PASSPORT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Q: When should I renew my passport?

A: A passport with at least six (6) months’ validity is a standard requirement for international travel. In view of the long turnaround for the processing of a Philippine passport (around two months), Filipinos living overseas are therefore advised to renew their passports several months before expiry. We recommend eight months, or preferably, 9 months before its expiration to account for any possible delays in the transmission of the passport to the Embassy.

While the passport is being processed, you will continue to hold on to your present passport. This will ensure that you will be able to leave Oman for any emergency. Your present passport will be cancelled only when the new passport has arrived. When claiming the new passport, please bring the old passport as it will be cancelled in front of you. Filipino professionals who go on frequent travels are advised to submit their applications even earlier, and have their passport renewed long before all the pages have been used up.

There is no option for an applicant to apply for a passport with more than the standard number of pages under the current Philippine passport system; the number of pages is fixed.

Please be informed also that due to technical problems at the processing end in Manila, delays in the transmittal of printed passports to the Embassy occur occasionally. The Embassy is not informed by Manila as to the exact date that a (particular) passport will be sent to the Embassy, due to the way the system operates. Rest assured, however, that efforts are underway in Manila to resolve this situation of delay in the processing of certain passports.

Q: I am in urgent need of a passport and cannot wait for eight weeks. Please “expedite” my passport.

A: The Embassy regrets to inform you that there is no “expedite” process for Philippine Foreign Service Posts. Since all Philippine passports are printed in Manila, the Embassy is unable to accommodate “expedite” requests. In other words, the processing time cannot be shortened on a personal request. However, while the new passport is being made in Manila, you will continue to hold your present passport, which means you can still use it for employment purposes or for travel, if it is still valid.

Q: Can I request for the extension of my passport’s validity?

A: Passport holders are reminded that there are strict rules for applying for an extension of the validity of expiring passports. Passports that are valid for less than six (6) months may be extended once on the following instances:

• death in the family requiring the OFW and members of his/her dependent family to urgently travel to the Philippines;
• medical emergencies requiring the OFW and members of his/her dependent family to urgently travel to the Philippines or another country for medical treatment;
• OFWs returning to their employers abroad with valid employment contracts processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) or any Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO); and
• those going home on final exit visas.

In these instances, proof of urgency such as a copy of the death certificate, medical certificate, valid employment contracts processed by the POEA or any of the POLO, along with plane tickets with confirmed flight details should be presented.

Per the regulations of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), all non-machine readable passports may no longer be extended beyond October 31, 2015 and must be completely phased out by November 24, 2015.

All Filipino nationals holding Machine Readable-Ready Passports (MRRP; green passports) and Machine Readable Passports (MRP; maroon passports) will no longer be allowed to apply for an extension of the validity of these passports after October 31, 2015.

They must instead apply for a new e-Passport as soon as possible before the expiry of their current MRRP (green) or MRP (maroon) passports. Those who fail to do so will likely encounter difficulty at immigration checks when traveling through any ports of entry around the world after October 2015.

Q: How would I know if my passport has arrived already from Manila?

A: You will receive an SMS notification from the Embassy once your passport is ready for release. Please refrain from following up if only six (6) weeks has passed. As mentioned at the very beginning of the application process, the normal processing time for a passport to arrive from Manila is eight (8) weeks. After seven (7) weeks, however, you may wish to follow up with the Consular Section. Please send a message entitled “Update on Passport Release” to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., copy furnished to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include in the message your full name, contact numbers and the date of your application in the Embassy.

Q: I cannot personally collect my passport. Can someone collect it for me?

A: Yes, you may authorize someone else to collect it for you, as long as you issue an authorization letter, with a photocopy of your ID or old passport, plus your present passport (which will be cancelled).