A Philippine passport is an important document to have if you’re traveling or if you need a valid ID. If you want to get one or plan to renew, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get a new passport this year, including notes on my experience.
How to book a Philippine passport appointment online
Photo / Department of Foreign Affairs
The first step to applying for or renewing a passport is to book an online appointment.
You can schedule an appointment on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) website. You can specify the site where you want to set an appointment and when. It’s important to note that slots fill up fast. As of January 21, 2025, the next available slot at ASEANA is on February 7, 2025, from 9 AM to 10 AM and 3 PM to 4 PM. When I applied on December 8, 2024, I chose December 19, 2024, at ASEANA from 3 PM to 4 PM.
Photo / Department of Foreign Affairs (the February 5 slot is fully booked even if the date is green)
You must complete your personal and family information after selecting your venue, date, and time. Then, you will choose whether to apply for a new, renewed, or lost passport. I chose the lost passport option. The last page you will complete is your contact information. After you complete this, you can review and edit your information if needed.
The DFA notes that “applicants are recommended to use Google or Yahoo email accounts in securing an appointment to avoid any technical incompatibilities. Email address restrictions and accessibility may vary on your access location, country and/or email servers.”
Paying for your Philippine passport appointment
Photo / Department of Foreign Affairs
Once everything is okay, you must pay for your Philippine passport appointment. You can choose between regular processing, which costs P950 and takes 12 business days, or special processing, which costs P1,200 and expedites the process. The expedited process is only available at DFA ASEANA and other consular offices.
The payment methods include:
- ePayment via Maya
- Debit and credit card
- Over-the-counter payment at authorized Payment Centers like Bayad Center
You can pick your passport up once it is ready or have a courier deliver it. There seems to be a glitch on the website. Both on the day I applied for my passport (December 8, 2024) and as of writing, there are no options under the “Please choose a Courier Provider” tab. So I chose Pick-up instead.
Photo / Department of Foreign Affairs
This reported issue has been discussed on Reddit as far back as eight months ago. Redditors have suggested clearing your cache or trying another browser, but nothing worked for me. I refreshed the page, but I had to start from the beginning and type in everything again. After a few days, I tried again and successfully booked an appointment.
Applicants who wish to reschedule their appointments may do so three (3) days before their original appointment schedule via this link. If an appointment schedule is canceled, a new appointment must be made through passport.gov.ph.
Once you are done, you will receive a confirmation via email, along with the following next steps:
- Print the attached application form and this email confirmation; ensure that the form is printed in full.
- Bring the printed application form, email confirmation, and necessary documents (including photocopies) on the date of your appointment.
- You will be instructed to sign the passport application form in front of the attending consular official.
Requirements for Philippine passport
There is a set of requirements needed for applying for a Philippine passport.
For Adult Applicants (18 years old and above)
Adult New
- Confirmed online appointment
- Personal appearance
- Accomplished application form (this is the form that you filled out when applying for the passport, and will be emailed to you)
- Original and photocopy of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) issued Certificate of Live Birth on Security Paper; and
- Married Females (who are using their spouse’s last name) must also present Original and submit photocopy of PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage on Security Paper or Report of Marriage.
- Local Civil Registrar Copy is required if PSA-issued documents are not clear or cannot be read.
- Acceptable IDs with one (1) photocopy (click here for the list of acceptable IDs for passport processing)
Note: If a woman opts to retain her maiden name, a PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage is not required.
Depending on your status, additional requirements may be required, such as if you are a Naturalized Filipino Citizen, if your PSA-issued documents are unreadable, and more. Check this page out if these apply to you.
Adult Renewal ePassport
- Confirmed online appointment
- Accomplished application form (this is the form that you filled out when applying for the passport, and will be emailed to you)
- Personal appearance
- Current ePassport with photocopy of data page; and
- Original PSA-issued documents that will support the change of name.
-
- Certificate of Marriage;
- Annotated Certificate of Live Birth;
- Annotated Certificate of Marriage to show annulment/divorce/court ordered instruction; and/or
- Certificate of Death of Spouse.
- Note: If a woman opts to retain her maiden name, a PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage is not required.
Again, additional requirements may be required. Check this page out if these apply to you.
