Philippine foreign affairs warns against souvenir stamps on passports

Dubai: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has reminded Philippine passport holders not to place unauthorised stamps or markings on their Philippine ePassports.

In an advisory, the DFA has stressed that any unauthorised alteration can render the passport invalid and may be considered tampering with an official document, an act punishable under Philippine law.

"The ePassport should be submitted only to authorised officials or authorities for stamping," said the agency.

"The Philippine ePassport is the property of the Republic of the Philippines and any alteration, addition, or destruction of its contents is strictly prohibited."

In relation to the advisory, a Filipina traveller’s post recently went viral on social media after she shared how she unintentionally invalidated her own passport by collecting souvenir stamps.

“Learn from my younger self’s mistake when I was travelling around South America. That cute souvenir stamp? It could cancel your passport,” Two Monkeys Travel wrote in a Facebook post.

“Most countries treat your passport as official government property, not your personal travel journal.”

Moreover, she has advised fellow travellers to treat passports as official documents to avoid delays, denied entries, or possible cancellation.

"Pro traveller rule: Keep your passport clean. Collect memories - not problems."