The Secretariat

In the summer of 2007, one of my friends invited me to visit Rome, Italy. Let us call him Mr. Hunk. Together with his invitation, he gifted me my first Philippine “Regular” passport. It was called the green passport or the Machine-Readable Passport (MRP).

With excitement and enthusiasm, I gathered all my documents. I got my passport-size photo.

In 2007, the passport photos were glued to the passport. Now, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had shifted to biometric passports. The applicant’s photo, ten fingerprints, and biometrics are taken in the encoding step of the passport application process.

Today, I barely remember the process of how I collected the requirements for my first passport. But I know that it took me some time to accomplish the requirements.

If my memory serves me right, I secured the following: a. Municipal Trial Court Clearance; b. Regional Trial Court Clearance; and c. City Prosecutor’s Clearance. I think these clearances were requirements for me to have my National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance. Aside from my valid ID and NSO (now PSA) Birth certificate, the NBI clearance was one of the essential requirements.

After I completed my requirements, I hopped on a provincial bus and traveled for more than 2 hours to the nearest DFA Consular Office. I requested the bus driver to drop me off at the DFA office because it was my first time visiting the DFA office in the nearby province. Up to this date, there is no DFA office in my province.

When I applied, I was second in line with the Walk-in applicants. I submitted my documents and applied for my first Philippine Passport. I got my passport in May of 2007.

Are you curious whether I was given the chance to visit Rome, Italy in 2007?

If your answer is yes, well, I will let you know in my next stories.

How about you? What’s your story?

UPDATE:

In a comparison of the process today and the process years ago, it is easier to secure a passport now.

For first-time applicants, bring your Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or National Statistics Office (NSO) Birth Certificate and a valid and acceptable government-issued ID. In case of an unreadable or unclear Birth Certificate, you are required to bring the Local Registrar’s Copy, Certified True Copy, or Transcribed Copy.

If you are qualified to avail of the Courtesy Lane facility, you can just walk in into the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – Office of Consular Affairs, the Consular Offices, or the Regional Offices near your residence. However, if you are not qualified, you have to secure your online appointment first before visiting the DFA.

As long as there is no delay, applicants can have their passports in five (5) working days.

For more information and updates, please visit www.dfa.gov.ph.

REMINDER:

As a responsible Filipino passport applicant, you should know and complete the requirements before you get an online appointment.

In my experience, the DFA gives only a 1-month extension for an applicant to comply with the requirements. In case you can’t comply, your appointment will be forfeited.

Preparation is the key.

BEWARE of fixers. Best to process your passport application legitimately and properly. In case of irregularities, your passport application will be suspended, canceled, forfeited, or declared void. In the worst-case scenario, the DFA will include you on Watch List.

Disclaimer: For more accurate and updated information, please check the official websites of the Department of Foreign Affairs-Philippines.