Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NO WALK-INS are allowed. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, walk-in or courtesy lane
services are suspended until further notice. This is to manage and control foot traffic.
Those who are eligible to use the courtesy lane are required to book an online
appointment. For urgent applications, you can send an email at oca.cl@dfa.gov.ph.
But prior to the pandemic, the following were allowed to walk in:
If you need a blank copy of the application form, you can get it here. You need to
print it out on A4-size paper.
3. Birth Certificate
The copy of your birth certificate must be:
▪ Original
▪ PSA-authenticated
▪ Printed on PSA security paper
If the PSA-authenticated Birth Certificate is not readable, get a copy from the
Local Civil Registrar.
If LATE REGISTERED: If registered within the past 10 years, submit an ID that pre-
dates the registration or current ID with NBI Clearance. If registered over 10 years
ago, no additional supporting requirements needed.
4. Valid ID
You only need to bring one original and a photocopy. Any of the following is
accepted:
Image courtesy of DFA
▪ Social Security System (SSS) Card
5. Personal Appearance
Whether you apply on your own or through a travel agency, all applicants must be
physically present at the DFA Office on your appointment schedule. The passport
application process entails collecting your biometrics data and taking a photo of you.
For passport photo capturing, take note of the proper attire or dress code. Colored
contact lenses and accessories like earrings, necklaces, or other facial piercings are
not allowed during photo capturing.
POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
Depending on your status or condition, here are other possible additional
requirements for a new passport application:
NOTE: You do not need to present your Marriage Contract if you recently married
but you chose to keep your maiden name.
If applicant is a minor
For minor applicants or those applying for a minor, these are the additional
requirements:
IMPORTANT! Personal Appearance of both the minor applicant AND either parent
(or authorized adult companion) is required.
▪ If for some reason, either parent can’t accompany the child for the
application:
NOTE: For other cases such as late registered, no birth certificate, illegitimate child,
dual citizens, or naturalized Filipinos, additional supporting documents are required.
Visit the DFA Consular for a more updated list of requirements and if you have other
specific concerns and inquiries.
STEP-BY-STEP PASSPORT
APPLICATION PROCESS
1. Set an appointment online.
Before anything else, the online appointment is FREE. What you are paying for is
the passport processing fee. Now that it’s clear, let’s proceed.
Walk-in applicants are normally not allowed EXCEPT for emergency and special
cases. Regular and non-emergency applicants must secure their slots by setting an
online appointment. As much as possible, do it months before your desired travel
date to give you enough lead time. Due to the heavy volume of applications,
available slots might be too late for you.
To give you an idea, say you decide to apply online in August, the earliest available
slot might be in late September (tough luck) or October or even November. Or there
might even be NO AVAILABLE SLOTS AVAILABLE.
However, the most challenging part is getting empty slots because of the volume of
applicants. The DFA has taken steps to improve the system to serve applicants
better, but it can still get frustrating. You may check other branches. For example, if
you’re Manila-based, try other checking other nearby cities within the metro or even
nearby provinces.
This poses a problem for those who need a quick appointment. Some of my friends
even went as far as flying to Puerto Princesa or traveling to Northern Luzon
provinces just to get an appointment because of their travel dates were near. But of
course, if there’s no such urgency, you don’t need to go to such extreme lengths.
You may simply wait and try and try again another day.
▪ Make sure that you have strong internet connection. Since it’s an online
“battlefield”, you have to ensure that your internet connection is reliable. The
slots will not wait for your network to keep up.
▪ List down all your preferred dates. This will give you more options in case
the date you originally want is already full. This will save you time too. Instead
of spending precious seconds weighing other dates, you already have
shortlisted the most convenient dates for you.
▪ Decide quickly. Again, you are beating time here, so you must be decisive
because slots can be taken in a snap. You see the date you want still
available one minute, but then it’s gone the next. Afternoon schedules are
usually the first to get filled.
▪ Refresh the page. There are times when available slots pop out of nowhere.
Well, these might be those slots reserved for applicants who failed to pay
within the allotted time period.
▪ Check the site regularly. As much as possible, the DFA opens additional
slots daily. The system refreshes regularly, so check the site from time to time
for possible additional slots.
▪ Try searching at around these times: 6AM – 8AM, 12NN, and 9PM. Available
slots usually appear at these times, from Mondays to Saturdays (except
holidays).
▪ Search other DFA branches/offices. There are six (6) branches in Manila:
DFA Central (ASEANA), DFA NCR North (Robinsons Novaliches), DFA NCR
Northeast (Alimall), DFA NCR West (SM Manila), DFA NCR East (Megamall),
and DFA NCR South (Alabang). However, these NCR branches run out of
slots real quick. If you desperately need to renew your passport, you may try
looking at regional branches/offices.
When you get a slot, the system can hold the slot for you for the next 20 minutes
only so you should be able to finish everything fast. Otherwise, you’ll lose that slot.
