Description
The Philippine Passport
Under Section 3(p) of Republic Act No. 11983 (the New Philippine Passport Act), a Philippine passport is an ICAO-compliant machine-readable travel document issued by the Philippine Government. It requests other governments to permit its bearer to pass safely and freely and to provide all lawful aid and protection, if needed.
The Act recognizes and protects the constitutional right to travel under Article III, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution. The State safeguards this right while ensuring the integrity, security, and credibility of passports through secure personalization technologies and by prescribing only minimum requirements for issuance. Passports are issued only to qualified Filipino citizens who meet these requirements.
Duly authorized consular officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), including those at Foreign Service Posts abroad, may issue, deny, or cancel passports after determining an applicant’s Philippine citizenship and compliance with the law.
A Philippine passport remains the property of the Philippine Government at all times and must be surrendered upon demand by the DFA or other competent authority. Unauthorized confiscation or withholding is prohibited. Alteration, addition, or destruction of its contents is strictly forbidden and renders the passport invalid, with corresponding penalties. Using the passport as collateral is illegal and automatically cancels it.
Reminders
Eligibility
Only Filipino citizens may apply for a Philippine passport. Those who have acquired foreign citizenship must first reacquire Philippine citizenship under RA No. 9225 (Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003) by taking the Oath of Allegiance. For forms, requirements, and procedures, refer to Philippine Citizenship.
Passport Validity
Regular passports are valid for 10 years for adults (18 years and older) and 5 years for minors, consistent with the New Philippine Passport Act (RA No. 11983). Check your passport’s validity regularly and renew in advance to avoid issues with travel or residency permits.
Appointments
Appointments for new or renewal applications must be booked exclusively through the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Global Online Appointment System (GOAS) at https://www.passport.gov.ph/.
The system already includes the “+” prefix. Enter only the country code followed by your phone number:
- Switzerland: 41 + 9-digit number
- Liechtenstein: 423 + local number
Direct all GOAS queries (e.g. confirmation codes/emails, encoding errors, cancellations, rebookings, etc.) to the GOAS Team in Manila: phone +632 8234 3488 or email info@passport.gov.ph.
Documents
Bring all required documents on your appointment date (Refer to Requirements). Incomplete applications will not be processed. If you lack copies of documents issued by the Embassy, such as RA 9225 documents (which will be attached to your application to prove Philippine citizenship), you will be charged the corresponding consular fee for a Certified True Copy (CTC).
Processing and Release
All passports are processed and printed in the Philippines. Processing normally takes 4 to 6 weeks from the biometrics capture appointment date.
Passports may be released by:
- Personal pickup: Inform the Embassy on your appointment date.
- Delivery: Provide a self-addressed return envelope with postage stamps of at least CHF6.80 (minimum for registered mail).
Previous or expired passports must be canceled (on the appointment day or upon pickup) before the new passport can be released.
Requirements
For Adult Applicants (18 Years old and above)
- New
- Renewal ePassport
- Renewal non-ePassport (Brown, Green, Machine Readable (Maroon) Passports or any older Passports)
For Minor Applicants (below 18 years old)
- New
- Renewal ePassport
- Minor Renewal non-ePassport (Brown, Green, Machine Readable (Maroon) Passports or any older Passports)
Forms
DOWNLOADABLE FORMS
Fees
FEES
NOTES:
Consular clients are required to enclose a self-addressed envelope with stamps worth at least CHF6.80 along with their consular documents for pre-evaluation and processing of the Consular Section.
For the stamps that will be required for the return of your parcels, please consult with your local Post Office for the: 1) postage required for the return of your documents, if bulky/heavy, and 2) purchase the stamps from them. Postal fees may be checked from the website of Die Post.
Contact
For Passport related concerns and appointments contact us here:
Email: bernepe.passport@dfa.gov.ph
Phone: 031-350-1716 / 031-350-1717
For other concerns or inquiries click here…
