Backpacking Philippines: How to Renew Philippine Passports: DFA Schedule, Rush Renewal/Application Tips

How to Renew Philippine Passports: DFA Schedule, Rush Renewal/Application Tips

Tutubi has an expired green passport since May this year and has yet to renew it to get an ePassport. He only browsed DFA website to see the requirements and the online form. Though even if he still has to experience the passport renewal process, he's been updated by the actual experiences of his sister, friends and office mates who asked him how to renew Philippine passports, even for rush applications without an appointment at the DFA and gave him updates on the actual process. He'll apply for his own passport next year, no need to rush :P

For now, herewith are the steps and tips on how to renew Philippine passport: rush and without appointment/schedule for your reference :P

DFA Passport Renewal Procedure:

1. Call DFA Hotline (+63.2.737.1000, 24/7 service) or visit DFA Passport official website (http://www.passport.com.ph/) and set an appointment. You need to provide information and then a list of requirements to be submitted on your appointment date.

2. You'll be offered choices of appointment dates but sometimes you want to book earlier slots, not those dates two months after. Trick is, as done by one of Tutubi's friends, is to check in again at a later date and be on the lookout for vacant slots, usually vacated by those who requested a change in scheduled appointment.

3. A reference number shall be provided to you and an email confirmation of your application to your email address. You need to bring this to DFA on your appointment date.

4. On your date of appointment, be early as you always should be, queue in and show the clerk at the Appointment Counter your printed application form (online application) or just your reference number (for those who booked via the DFA Hotline).

5. You will need to sign some fields on your form, some in the presence of the DFA officer

6. Next is at the Information Counter, the tip given by Tutubi's friend was that the queues of people applying for express renewals were longer than those for regular renewal (and cheaper at that). People with children and babies are also prioritized for the DFA already knows children can be bothersome and impatient (note that babies, children and companions NOT applying for a passport are NOT allowed inside DFA-OCA premises)

7. Pay the corresponding passport renewal fees at the Cashier on the second floor: Regular Processing: PhP950.00 (20 business days); Express Processing: PhP1,200.00 (10 business days).

8. After paying fees at the cashier, proceed to the Data Capturing section where you'll have your picture taken, fingerprints and affix your signature on the the application forms. Remider for the DFA passport dress code: wear plain, colored collared shirts/tops and no slippers (as if they're taking a picture of your feet). No such this as passport renewal without appearance these days due to conversion from green passports to epassports where you need to personally appear to have your picture taken (loss of business for those photo booths that used to prosper outside the DFA office)

9. Optional: If you want your passport delivered to your home, office or anywhere you want it, you can pay accredited courier companies with counters near the Encoding Section. The courier companies will take your receipt and claim stub to replace them with another one just to authorize them to claim your new passport on your behalf.

How long does it take to renew your passport? depends. Tutubi's officemate did it in about hour on a Tuesday afternoon. The family of Tutubi's office mate took longer on a Friday (too many people reported that day). (What's the best day really to book an appointment, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday? Worst are Monday and Friday? hmmm...no data actually to support that. The actual tip supplied by Tutubi's office mate was that the queue of regular processing was significantly shorter than express passport processing that saves time of about 30 minutes (seems everybody is in a rush these days)

Express/Rush Passport Renewal Tips:

1. If you're in need of really rush passport renewal and provided you're well connected particularly to an ambassador, consul or foreign service employees, you can request your friend a letter of recommendation to process your passport application renewal in just three days. You will need to go to DFA VIP room (2nd floor of DFA-OCA Macapagal). This happened to a friend of Tutubi also a friend of a consul plus another two of his office mates, who recently renewed their passports to attend a conference in Malaysia. They only needed to queue at the Data Encoding/picture taking part. All of them later received letters informing them that the special VIP treatment should not be always availed of and instead follow the existing process, but the letters were generic in nature and not an admonishment. (who says life is fair anyway?)

2. If you're not connected to the powers-that-be, like Tutubi's sister who kept on asking him how to renew passports rush, she called up DFA Lucena office in Quezon and got an appointment a week later (unlike for DFA in Manila where available slots are more than 20 days away) and the actual passport renewal process took less than two hours. She got her passport 12 working days later. Note Lucena is about 2.5 hours away from Paete, Laguna while DFA-OCA on Macapagal is about 3.5 hours.

