Good News For OFWs From DFA: No Need For Appointment & Satellite Office in POEA Reopens

Jul 2, 2010

The Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA) has some good news for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). First, OFWs are exempted from the rule of setting an appointment for passport application and renewal. This is applicable for those who urgently need a passport and can present documents that show there are jobs waiting for them in their countries of destination.

A statement from the DFA-OCA said, “Returning OFWs and those that are due for overseas deployment can have their passports processed immediately provided that they present documents that show there are jobs waiting for them in their countries of destination. Similarly, employment agencies with passport applicants are given special slots for immediate processing and expedited issuance of passports.”

The second good news is the reopening of the DFA satellite office at the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) in Ortigas last June 22. This satellite office will exclusively cater to the needs of OFWs.

The DFA has also increased the number of passport appointments to assure faster passport processing and to serve more applicants.

According to the DFA, “Special passport processing is held every other Saturday, with the view of expanding this service every weekend to accommodate more people with urgent travels. This system will free up more slots on weekdays which is seen to significantly cut down the waiting time for an appointment.”

“To accommodate passport applicants in the provinces, the 19 DFA Regional Consular Offices (RCOs) that are strategically located all over the country are likewise ready to accept more passport applications,” it added.

Aside from OFWs, ordinary travelers who urgently needs passport are given emergency passports. They do not have to go to an appointment system and their passports are immediately processed. According to DFA-OCA chief Assistant Secretary Jaime Victor Ledda, these are appoved by the Passport Director's Office, with telefax number 836-7759.

Another good news is the announcement from DFA that their office will now be available to serve the public even on a Saturday starting this month.

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Reader Comments

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wow!!!galing nman sana even s regional poea may mag assist n dn s passport renewal pra mas lalong magaan s mga ofw n tulad q,well anyway thanks a lot s dfa and poea.... - Leah Pomasin

ayus yan kc hirap nga naman by appointment tapos ang news ko 1 buwan p bago makuha kawawa naman un malalayo ang probinsya kung d nag bago sistema nila mas gusto ko p ung dati at least punta k lng aga in 1 hr or 2 hrs tapos k n.... sacrifice k nga lng gising aga.... - Dionisio Reyes

buti nmn kung ganun dpat lang po na baguhin ang sistema dyan sa DFA gaya naming binibigyan lng ng 1 month vacation then gusto nming mag renew ng passport pag uwi pahirapan papagrenew ang nangyayari gaya ng friend ko na umuwi ntagalan pagrenew nya ng passport patapos na bakasyon nya di pa rin dumarating passport anggang na delay na pagprocess ng visa soo di sya nkabalik sa time ng departure nya.alam nyo ba na ang penalty sa flight rebooking nya is 1000 cad $.dahil lng jan sa pag release ng passport na ang bagal.eh alam nila kung ilasng days lng yung tao na magstay sa pinas dhil may letter nmn ang employer na dala dala na anggang dun lang bakasyon nya ganun din sa pag issue ng visa hirap makiusap kusad pagong din kaya yung pobreng tao nangutang na lang ng pinambili ng panibagong tiket...sna lng makatulong yang bagong rules nila.imbistagahan din mga nakapaligid sa old DFA dun marami manggantso at fixer.dami nila naloloko araw araw..bagong pilipinas na po tayo!mabuhay lahat ng pilipino! - Lily

noon kapag kumuha nang passport halos isang lingo lang na paghihintay sulit na ang hirap mo....ngayun pag kumuha ka nang passport sulit na sulit talaga sa hirap.. sa tagal nang paghihintay mo!!!ang kapal nang mga mukha nyo!! nag pi- fiesta nanaman kayo sa bago nyo pagkakakitaan.masisilip din kayo nang bagong administrasyon dyan at sa kangkungan kayo lahat pupulutin! - Jacko

Ano b silbi ng mga satellite office nang DFA? kc bkit p dnadala s Manila para gawin ang passport, tuloy ang paggawa ng passport lalong bumabagal. sa mga taga DFA maglagay nlang kyo ng machine every region n may satellite pra madali. At alisin nyo n ang mga matatanda jan, mbagal cla kumilos. maraming mas bata jan at marunong s computer. At baguhin ang mga ugali. - Arnel Furio

hay naku! nkakuha n ako ng appointment! paano un nakasked n ako this comung july 23, puede bang pumunta n lng trhis week dun?? kso need ko tlga passport before ako magapply! , sna wla ng E-passport n yan mas mabagal buti p nung dati kahit mahaba ang pila by netxt week kuha muna! sna P-NOY! magawang mo ng paraan to! - Celia

Nice & good job! Mabuhay! - Mar U.

How about those who dont know how to use internet for schedulling their appointment and most especially those who are in the province who have no choice but to go to manila. For sure additional charges was given to ofw...(wala na bang ibang gusto pagkaperahan ang gobyerno kundi ofw). - Franco

sana palitan na rin yung mga nagtatrabaho sa DFA para may pagbabago talga dyan kasi kahit anong gawin na protocol dyan kung ang nagtatrabaho yun parin wla ka parin aasahan magandang serbisyo publiko hay - Heiza

sana wla OFW para di na mahirap kumuha ng passport - Heiza

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