How to Renew your Philippine Passport in USA

Recent legislation has mandated the use of the electronic passport system for the citizens of the Republic of the Philippines. The ePassport uses a microchip technology and a lot of security features that make it virtually tamper-proof. It is also compliant to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) security standards. An integrated circuit chip contains essential data for identity verification of the passport holder. Among the included data in the IC are the personal biographical information found in the data page, the passport holder’s biometrics data, the unique chip identification number and the digital signature that can be used to verify the authenticity.

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The Philippine Consulate or Embassy processes the applications for the ePassports but the manufacture of the documents rely solely on the shoulders of the Department of Foreign Affairs located in Manila. Applicants should allow two to three months for the processing and release of the passport. Applicants should also renew their passports at least six months prior to the expiry date indicated in the document.

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Guide to renewing Philippine passport in the USA

Step by Step Guide: Philippine Passport Renewal Process in America

Please also be reminded that all applicants need not bring their pictures anymore since their photographs along with their biometrics data will be captured on-site. This simply means that all applicants must appear personally in the Embassy. It is also reminded that there is absolutely no need to set an appointment date with the Embassy as applicants will be served on a walk-in basis.

General Requirements and Guidelines

Applicants are advised to bring the following upon their appearance at the Consulate or Embassy:

  1. A filled-in passport application form – either typed or legibly handwritten in blue or black ink
  2. Latest passport
  3. Two (2) photocopies of the data page of the latest passport.
  4. Proof of Citizenship: Original and two (2) photocopies of any of the following verifiable documents: greencard, visa adjustment, notice of action or work permit
  5. A self-addressed stamped envelope with the appropriate stamps for express or priority mail delivery with tracking numbers via the US Postal Service if the document will be mailed back. For applicants from the Caribbean Islands, they must provide a pre-paid mailing envelope from DHL.
  6. Non-refundable passport fee of $60. It can either be in cash or in money order payable to “Embassy of the Philippines” or “Philippine Consulates General”. Credit cards and personal cheques are strictly not allowed for payment.

Additional Requirements for applicants with manually-scripted passports, machine-readable ready passports (MRRP) and machine-readable passports (MRP):

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. Their old valid passport
  2. Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificates – the original and two (2) photocopies for verification and filing purposes. Copies may be ordered from the website ecensus.com.ph
  3. If the applicant is using their married name, PSA-Issued Marriage Certificate or their PSA-issued Report of Marriage
  4. Proof of Citizenship: Original and two (2) photocopies of any of the following verifiable documents: greencard, visa adjustment, notice of action or work permit

Applicants are also reminded that the Consular Officer reserves the right to ask for additional proof from the applicant in order to strongly prove his citizenship or identity as well as to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the personal data entries pursuant to RA 8239 (Philippine Passport Law) and RA 7157 (Foreign Service Act).

Additional Requirements for Replacement of Lost Passport

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. A filled-in passport application form – either typed or legibly handwritten in blue or black ink, with the applicant filling out the portion on “Affidavit of Loss” on the form.
  2. Original and photocopies of a state ID card, driver’s license, permanent resident alien card or any other accepted valid photo identification card.
  3. Photocopy of the lost Philippine passport, if available
  4. Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificates – the original and two (2) photocopies for verification and filing purposes. Copies may be ordered from the website ecensus.com.ph
  5. PSA-Issued Marriage Certificate (for marriages solemnized in the Philippines) or their PSA-issued Report of Marriage (for marriages solemnized outside of the country)
  6. Police report if the lost passport is still considered valid
  7. A self-addressed stamped envelope with the appropriate stamps for express or priority mail delivery with tracking numbers via the US Postal Service if the document will be mailed back. For applicants from the Caribbean Islands, they must provide a pre-paid mailing envelope from DHL.
  8. Passport fee of $160 if the passport was an MRP or an ePassport. If the lost passport was a MRRP or a Green Passport, applicant must prepare $100. It can either be in cash or in money order payable to “Embassy of the Philippines” or “Philippine Consulates General”. Credit cards and personal cheques are strictly not allowed for payment.