3. For people in the provinces, you need not go to Metro Manila but proceed to any DFA consular office nearest you, like what Tutubi's sister did. The DFA Regional Offices are located in Butuan, Bacolod, Batangas, Baguio (Benguet, Cordilleras), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), General Santos, Cotabato San Fernando (La Union), Tuguegarao (Cagayan Valley), San Fernando (Pampanga, Central Luzon), Lucena (Quezon), Legaspi (Albay, Bicol Region), Iloilo, Cebu (Central Visayas), Tacloban (Leyte, Eastern Visayas), Zamboanga, Cagayan De Oro, and Davao. Passport application appointment schedules are not too far away for regional offices.

4. For OFWs and those that are due for overseas deployment, they can have their passports processed immediately upon presenting documents that show there are jobs waiting for them in their countries of destination. Also, DFA satellite office at the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) in Ortigas is open cater solely to the passport needs of OFWs.

5. Don't waste your time and money booking an appointment via travel agencies, much more deal with fixers at the DFA selling appointments. You can do the passport renewals on your own and not be an accessory to a crime of fixing which is illegal and promotes graft and corruption just to stay ahead by a few days.

6. If you're really in need of a new passport urgently, there are certain events (e.g. death of a loved one abroad) that may qualify you for major major urgent rush passport applications, new or renewal. Contact DFA Hotline (telephone number: +63.2.737.1000) for more information on how to process rush passport needs. Stay on the legal side and don't abet corrupt people in the government!

Labels: Philippine Passports

posted by GingGoy @ 9:38 PM,

28 Comments:

At Nov 11, 2010, 6:26:00 PM, Nina said...: true...it's easier to get appointment in regional offices. I renewed mine at the Philippine Embassy here. No appointment required but I hope they implement the appointment system to save precious time in lining up. I spent 3 hours just to fall in line.
At Nov 11, 2010, 8:41:00 PM, Anonymous said...: very informative!
add'l info: In DFA Lucena, reg. processing takes 22 working days while rush takes 12 working days. Maybe for a bit allowance.
My mom just went there this morning to renew her passport.
At Nov 12, 2010, 11:22:00 AM, GingGoy said...: Nina, yeah. I've heard of a plan too by the DFA to offer online payment of passport applications before issuance of a schedule, similar to the policy of the US Embassy for US Visa applications. if it pushes through, you will pay using your credit card or ATM/debit cards to book a schedule and eliminate the queue at the DFA cashier for payment.

mysecretlife, 12 days for express processing probably the trip from Lucena to DFA hehe
At Nov 13, 2010, 12:10:00 AM, Caerol said...: I didn't know about no.6 of Rush Passport Renewal. Have you tried it and is it really possible to get your passport easily provided you have an "emergency?" Nonetheless, it's nice to be informed.

Just an advice, be there earlier than the specified time and have a lot of patience. Most important, avoid FIXERS!
At Nov 13, 2010, 10:22:00 AM, GingGoy said...: caerol, the emergency passport service was discussed at several news reports by the Inquirer. You need to provide more details and documents to be considered for super rush passport processing. havven't tried it yet, no emergencies. 3 of my friends tried the DFA courtesy lane for VIPs and friends though :P
At Nov 16, 2010, 10:56:00 AM, allanp said...: ,,,if you have filled-in the accredited application form, I would suggest POEA in Ortigas as you don't need an appointment to go there. From the time I arrive, it took me less than 30-mins for processing my passport renewal. There's a line in queue still but since the process there is followed smoothly, thing's went on like a bliss. And the time mentioned also included me having a picture take and photocopying of the previous passport. I'm not sure of the day as I did that on a Wednesday. Was it "Lucky Me" or it's just "Cup-a-Noodles" ?
At Nov 16, 2010, 7:42:00 PM, Unknown said...: how much yung processing ng renewal sa POEA?? and ilang days bago makuha yung passport pag pina-rush
At Nov 17, 2010, 9:28:00 PM, freeze said...: ang hassle nga kasi kailangan nang personal appearance. I renewed mine before the e-passport came out and find it useless for a personal appearance, mano-mano pa rin ang thumbmark!
At Nov 19, 2010, 10:05:00 PM, Caerol said...: @allanp
I almost forgot about having a renewal of passport at POEA; thanks for reminding us. I'll ask a friend and perhaps write it in my blog. If it is better in POEA, I'll recommend it to my brother.
At Dec 12, 2010, 1:03:00 AM, Anonymous said...: hello pano yun dun ba madaling kumuha ng passpost sa poea? gusto ko kc kumuha ng pasport 4 kmi family 4 years old and 6 years old baby,, kming tatlo ala pang pasport, my husbond kylangan renew lng.. pls help me kung pano ako makkkuha ng mabilis na pasport gusto alis namin kc dec23,, pls hears my contct num,, asap i need answer. 09156982632
At Apr 26, 2011, 7:49:00 PM, jun aldujeza said...: Hello I like to renew my passport in Butuan City is their rush/express how many days it will take, I have limited time due to my return flight, I am residing in Congo Pointe Noire Africa
At Jun 2, 2011, 4:05:00 PM, Anonymous said...: helo, i would like to renew my passport,, i need it rush because my visa is here in the Philippines already.. how many days would it take if i have it rush? please reply. thank you!
At Jun 2, 2011, 6:36:00 PM, GingGoy said...: anonymous, there's no such thing as express passport renewal or rush passport renewal these days. I've been waiting for mine for 2 weeks already. it's actually 1 month for rush renewals. you can however apply for passport extension for one year though while waiting for your new passport
At Oct 30, 2011, 2:35:00 PM, Anonymous said...: helo, kumuha ako dati ng passport narecieved ko na walang JR ang name ko, ngayon magrenew ako gusto ko palagyan ng JR ang name ko kasi lahat ng document ko may Jr. may nso ako pero sala ang middle name at birthyear ok lang ba na trascript of record na authenticate ng CHED ang dalhin ko.
At Oct 30, 2011, 6:46:00 PM, GingGoy said...: anonymous, i think you need to have your passport and NSO corrected as these are the basic requirements for a passport, other documents, even if authenticated, aare not accepted.
At Oct 31, 2011, 2:21:00 AM, Anonymous said...: sa darating na january ang bakasyon ko sa pilipinas. nandito ako sa saudi arabia. sa abril pa ang expiration ng green passport ko. pwede bang dyan ko renew sa POEA express passport renewal? 24 days lang ang allowed na baksyon ko. gaano kadali ang renewal sa POEA?

