed in the checklist. Minor applicants must also appear at the appointment accompanied by at least one parent, legal guardian, or authorized adult companion.
How to Make Philippine Passport Photos Online?
All Philippine passport applicants should include a biometric photo in their applications. It must comply with a set of official passport photo guidelines, including size, background, image quality, poses, dressing, and so forth. An unqualified passport picture might stop you from getting the passport, so it deserves spending time and effort in guaranteeing photo compliance. With AiPassportPhotos, things will be easy. All you need is to take a picture and upload it to this online passport photo editor. Here is a detailed instruction.
- Get ready for photo taking, such as dressing properly, finding a well-lit place, and setting the camera.
- Take a clear head-and-shoulder picture with the whole face visible, a neutral facial expression, and a straight head. Selfies are not acceptable, so please use a tripod or ask someone else for help.
- Take several shots from different angles and positions.
- Pick a satisfactory photo and upload it on AiPassportPhotos’ website to make Philippine passport photo online.
- Wait for the tool to check photo compliance. If it is compliant, it will continue resizing it, which runs automatically in a few seconds.
- Download the edited photo which is promised to be completely qualified.
💡Note that the Philippine officials will take your passport photo during the application process. All you have to do now is wearing daily clothes and make sure your facial characteristics are visible during the photo shooting.
How Much is the Passport Fee
It costs $60 to apply for or renew a Philippine passport, $ 150.00 to replace a lost ePassport, and $90 to replace an old-style passport. It must be paid in cash or money order (payable to Philippine Consulate General), bank draft, or certified checks. Please note that personal checks and physical credit/debit cards will not be accepted. All fees will not be refunded even if your application is rejected, so it is recommended to get acquainted with the passport requirements and get prepared before applying.
How Many Days to Get a Passport
It depends on when the appointment is scheduled, the workload of the passport office, the completeness and accuracy of your application, etc. Generally, The processing time from the date of appointment takes 4-8 weeks after the authority receives the applications.
How to Track Passport Delivery
DFA launched an online Unified Passport Tracking System to check application status through the following few steps.
- Visit the Passport Tracker or navigate to “Track Your Passport” on the passport appointment website passport appointment website.
- Enter the application reference number and some necessary information to check the application status.
- When it shows “In Progress”, it means your application remains to be processed and is not ready to be issued.
- When it shows “Mailed/active”, visit the courier’s website and track the delivery status with the provided courier tracking number.
- When it shows “Available for Pickup”, you should collect it at the chosen passport office during business hours.
FAQ
❇️ Can a US citizen get a Philippine passport?
No, unless he/she reclaims the Philippine citizenship.
❇️ How strong is the Philippines passport?
According to the Henley Passport Index, Philippine passports rank 74th in Global Passport Ranking, allowing the holders to travel to 69 countries and regions without visas..
❇️ Can I travel in the Philippines without a passport?
It depends on your citizenship. Filipinos can travel domestically without a passport while it is usually needed for foreigners.
Summary
Philippine passport is issued to Philippine nationals and there are different passport requirements for adults and minors. To get a passport in the Philippines, you must book an appointment on the DFA portal, pay application fees, and attend the appointment in person. The whole process takes a few weeks. Getting fully prepared helps ensure everything goes smoothly, so you are advised to read our instructions carefully.
Dolores Xiao