UPDATE: In addition to the regular processing sites, the DFA has set up Temporary
Off-site Passport Service (TOPS) facilities within Metro Manila that can process
passport applications. These are:
But certain restrictions apply. Passports processed at any of these TOPS sites will
be shipped via courier, adding an extra 3 to 5 working days. Payment for TOPS is
via CREDIT CARD or DEBIT CARD ONLY! Make sure you have your card with you
when you start the appointment process.
You will be given time to check all the information you input. Make sure you have no
typos and everything is correct, including the spelling.
▪ Regular Processing: This costs P950 and takes 10-15 days in Manila.
▪ Express Processing: This costs P1200 and takes 5-7 days in Manila.
We heard that the processing time in the regional offices takes longer compared to
Manila. They say the length of days for processing may take 20-30 days, but we
haven’t confirmed this yet.
▪ These are the payment centers authorized by the DFA for the transaction of
the passport processing fee:
– Bayad Center
– EcPay
– Pera Hub
– Robinsons Business Center and Department Stores
– Waltermart Department Store
– 7-Eleven
– USCC (Western Union)
– Villarica Pawnshop
The credit card/debit card payment facility and the over-the-counter cash
transaction in selected banks are not yet available.
In my case, I chose to pay via 7-Eleven. Using one of their in-store electronic
machines, I chose “bills payment”, and then selected DFA. I input my reference
number and the total amount, which includes the P50 convenience fee. I took the
printed slip and went to the cashier to pay. That’s it!
1. Document Verification. Even at the entrance, the guard will ask for the
checklist with your confirmed schedule. They will check if you bring all the
requirements with you. Don’t forget to bring a photocopy of your old passport
(renewal) or valid ID (new application).
2. Processing. They will review your documents/requirements. When they are
done checking, they will stamp your receipt with a date of release.
3. Data Encoding and Biometrics. This is the part where they will encode your
personal information like your name, birth date, and other details. They will
give you time to check the encoded details on the computer screen, so check
those spelling and typos. After that, they will take your photo, fingerprints, and
signature.
4. Delivery. This is an additional step for those who want their passports to be
delivered instead of personally picking them up at the DFA office. DFA
partners with courier and forwarding service companies. I availed of this
service and paid the delivery fee of P150. They will take your application
receipt and then hand you their own delivery receipt. Expect your passport to
arrive one to two days after the scheduled release date. You may skip this
part if you want to personally pick up your brand new passport on the
scheduled release date.
NOTE: A team member applied at DFA ASEANA a couple of years ago. If you are
also applying there, some touts will trick you into buying a long brown envelope or
ballpen. You do not need them. You can put your documents in a folder or envelope
if you want to keep them neat and organized. It won’t hurt also to bring an extra pen
just in case.
REMINDERS:
An immediate family member can claim your passport on your behalf, provided that
she has an authorization letter prepared and signed by you and other requirements.
An immediate family member can be your mother, father, brother, sister, husband,
wife, or child of legal age. They must bring the following:
▪ Authorization Letter
▪ Original Receipt
▪ Applicant’s Valid ID (original and photocopy)
▪ Representative’s Valid ID (original and photocopy)
If no immediate family can claim it for you, the person must bring the following:
Another key feature is the SAVINGS CHALLENGE tab! If you’re applying for a
passport now, you can use the waiting time to also save cash for your next trip!
Using the LISTA app, you can set a target amount, the target date and the
frequency you’re comfortable with so you know the exact amount to save per day,
week or month to turn your travel goals into reality.
May next travel ka na ba? I-LISTA mo na!
Tip! Make sure that you are using a free Gmail account.
I tried using my custom email address at first, but I failed to receive a confirmation
email that also contains the reference number for paying the passport processing
fee. I had to wait for the schedule to expire after 24 hours to try to set an
appointment again. On the second try, I used my free Gmail account and
immediately got the email confirmation.
If you are using a free Gmail account, but still didn’t receive an email confirmation,
call the DFA hotline: (02) 556-0000.
However, changes must be made at least three (3) working days before your
schedule. If you fail to do this, the system will mark and penalize you.
Can I change my appointment
schedule?
YES. Go to this page, and then click on View Appointment. Input your Appointment
Code and your email address, then click on View Details. Once logged in,
choose RESCHEDULE.
You should do this not later than 3 days before your original schedule. The
rescheduled date must be no longer than 30 days from the original date.
As a penalty for “No Show” applicants, you have to wait for 30 days to make another
appointment.
The DSWD Clearance is one of the requirements for the passport application of a
minor. Then after working on the passport, you can finally apply for a visa. The
passport is essential for visa applications.
We heard that the processing time in the regional offices takes longer compared to
Manila. They say the length of days for processing may take 20-30 days, but we
haven’t confirmed this yet.
What is an ePassport?
The Philippines has been issuing ePassport since 2009. An ePassport has an
integrated circuit chip or microchip where the biometrics data are stored. An
indication that you are holding one is the chip sign or icon at the bottom portion of
your passport’s front cover.