thanks
At Nov 12, 2011, 11:16:00 PM, Anonymous said...: ano po ang gagawin ko kasi nawala ang claim stub. ang natatandaan ko lang Sept 4 , 2011 ang claim date.
At Nov 13, 2011, 12:01:00 PM, GingGoy said...: anonymous, call DFA hotline 737-1000 :P
At Nov 14, 2011, 8:38:00 AM, Anonymous said...: stupid dress code! they're not gonna allow you to enter even if you're just applying / accompanying a minor!
At Dec 3, 2011, 1:09:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Some employee in Dfa are rudeness grrrr
At Jan 8, 2012, 7:19:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Hi, I applied for passport renewal (rush processing) online and was scheduled tomorrow for an appointment. I have a concern though. Indicated in the site of DFA that my passport will be ready in 7 working days for rush processing. Are there chances that availability of my passport will be delayed. I am set to leave the Philippines for a vacation on February already. I do hope that someone will be able to give me pcs. of advice. Thanks and God bless!
At Jan 8, 2012, 9:59:00 PM, GingGoy said...: anonymous, expect delays in your passport but don't worry as it will be ready by february. delays usually are only a few days. the 7 days do not inlcude courier delays if you use them.
At Jan 14, 2012, 10:57:00 PM, Anonymous said...: good day, what is needed to claim your new passport after renewing it in poea? many thanks in advance.
At May 22, 2012, 4:23:00 PM, Anonymous said...: My permanent address is Cavite but I also rent a house in Baguio City. I applied for a renewal of passport in DFA Baguio and one of the staff there told that they only cater CAR residents only. Ganoon ba talaga, Kailangang ilagay ko ang Baguio address sa passport which is not my permanent address? Thanks.
At Jun 14, 2012, 6:39:00 PM, Anonymous said...: hi im ofw in singapore i wanted to renew my passport in 3 days do think its possible? pls advise thanks!
At Sep 28, 2012, 9:24:00 PM, Anonymous said...: will dfa notify me po if i need to have my photo retaken po? kc i used rush and at the same time po via courier.. LBC delayed po kc supposed to be yesterday.. they said na d pa daw po nirerelease ng dfa un passport q sa LBC.. then ang receipt lang na nasaken ung sa courier wala un payment slip q for my passport coz d guy who assist me during the date encoding and picture takin took it from me ... ok lang po ba un> thanks po
At Oct 13, 2012, 3:58:00 AM, Anonymous said...: totoo ba ung 7 days express passport renewal? kasi expire na ung passport ko this december, pauwi ako ng pinas sa november eh 3 weeks lang ako sa pinas..eh plan ko magapply ng 7day express renewal..anyone had done the said passport renewal thanks alot!!
At Jan 24, 2013, 1:12:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Can I book an appointment for my elderly parents for passport renewal in Baguio ? I'm abroad but I need toknow if Dfa Baguio requires appointments. Thanks

How to Renew Philippine Passports: DFA Schedule, Rush Renewal/Application Tips

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