The
Philippine Consulate’s Facebook page is featuring Frequently-Asked-Questions
Friday (FAQ Friday) every fourth Friday of each month, where it will answer
questions about the services it offers.
Each
FAQ Friday will focus on one topic. Last Friday, it was all about your
Philippine passport.
Here
are some questions:
Q:
When should I renew my Philippine passport?
A:
Most countries require you to carry a passport that is valid for at least six
months beyond the date you leave their country. To avoid inconvenience or
delays in scheduled or emergency travel, we recommend that you renew your
passport at least one year before it expires. If you are a frequent traveler,
we recommend that you renew your passport once you have used up half of its
pages.
Q:
My passport is expired/valid for less than six months, but I need to travel
next week. Can I extend the validity of my passport?
A:
The Consulate can only extend the validity of your passport under the following
circumstances:
-
(If your passport is expired) Your passport expired within the last calendar
year;
-
Your current passport is not an e-passport (it does not have the symbol for a
microchip on its front cover);
-
You have already applied for the renewal of your passport;
-
You have already purchased tickets for your travel, or urgently need to travel
for an emergency, such as the death or sudden illness of a relative, and can
present documentary evidence to support this fact (purchased tickets, emails,
doctor’s certification); and
subject
to international travel and immigration agreements, the Philippine passport may
be extended up to Nov. 1, 2015 only.
In
the event the Consulate cannot extend the validity of your passport, you may
apply for a temporary travel document, which will allow you one-way travel to
the Philippines where you may then renew your passport. Expedited processing is
available in the Philippines. For more information on passport renewal in the
Philippines, visit http://www.passport.com.ph.
Q:
What do I need to bring if I am renewing my passport? A: Replacing a lost or
damaged passport? How much will it cost?
A: It
costs $60.00 to renew a Philippine passport; $100.00 to replace a lost green
(machine-readable ready) passport, and $160.00 to renew a brown
(machine-readable or e-) passport.
The
requirements for passport renewal, or for replacement of a lost passport, are
on the Consulate’s website.
You
may opt to pay an extra $20.00 to have your passport shipped to you via
priority mail, or bring your own priority/express mail envelope. Passport
applicants on consular outreaches are automatically charged the mailing fee,
unless they inform the passport officer that they will be opting to collect
their passport at the Consulate in person.
Q:
Is there a dress code for my passport photo?
A:
Not necessarily, but please remember that your passport photo will be your
identifying photo to immigration officials for the next five years! Dress
appropriately, and please remove all ear/neck jewelry, facial piercings, and/or
colored contacts prior to coming for passport renewal.
Q:
How long does it take to renew my Philippine passport?
A:
Since all Philippine passports are printed in the Philippines, it may take up
to eight weeks before you receive your new Philippine passport. Your passport
may arrive earlier, but you are advised to allocate at least 6 weeks’ lead time
before making any plans to travel with your new passport.
Q:
I won’t be able to collect my passport in person. May I authorize someone else
to collect my passport?
A:
Of course you may! Please make sure that the person you are authorizing to
collect your passport can present the following documents:
-
Your old Philippine passport (if it was not cancelled at the time of
application);
-
A letter of authorization, signed by yourself, or the claim stub and receipt
for your passport; and
-
A valid photo ID.
Q:
Can I apply for renewal of my passport by mail?
A:
Unfortunately, no – the personal appearance of the applicant is now required
for all passport applicants, regardless of age. This is because the passport
application process now includes the capture of certain biometric details, such
as your photograph and fingerprints, which require you to be physically present
at the time of application. These biometrics are included in the electronic
chip embedded in your passport, and are part of the additional security
features of the new electronic passport, or “e-passport.”
Q:
I recently got married. Do I have to use my husband’s surname in my Philippine
passport?
A:
The use of your husband’s surname is optional under Philippine law. However,
once you opt to use your husband’s surname in your Philippine passport, you
will have to retain this name until either your spouse’s death or the legal
dissolution of your marriage as recognized in a Philippine court of law.
Q:
I recently got married, and would like to use my married name in my Philippine
passport. What will I need to bring?
A:
If you were married in the Philippines, bring an original NSO copy of your
marriage certificate. You may order one online from http://www.ecensus.com.ph.
If you were married outside of the Philippines, you will need to report your marriage
to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over the state or
country where you were married.
Q:
I am now a US citizen, but my Philippine passport is still valid. May I still
use this passport?
A:
Your Philippine passport was automatically invalidated on the day you were
naturalized as a US citizen. You will have to apply for reacquisition of your
Philippine citizenship, then apply for a new Philippine passport. The
requirements for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship under RA 9225, or the
Dual Citizenship Act of 2003, may be found at philippinessanfrancisco.org/philippines-sf/consular-services-sf/faq-sf/#dual.
– The FilAm