Adult Renewal non-ePassport (Brown, Green, Machine Readable (Maroon) Passports or any older Passports)
- Confirmed online appointment
- Personal appearance;
- Accomplished application form (this is the form that you filled out when applying for the passport, and will be emailed to you)
- Current Non-ePassport with photocopy of data page (if available);
- Original and photocopy of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) issued Certificate of Live Birth on Security Paper; and
-
- Married Females (who are using their spouse’s last name) must also present Original and submit photocopy of PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage on Security Paper or Report of Marriage.
- Local Civil Registrar Copy is required if PSA-issued documents are not clear or cannot be read.
- Note: If a woman opts to retain her maiden name, a PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage is not required.
- Acceptable IDs with one (1) photocopy (click here for the list of acceptable IDs for passport processing)
Check this page for additional requirements.
Adult Lost Passport and Travel Documents
In case of a Lost VALID ePassport
- Police report in English;
- Notarized Affidavit of Loss in English; and
- Penalty Fee: P350 (I paid the penalty fee when I applied for my passport, but this did not show up on my receipt. During my appointment, a DFA representative confirmed that this happens sometimes. You will be asked if you paid the fee, so be ready with proof of payment. If you didn’t pay the fee, you will be asked to settle the amount in a different counter)
In case of a Lost EXPIRED ePassport
- Police report in English;
- Notarized Affidavit of Loss in English; and
- Penalty Fee: P350
In case of renewal of a frequently Lost Passport
- Police report in English;
- Notarized Affidavit of Loss in English; and
- Penalty Fee: Php350.00.
Note: If a photocopy of the applicant’s latest issued passport is not available, on top of the requirements above, the PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth will be required and will be treated as a new applicant. Additional supporting documents may be required, as necessary to ascertain citizenship, identity and lack of travel restrictions.
For minor applicants (below 18 years old)
Minor New
- Confirmed online appointment. To see if you are qualified to use the Courtesy Lane, please click here;
- Accomplished application form;
- Personal appearance of minor applicant and either parent or authorized adult companion; and
- The accompanying adult companion shall submit supporting documents depending on the case of the minor.
- Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) issued Certificate of Live Birth;
- Local Civil Registrar Copy may be required if PSA Certificate of Live Birth is not clear or cannot be read.
- Valid Identification Cards (at least one) of the minor applicant and the accompanying adult.
Check out this page for supporting documents.
Minor Renewal ePassport
- Confirmed online appointment. To see if you are qualified to use the Courtesy Lane, please click here;
- Accomplished application form;
- Personal appearance of minor applicant and either parent or authorized adult companion;
- The accompanying adult companion shall submit supporting documents depending on the case of the minor.
- Current ePassport with photocopy of data page;
- PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth as proof of filiation; and
- Valid Identification Cards (at least one) of the minor applicant and the accompanying adult.
Check out this page for supporting documents.
Minor Renewal non-ePassport (Brown, Green, Machine Readable (Maroon) Passports or any older Passports)
- Confirmed online appointment. To see if you are qualified to use the Courtesy Lane, please click here;
- Accomplished application form;
- Personal appearance of minor applicant and either parent or authorized adult companion;
- The accompanying adult companion shall submit supporting documents depending on the case of the minor.
- Current Non-ePassport with photocopy of data page;
- PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth as proof of filiation; and
- Valid Identification Cards (at least one) of the minor applicant and the accompanying adult.
Check out this page for supporting documents.
Minor Lost Passport and Travel Documents
In case of a Lost VALID ePassport
- Police report in English (It must be filed by parent/s, legal guardian or person authorized by parent/s who will accompany the minor applicant on the day of application. Original and photocopy required.);
- Notarized Affidavit of Loss in English (It must be signed by parent/s, legal guardian or person authorized by parent/s who will accompany the minor applicant on the day of application. Original and photocopy required.); and
- Penalty Fee: Php350.00.
In case of Lost EXPIRED ePassport
- Police report in English (It must be filed by parent/s, legal guardian or person authorized by parent/s who will accompany the minor applicant on the day of application. Original and photocopy required.);
- Notarized Affidavit of Loss in English (It must be signed by parent/s, legal guardian or person authorized by parent/s who will accompany the minor applicant on the day of application. Original and photocopy required.);
- Penalty Fee: Php350.00.
In case of renewal of a frequently Lost Passport
- Police report in English(filed by parent/s, legal guardian or person authorized by parent/s who will accompany the minor applicant on the day of application);
- Notarized Affidavit of Loss in English (signed by parent/s, legal guardian or person authorized by parent/s who will accompany the minor applicant on the day of application); and
- Penalty Fee: Php350.00.
