If you are an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), your passport is the last thing you would want to lose. But as soon as you realize you have lost your passport, it is important to quickly report and have it replaced to avoid problems like identity theft.
What to do if you lost your PH Passport in another country
If you lost your passport in a foreign country, let’s say in the UAE, don’t start to panic and think that you will be stranded in that country forever.
You can head to the Philippine Embassies or Consulate General abroad because they accept and process Philippine passports and e-passports.
They will also send your application to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila where passports are printed.
What to do when you lost your PH Passport in the Philippines
When you lose your passport in the Philippines, looking for a solution is easier, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to be careless not to report it immediately.
If you lose your passport, file for an Affidavit of Loss from a lawyer’s office or the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO). You would need to state details as how, when, and where you lose it. The affidavit must also be notarized.
You would also need to get a police report from the police station that covers the area where you lost your passport.
After attaining said documents, apply for a new passport by logging in to the DFA passport online schedule to set an appointment (https://www.passport.gov.ph/appointment)
Prepare your birth certificate from the National Statistics Office and valid government-issued IDs, an additional Lost Passport Fee of P200, and all the other necessary requirements for passport application.
Requirements for lost passport:
– Accomplished application form which can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Embassy of the country where you are currently in;
– Police report, written in English and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the report was filed;
– Notarized Affidavit of Loss, authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the affidavit was made;
– NSO Birth certificate from the National Statistics OFfice, authenticated by the DFA;
– Valid IDs and other documents that will prove citizenship and identity;
– Photocopy of the lost passport, if you have any (Pro-tip: Always have a photocopy of ALL important documents when you are abroad); and
– Passport processing fee.
