The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday, October 2, reminded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that they no longer need to secure online passport appointment for their passport-related needs.
In a post on Facebook, DFA said that OFWs can head straight to courtesy lanes available in all DFA consular offices in the Philippines.
“Are you a returning OFW, senior citizen, PWD, pregnant woman, solo parent or minor? You may walk in at any of the DFA’s Consular Offices in the Philippines WITHOUT AN ONLINE PASSPORT APPOINTMENT! Our Courtesy Lane is open to accept your passport application,” the post’s caption read.
OFWs need to present any valid proof of being an overseas worker such as employment contract, work visa, iDOLE card, or seaman’s book.
The courtesy lanes are also open for senior citizens and their adult travel companion, persons with disability and their adult travel companion, pregnant women, solo parents and their minor children, and minors seven years old and below with their parents and minor siblings 17 years old and below.
Shorter waiting time for passport releases
Earlier, DFA announced that passports will be available for release in as early as six working days, effective October 1.
Foreign affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said that applicants at DFA Consular Offices in Metro Manila who pay the regular processing fee of P950.00 can receive their passports after 12 working days instead of 15 working days. Those who opt to pay the express processing fee of P1,200.00 can receive theirs after 6 working days instead of 7.
Meanwhile, applicants in DFA Consular Offices outside Metro Manila can receive their passports after 12 working days instead of 20 for regular processing and after 7 working days instead of 10 for expedited processing.
“We made a promise to the President and to our kababayan that we will work hard to give them fast, efficient, and secure passport services,” Cayetano said.
“Shortening the length of time our kababayan would have to wait before they could receive their passports is part of that promise,” he added.
Regarding passport applications abroad, Cayetano said the DFA is also currently working on reducing the waiting time for passport applications filed at Philippine Embassies and Consulates General around the world that currently takes as long as two months.
DFA is also working on shortening waiting time of applicants in securing online appointment slots to as early as two weeks to one month compared to as long as two to three months last year.