Applicants are also reminded that the Consular Officer reserves the right to ask for additional proof from the applicant in order to strongly prove his citizenship or identity as well as to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the personal data entries pursuant to RA 8239 (Philippine Passport Law) and RA 7157 (Foreign Service Act).

Furthermore, applicants of lost passports must also allot 15 days as waiting period on top of the two month to three months processing period.

Additional Requirements for Minors (below 18 years of age)

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. A filled-in passport application form – either typed or legibly handwritten in blue or black ink. Applicants must ensure that the portion allocated for Affidavit of Consent to Travel portion in the form is signed by the minor’s parent/s.
  2. Latest passport
  3. One (1) photocopy of the data page of the latest passport.
  4. Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificates – the original and two (2) photocopies for verification and filing purposes. Copies may be ordered from the website ecensus.com.ph
  5. Proof of Citizenship: Original and two (2) photocopies of any of the following verifiable documents: greencard, visa adjustment or notice of action
  6. A self-addressed stamped envelope with the appropriate stamps for express or priority mail delivery with tracking numbers via the US Postal Service if the document will be mailed back. For applicants from the Caribbean Islands, they must provide a pre-paid mailing envelope from DHL.
  7. Non-refundable passport fee of $60. It can either be in cash or in money order payable to “Embassy of the Philippines” or “Philippine Consulates General”. Credit cards and personal cheques are strictly not allowed for payment.

Applicants are also reminded that the Consular Officer reserves the right to ask for additional proof from the applicant in order to strongly prove his citizenship or identity as well as to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the personal data entries pursuant to RA 8239 (Philippine Passport Law) and RA 7157 (Foreign Service Act).

Additional Requirements for New Passport (for minors born abroad, applying for the first time):

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. A filled-in passport application form – either typed or legibly handwritten in blue or black ink.
  2. Report of Birth
  3. A self-addressed stamped envelope with the appropriate stamps for express or priority mail delivery with tracking numbers via the US Postal Service if the document will be mailed back. For applicants from the Caribbean Islands, they must provide a pre-paid mailing envelope from DHL.
  4. Non-refundable passport fee of $60. It can either be in cash or in money order payable to “Embassy of the Philippines” or “Philippine Consulates General”. Credit cards and personal cheques are strictly not allowed for payment.

Applicants are also reminded that the Consular Officer reserves the right to ask for additional proof from the applicant in order to strongly prove his citizenship or identity as well as to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the personal data entries pursuant to RA 8239 (Philippine Passport Law) and RA 7157 (Foreign Service Act).

Additional Requirements for New Passport (for those who have reacquired Philippine citizenship or for newly-registered Philippine citizens)

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. A filled-in passport application form – either typed or legibly handwritten in blue or black ink.
  2. Original and one (1) photocopy of the Identification Certificate for Dual Citizenship (original will be returned)
  3. Latest original passport and one photocopy of data page of passport (original will be returned)
  4. Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificates – the original and two (2) photocopies for verification and filing purposes. Copies may be ordered from the website ecensus.com.ph
  5. Report of Birth, if the applicant was born abroad and there is no old Philippine passport available.
  6. PSA-Issued Marriage Certificate (for marriages solemnized in the Philippines) or their PSA-issued Report of Marriage (for marriages solemnized outside of the country) Applicant may apply for PSA Marriage Certificate on-line at www.e-census.com.ph.
  7. A self-addressed stamped envelope with the appropriate stamps for express or priority mail delivery with tracking numbers via the US Postal Service if the document will be mailed back. For applicants from the Caribbean Islands, they must provide a pre-paid mailing envelope from DHL.
  8. Non-refundable passport fee of $60. It can either be in cash or in money order payable to “Embassy of the Philippines” or “Philippine Consulates General”. Credit cards and personal cheques are strictly not allowed for payment.

