DFA to Establish a One-Stop-Shop E-Portal for Passport Application

Good news for travelers! Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will soon allow people to apply for or renew their passports online, eliminating the need to visit the DFA office in person. This will save people time and money, especially those far from the department’s office.

The "New Philippine Passport Act" was signed into law by Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on March 11. It mandates that the DFA establish and maintain a comprehensive online passport application portal and electronic one-stop shop. The e-portal is a centralized platform for processing passport applications, providing an efficient and seamless experience for Filipinos seeking to obtain or renew their passports. These measures are designed to make the passport application process faster and more convenient for Filipino citizens.

Under the new law, the DFA must also offer passport services in areas beyond its consular offices and foreign service posts. This means that individuals can avail themselves of passport services offsite and mobile, making them more convenient and accessible for those unable to travel to the nearest DFA office.

Moreover, DFA is now obligated to offer additional assistance and support to specific groups of passport applicants: senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, minors aged seven years old and below, solo parents, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and persons with emergency and exceptional cases. DFA will arrange accommodations for them when applying for their passports.

After 15 days of its publication in either the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation, the newly established passport law will come into effect.

This new law has repealed Republic Act No. 8239, the Passport Act of 1996.

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