Dubai: Filipinos affected by the current passport delays experienced by the printers in Manila can extend their passports free of charge provided they meet the necessary requirements.
Operational and technical adjustments in the printing of passports in Manila have caused major delays in the printing and shipment of passports to its foreign missions worldwide, including missions in the UAE. The problem started in the beginning of April but was publicised only late in June.
“The passport extension applies only to those who qualify for the extension such as those who have urgent travel plans and those who are renewing their visas. But this is applicable provided they show proof that they had renewed their passports,” Consul Giovanni Palec told Gulf News.
Manila’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) affirmed this in an advisory released last week that said the extension will be valid for not less than one year but not more than two years. DFA also said that consul or embassy officials will prioritise the revalidation or extension requests of applicants whose passport releases are overdue.
For those with newborns who are given a 120-day grace period to get a passport and are affected by the delays, Consul Palec advised them to get a certification from the consulate.
“We issue a certificate regarding the date they applied and when it’s expected to be released. Based on our experience, immigration officials accept this certification and are quite lenient on [humanitarian cases] hence penalties are reduced,” Palec said.
Palec said those whose passports are overdue should still continue checking the consulate’s website and Facebook page for the new passport releases. Palec said they received 2,000 new passports from the last shipment from Manila last week.
The consulate receives between 250 and 300 passport applications daily while the embassy processes between 130 and 150.
The DFA expects the situation to be resolved by mid-August.
