Are you looking for procedures on how to renew your Philippine passport if you’re in the US? I hope this question would be answered in this article that I have published.
A Filipino needs a valid passport when entering or traveling to the US. A passport is a mandatory requirement to be able to enter USA. Even other nationalities should carry their own passport when traveling to the USA.
A passport serves not only a document for travel but also your identification as citizen of the Philippines. If you are working or living in the US for a long time, there will come a time that your passport will be expired because normally the validity of Philippine passport is only five (5) years.
Here in Korea where I’m working right now, I have learned that Korean passport has a validity of 10 years which is good for those Korean staying outside Korea. Anyhow, there are basic information that you need to know when renewing your passport like the requirements and the procedures that you must follow.
Basic Information About Philippines Passport
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines is the responsible department or agency of the government that issues passport to Filipino citizen. In the past, the passport is color green which is not a machine readable and only hand written. This kind of passport is not being issued anymore because it is prone to fraud and easy to be copied.
Few years ago, DFA has started to issue a brown passport which is machine readable. It is an electronic passport containing digital signature and picture, biographical information and unique passport number in a secured-type of paper.
Requirements for Passport Renewal
In order to renew your old passport, you need to complete all the requirements to do so. First of all, you need to bring your old passport that you want to renew. For your information, all green Philippine passports will now be converted to a brown one. It is an electronic or machine readable passport that are mandatory to most of the countries these days.
Take note that personal appearance is required in all cases when renewing your passport or even when applying for a new one because your photo and signature will be taken on-site as well as your finger prints. Applicants who are 65 years old and above and minors who are below 18 years old are not exempted with this requirement. In addition, you cannot apply or renew passport by mail.
Here’s the full requirements when renewing your old or expiring Philippine passport if you’re living in the US. The following information comes from the website of Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles but can be same with other consulate or places in the US.
1. Do not bring passport pictures. Passport pictures are to be taken by the Consulate
2. The applicant must wear decent attire (no sleeveless and/or collarless attire) and without eyeglasses/contact
lenses. No facial piercings allowed.
3. Old passport (most recent) and one (1) photocopy of data page/s of old passport (Old passport is returned)
4. Duly accomplished application form signed by applicant, or in case of minor below 8 years old, signed by the
parent or legal guardian
5. For minor children below 18 years old applying for passport renewal and unaccompanied by both parents,
notarized Affidavit of Consent to Travel issued by either one of the parents
6. In the case of applicants who are holding brown-colored passports, documentary proof of middle name (e.g.
birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security card, etc.) must be submitted. The applicant should
spell-out his or her middle name (not middle initial) as this will be reflected in the new passport. Holders of
green-colored passports are not required to submit documentary proofs of middle name unless the consular
officer requires the submission of such documents.
7. ePassport Processing Fee - $60.00
Procedures for Renewing Philippine Passport
As I have said earlier, personal appearance is required when renewing your old and expiring Philippine passport. There’s no exemption for this requirement.
It will be better to fill out the application forms before going to the consulate office so you can save time and the process will be quicker. You may download the forms in this link. Print it out and fill out the necessary information needed.
During the application, your photo will be taken using a digital camera so you should not wear any eye glasses, ear or nose piercing and other things that can block your face. You also need to make your own digital signature to be printed on the new passport.
The application process is not complicated and may take less than 30 minutes depending on the number of applicants present in the office. The important thing is you must have all the requirements so you will not be delayed.
Final Thoughts
When you want to renew your old Philippine passport, you should visit the consulate or embassy nearest you in order to start your application. You must do it in person because your digital photo and signature is needed as well as your finger prints.
The application forms are readily available for download via the Internet, through the link I have provided or you may visit directly the website of consulate office in your area. I wish you will have a quick and easy application for renewing your passport.
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