Travelling is a wonderful hobby but can be for work and leisure. Well, the one constant thing in travelling for leisure and work is that you need a passport. It is an important document that you need to carry at all times if you are travelling internationally. A passport is proof of your national identity and citizenship, and as mentioned earlier, it is a vital document you must always carry with you when travelling abroad.
People who still don’t know how to apply for a passport must know the requirements. The application process is simple, but the real challenge is securing an appointment for the application. Well, folks, don’t be worried because we will tell you in this article some of the simple procedures to follow to fulfil passport requirements. Are you all ready to know about the procedure? Let’s get started.
Passport ID Requirements:
It is important to know that the changes in office hours and since COVID-19 is still ongoing, the number of people allowed to get to aid their passport requirements is also limited and restricted.
Well, there are several passport requirements that you need to know about the requirements you need to fulfil to get your passport.
LIST OF PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS:
1. Online Appointment Confirmation:
The first thing you need to do is secure a slot by setting an online appointment. This is a handy way of getting yourself an appointment. To give you enough lead time, it is important to do it at least three months before your desired travel date. You must note that the available slots at the earliest must be booked earlier, or it will be too late for you because of the heavy volume of applications. This is seen especially during these extraordinary times when the community quarantines forced government agencies to operate with a skeleton workforce. It also includes halted or delayed most government operations.
No walk-ins are allowed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Folks, you must note that the walk-in courtesy is suspended until further notice is provided. This is done to manage and control foot traffic, and the people eligible to use the courtesy lane must book an online appointment. If there is an urgency regarding your application, you can email at [email protected].
These are the rules for walk-ins that have come into being because of the pandemic. Let’s check out the rules that were there before the pandemic.
- The person with a disability and 1 companion:
The companion must be an immediate family member. If not, the person must show proof of travel arrangements to prove they are travelling together. It can be anything from a hotel booking to a plane ticket.
- Senior citizen and 1 companion:
The companion must be an immediate family member, If not, the person must show proof of travel arrangements to prove that they are travelling together. It can be anything from a hotel booking to a plane ticket.
- Minor seven (7) years old or below, adding to them their parents and minor siblings.
- Pregnant woman: A medical certificate or records must be shown if the baby bump is not yet noticeable.
- OFWs: Land-based and Sea-farers: They must bring any of the following: a valid iDOLE card, work visa, employment contract, or seaman’s book stamped at the international border less than 365 days from the date of application.
2. Duly Accomplished Application Form
This is another requirement for the passport that you must fulfil. When setting an appointment, you must fill out the application form. The filling of the application form is usually done online. After filling out the form as one of the requirements for a passport, you will receive an e-mail confirming your appointment schedule when you have paid the application processing fee. The e-mail will also contain the link to your application form. You can click the link to download and print out your accomplished form.
If you need a blank copy of the application form, you can get it here. You need to print it out on A4-size paper.
3. Valid ID for Passport:
Having a valid id for a passport is essential and is one of the important passport requirements. You only need to bring any original along with a photocopy. However, having any of the following will be accepted:
- Social Security System (SSS) Card
- Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Card
- Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID)
- LTO Driver’s License
- Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) ID
- Philippine Identification (PhilID)
- Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) E-Card
- Voter’s ID or Certification from the Main Office with Dry Seal. If presenting the Voter’s Certificate, you may also need to provide NBI or police clearance. [Update: As of Aug 2022, the DFA website states this: Voter’s ID or Voter’s Certificate issued from COMELEC main office in Intramuros, Manila. They have removed the part about certificates issued by the regional offices and NBI/Police Clearance. We’re still clarifying if Voter’s Certificates from regional offices are still accepted and whether or not the NBI/Police Clearance is still needed. We will update this again as soon as we have the answers, but please contact DFA directly for clarifications.]
- PNP Firearms License
- REMINDER: Make sure that the ID (original and photocopy) is readable, untampered, and must contain the same information as other documents.
- PNP Firearms License
- Airman License (issued August 2016 onwards)
- Philippine Postal ID (issued November 2016 onwards)
- Senior Citizen ID (if senior)
School ID or Certificate of Enrolment with student’s photo and the school’s dry seal (if student)
- Seafarer’s Record Book (SRB) issued from February 2020 onwards by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
4. Birth Certificate:
Having a birth certificate is one of the important passport id requirements. The requisites that you will need to have are:
- Original
- PSA-authenticated
- Printed on PSA security paper
If the PSA-authenticated Birth Certificate is not readable, you will get a copy from the Local Civil Registrar.
IF late registered: If the birth certificate is registered within the past 10 years, then you need to submit an ID that pre-dates the registration or current ID with NBI Clearance. If it was registered over 10 years ago, you need not have additional supporting requirements.
5. Personal Appearance:
If you are planning to apply on your own or through a travel agency, the passport requirements under this section are that you must be physically present at the DFA DFA Office on your appointment schedule. This is one of the DFA requirements for a passport. The passport application process includes taking your photo and collecting biometrics data. To capture a photo as one of the passport requirements, you must take note to wear proper attire or dress code. Coloured contact lenses and accessories like earrings, necklaces, or other facial piercings are prohibited during photo capturing.
You must be wondering about the procedure to apply for the application as one of the passport requirements. Well, don’t worry we have got you covered.
Passport Application Process:
Set an Appointment Online:
First, you need to start by setting an appointment online, and you must know that the online appointment is free. Want to know more? Keep reading!
Walk-in applicants are only allowed if there are emergency and special cases. Applicants who are regular and non-emergency applicants must secure their seats for the application process by setting an online appointment. As much as possible, be fast enough to secure your online appointment as it is also one of the passport requirements.
Fill out the Application Form:
After securing an online application, you must fill out the form. You will be needed to fill out the four-page application form, and you will only get 15 minutes to complete the application form.
Pay the Passport Processing Fee:
After completing the online application, you must pay the passport processing fee. You will have to choose one of the two processing options, depending on what applies to you:
Regular Processing: This costs P950 and takes 10-15 days in Manila.
Express Processing: This costs P1200 and takes 5-7 days in Manila.
Show up at Your Chosen DFA Office on Your Appointment Date:
After you have paid the processing fee, as a next step, you need to show up at the DFA Office for your appointment, which will be on a stipulated date. Attention folks!! You must bring all the requirements, plus the Application Form printout (hard copy), the checklist with your confirmed schedule, and your eReceipt (two copies).
Pick up your passport:
The final step is when you will be holding your passport in your hand. If you did not avail of the passport delivery service during the application process at the DFA office of your choice, then you need to go back to the indicated release date of your passport. You must bring the application receipt and another additional document, like a claim stub, if applicable. Make sure to check all the details on your passport before leaving the counter. Also, make sure your name is correctly spelt and there are no typos.
Conclusion:
That’s all, folks! Hope the article helped you in getting all the information that you needed.
