Filipinos can now travel abroad again after two years of restrictions. To get into foreign countries, you’ll need a passport. Here’s what you need to know if you want to eat and shop abroad but don’t have that vital document.
Applying for a passport can be scary, especially if you’ve never done it. Getting this ID takes more steps and documents than other forms of ID, but all you have to do is contact them and show them to someone in person to be checked.
Note: According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, a marriage contract is unnecessary if a woman chooses to keep her maiden name.
You can make an appointment online on the DFA’s website for passport appointments. You can book a time for a single appearance or a group.
Slots fill up quickly, so don’t expect to find an open one tomorrow or next week. Depending on how many people are applying, you might get one in the next month. There are 30 minutes for each time slot.
Appointments made at any office, whether a DFA office or a Temporary Off-Site Passport Services (TOPS), are non-transferable and cannot be rescheduled.
If the applicant wants to make changes to their appointment, they must first cancel the appointment they already have. Then, a new position can be made and paid for.
Payments can be made online when setting up an appointment or in person at the DFA’s payment partners. If you want to pay with a debit or credit card, you should have the cards or e-wallets ready before you sign up.
Pay only the fees that are shown during the online booking process. No other expenses will be paid on-site, and applicants should not have to pay extra fees to get an appointment.
Note: The Department of Foreign Affairs does not require a marriage contract if a lady keeps her maiden name.
On the day of your appointment, it’s best to wear a shirt with a collar or a presentable shirt. On camera, the whole face must be seen from the front. Avoid tilting your head up, down, left, or right would be best.
The eyes should be open, and the mouth should be shut neutrally. You can smile but ensure it does not show your teeth or gums. As the DFA said, “The ‘Mona Lisa’ smile is recommended.”
For the picture, glasses must be taken off. If a person needs contact lenses for medical reasons, they can wear them as long as they don’t change the natural color of their eyes.
Applicants who wear contact lenses that change the color of their eyes must take them out.
As much as possible, the applicant should be able to show off both ears. Before the photo is taken, hair clips and jewelry should be taken off, and earrings are not allowed to be worn.
Frizzy or afro hairstyles should be put on to show the whole face from the front.
It takes about 12 days to get a passport for regular applications, and for expedited applications, it takes about 6 to 7 days. Standard applications cost ₱950 while getting a passport quickly costs an extra ₱1,200.
Applicants who need to travel quickly because of an emergency or for work should choose a pick-up release of passports. You can use the online courier delivery service if you’re not in a hurry.
If your passport is sent to you by courier, you will have to wait an extra 10 to 15 working days, depending on where you live. This option is only for applications that come from the Philippines.
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