Dumaguete Info Search


Passports DFA Dumaguete too good to be true

Discussion in 'Passports and Visas' started by Old Codger, Dec 13, 2017.

  1. Old Codger

    Old Codger DI Member

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    As most of you guys have wives or GFs and possibly kids with Filipino citizenship then this may interest you.

    I went to the DFA in Dumaguete to enquire about the procedure for application of a passport. Both my wife and son (by adoption) have Filipino passports. We plan to go abroad for a holiday in April, so we want to renew our son's passport (including name change) before applying for the schengen visa which is required.

    The guy on the information desk was very helpful and described the procedure and gave the requirements. Just go online to get an appointment and fill up the application form, then turn up on the date to submit your documents and the passport takes about 10 days to process (renewal).

    Sounds very civilised and organised, so what can go wrong I thought, after all this is the Philippines.

    So, when I got home I decided to go online to see when we could get an appointment. The site showed a calendar from which you could select a date between 13th December 2017 and 28th March 2018, green being available and red full. Surprise, surprise, every single date was full, no available appointment for three and a half months! Unbelievable.

    So, we'll have to go to Cebu? But no, also completely full. So, what kind of f----d up system is this?

    So, I managed to get an appointment for end of January in Bacolod!! An 8 hour round trip by car, gas, meals, possible hotel and additional cost of courier service to send us the passport.

    Next time in Robinsons Movieworld when the DFA ad comes up I am going to "booooo", loudly.
     
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  2. Dave_Hounddriver

    Dave_Hounddriver DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster

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    It gets worse. When applying for the passport for the first time, a filipina needs specific kinds of ID. A driver's license is one of the better ones. So you make the appointment and 3 or 4 months later your day comes so you go in . . . . only to find the paper driver's license is useless as ID so she has to wait a year for the plastic copy. (Exaggeration: I have only been waiting 8 months so far for mine and hopefully will get it before the year is up. Then I will have 4 years left on my 5 year license.) Welcome to Philippines.
     
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  3. AlwaysRt

    AlwaysRt DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Blood Donor Veteran Air Force Marines

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    Lucky for us we did my Asawa's name change on her passport way back in the old days... yup, December last year was walk-in still. Couple hours to bounce between windows then back to pick it up.
     
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  4. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    Do they accept voter or postal IDs?
     
  5. Dave_Hounddriver

    Dave_Hounddriver DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster

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    Postal Id - Not as a primary ID. Voters ID yes . . . but have you known anyone who has ever tried to get one? Harder than getting a passport.
     
  6. AlwaysRt

    AlwaysRt DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Blood Donor Veteran Air Force Marines

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    They also accept Philhealth (or in my wife's case Valhealth - locals from Valencia will know this one).
     
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  7. Dave_Hounddriver

    Dave_Hounddriver DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster

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    They did not when my gf tried. But remember there are two ids, primary and secondary. Many ids qualify for the secondary id but the primary id's are
    LIST OF ACCEPTABLE IDS (At least 1 of the following):

    • Government-issued picture IDs such as the following:
    • Digitized SSS ID
    • Driver’s License
    • GSIS E-card
    • PRC ID
    • IBP ID
    • OWWA ID
    • Digitized BIR ID
    • Senior Citizen’s ID
    • Unified Multi-Purpose ID
    • Voter’s ID
     
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  8. AlwaysRt

    AlwaysRt DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Blood Donor Veteran Air Force Marines

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    She had her Valhealth card, which got her a learner's driver's license, and she used those two for her Passport.
     
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  9. Dave_Hounddriver

    Dave_Hounddriver DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster

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    I keep coming to this thread wondering what others have to add to the info about DFA in Dumaguete and I am always disappointed to read about LTO and other things not related to the topic. Can someone please split the topic?
     
  10. DavyL200

    DavyL200 DI Forum Luminary ★ Global Mod ★ ★ Moderator ★ Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    Done. Lets keep it on topic now
     
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