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BREAKING: Consulate General implements stricter policy on walk-in transactions for passport renewal.

Effective tomorrow, Tuesday, April 10, 2018, the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai will no longer be accepting walk-in passport renewal applicants.

Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes told The Filipino Times in an interview that his office came up with the move to instill discipline and put a system in place following numerous incidents where those without really an urgent need slug it out against those having legitimate concerns or exempted from the online passport appointment process.

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“Ang ginagawa nila, nakikipagsabayan sila sa mga nasa courtesy lane na valid walk-ins. May emergency daw sila but there’s really no way to verify that (on the spot),” Cortes said.

“For those na talagang nangangailan, don’t just show up and even make stories just so you can be accommodated,” he added, lamenting that at times, those exempted had to beg the gate crashers to allow them to be attended first.

“When you have manpower constraints,” said Cortes, “you have to allocate accordingly.”

Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes
Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes

The advisory, issued April 8, requires those needing immediate renewal of their passports due to an emergency or other urgent cases such as medical reasons or death in the family to send an email to [email protected] and provide proof of urgency of passport renewal to be given priority.

Exempted from the online passport renewal system are minors aged 12 and below, senior citizens (aged 60 and above), seafarers, persons with disabilities (medical report needed), pregnant women (with medical certificate) and household service workers. They may proceed directly to the Courtesy Lane at any time between 8am to 3:30pm.

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