Applicants are also reminded that the Consular Officer reserves the right to ask for additional proof from the applicant in order to strongly prove his citizenship or identity as well as to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the personal data entries pursuant to RA 8239 (Philippine Passport Law) and RA 7157 (Foreign Service Act).

Requirements for New Passport due to Change in Name

Under relevant Philippine Laws, a person’s legal name can be amended only under the following cases:

  • Change of name due to marriage
  • Change of surname of a legitimated child by virtue of a subsequent marriage of parents
  • Change of name due to adoption
  • Change of name due to death of spouse or annulment of marriage
  • Change of name due to divorce (valid only for those Filipinos who did not act as Plaintiff in the divorce proceedings, i.e. the Filipino spouse did not initiate the divorce proceedings; not valid for couples who were both Filipinos at the time of the marriage)
  • Change of name as duly ordered by Philippine courts or the Civil Registrar General

General Requirements and Guidelines:

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. Duly-accomplished passport application form, typed or printed legibly in black or blue ink.
  2. Latest original passport and one photocopy of data page of passport (original will be returned)
  3. Proof that the applicant has not applied for any foreign citizenship
  4. Self-addressed return envelope, with appropriate stamps for express or priority mail with tracking numbers via US Postal Service, or with pre-paid mailing envelope from applicant’s private courier of choice, if the document is to be mailed back.
  5. Non-refundable passport fee of $60. It can either be in cash or in money order payable to “Embassy of the Philippines” or “Philippine Consulates General”. Credit cards and personal cheques are strictly not allowed for payment.

Additional Requirements for change of name due to marriage:

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. PSA-Issued Marriage Certificate (for marriages solemnized in the Philippines) Applicants can order from the website ecensus.com.ph
  2. PSA-issued Report of Marriage (for marriages solemnized outside of the country).

Additional Requirements for change of name due to death of husband, divorce, annulled marriages:

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. For widows: Present the Authenticated death certificate of husband, or authenticated court order of presumptive death
  2. For annulled marriages: Present the PSA-issued Marriage Contract, with the annotation reflecting the annulment of marriage. Applicant may apply for the PSA Marriage Certificate on-line at e-census.com.ph.
  3. For divorcees: Present the original and one (1) photocopy of the Divorce Decree (allowed only in cases where the Filipino spouse did not act as the plaintiff; not permitted when both parties were Filipino citizens at the time of the marriage)

Additional Requirements for change of name due to legitimation upon subsequent marriage of parents, or as ordered by Philippine courts or by the Civil Registrar General:

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. PSA-issued Birth Certificate with the annotation reflecting the change of name due to the subsequent legitimation. Applicant may apply for the PSA Birth Certificate on-line at e-census.com.ph.

Additional Requirements for change of name due to adoption

Applicants must be able to present the following requirements upon their appearance at the Embassy:

  1. PSA-issued Birth Certificate which reflects the adoptive surname. Applicant may apply for the PSA Birth Certificate on-line at e-census.com.ph.

Additional Requirements for changes in name allowed under Republic Act 9048:

Applicants should bring these requirements during their appointment:

  1. PSA Birth Certificate with annotation reflecting change of entry.

Republic Act 9048 authorizes the city or municipal civil registrar or the consul general to make the following changes in name, without the need of a judicial order:

> correction of clerical or typographical errors in any entry in civil registry documents, except corrections involving the change in sex, age, nationality and civil status of a person

> change of a person’s first name in his/her civil registry document under certain grounds specified under the law through administrative process.

Applicants are being reminded that the Consular Officer reserves the right to ask for additional proof from the applicant in order to strongly prove his citizenship or identity as well as to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the personal data entries pursuant to RA 8239 (Philippine Passport Law) and RA 7157 (Foreign Service Act).

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