Note: If a photocopy of the applicant’s latest issued passport is not available, on top of the requirements above, the PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth will be required and will be treated as a new applicant. Additional supporting documents may be required, as necessary to ascertain citizenship, identity and lack of travel restrictions.
Personal appearance for a Philippine passport
Personal appearance is required when applying for or renewing a Philippine passport. All applicants must observe proper attire, decorum, and health protocols inside the premises.
Applicants are encouraged to arrive at the site at least 10 minutes before their scheduled appointment, but I was allowed to enter DFA ASEANA at 2:30 PM for my 3 PM appointment.
Due to the limited space in the consular area, minor applicants, senior citizens (60 years old and above), visibly pregnant people, and persons with disabilities (PWD) are only allowed to have one (1) companion during their appointment schedule. Those who do not fall under these categories cannot have a companion.
DFA ASEANA has a waiting area just by the entrance, and a small coffee shop is inside the premises. They may also choose to wait in the fastfood restaurants near the area.
The process began at the entrance, where the guard confirmed my schedule and that I had all the requirements. A DFA representative asked me to proceed to the second floor, where they gave me a number, which I used until the end of my application process. I sat and waited until they called my number for processing. It was reasonably fast.
The DFA representative reviewed my application form and requirements. She asked about my penalty fee since I applied for a replacement for my lost passport. I remember paying, but since I couldn’t access my bank’s app, I opted to pay the P350 (this is non-refundable, so make sure you have proof of payment ready). She directed me to a payment counter, which had no line. They only accept cash, so be ready.
After I settled the penalty fee, I returned to the first floor. In my memory, this was because I was replacing a missing passport. The representative reviewed my documents, and then I went back to the second floor.
The final step is data encoding and biometrics, where they input your personal information and take your photo, signature, and fingerprints. You can check your personal information on a screen, so make sure there are no typos. The DFA representative will also ask if you are okay with your photo or want to shoot again. Your passport will be valid for 10 years, so make sure you like your photo (without taking too much time).
There’s also an area where you can arrange for your passport to be delivered. However, there was a line, and I needed to leave after my appointment, so I couldn’t avail of the service. I’m not sure if you can have your passport delivered if you choose “pick-up” when booking your appointment online.
The data encoding and biometrics took the longest for me, and I finished past 4 PM. Numbers are called randomly, so there’s no estimated time when they’ll assist you. Bring something to distract you, like a book or a movie.
Picking up your Philippine passport
My appointment was on December 19, 2024, and my passport’s tentative release date was January 2, 2025. It’s impressive, considering it’s the holiday season. My pickup location was at DoubleDragon Plaza in Pasay City. When picking up your passport, you must bring your original DFA-issued receipt, original acceptable ID, and old passport if you’re renewing.
In case of a lost receipt, the applicant or authorized representative must present the original notarized Affidavit of Lost Receipt executed by the applicant. Passports unclaimed after one (1) year will be canceled.
I picked up my passport on January 10, 2025. There’s a dedicated section for pick-ups. You just need to drop your receipt in a basket and wait for the DFA representatives to call your name. Plenty of seats are available. Many people were present, but the process was fast; I think I finished it in less than 30 minutes. You only need to sign a sheet, and you’re done!
If the applicant cannot claim his/her passport, immediate family members* are allowed to claim the passport on behalf of the applicant. Bring the following:
- Authorization letter (must mention affiliation with the applicant),
- Original DFA issued receipt,
- Valid ID (original and photocopy) of applicant and representative
*Immediate family members of legal age such as parents, brother, sister, spouse or children
In case a person other than an immediate family member will claim the applicant’s passport, bring:
- Original notarized Special Power of Attorney (SPA) executed by the applicant, issued to the authorized representative
- Valid ID (original and photocopy) of applicant and representative indicated in the Special Power of Attorney
For minor applicants
- If the passport will be claimed by the mother, the claimant must present an original DFA-issued receipt and valid ID.
- If the passport will be claimed by the father, the claimant must present an original DFA-issued receipt, valid ID, and PSA documents indicating proof of parental authority over the minor.
What do you think? Share your thoughts below!
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Please email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or directly message us at the WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad. Join our Viber group to be updated with the latest news!
