CHAOS has dogged the implementation of the Philippines’ new machine-readable passport, which was launched in August.
The new passport, which aims to eliminate fraud and comply with international standards, has caused problems not only in the Philippines but also in consulates and embassies worldwide following delays in its delivery.
John Ferris, honorary consul of the Philippines in Ireland, has highlighted the long and tedious application process, as well as the lengthy six-week delivery time, among the many problems experienced by applicants.
“We are receiving about 60 passport applications every week, and it takes eight hours to profile 25 applicants,” said Ferris.
He added that the new passport regulations “will have huge implications for Filipino workers in Ireland, particularly for Filipinos who do not have a full grasp of the conditions upon which work permit renewals, green card and working visa renewals are granted.”
Applicants for new passports must apply in person, confirming their personal details as submitted on their application form and providing a thumbprint and signature. Only applicants aged younger than eight years or 65 and older are exempt from applying in person. The very strict passport photo requirement is also contributing to delays.
Applicants need three colour photos taken against a royal blue background, and should be “in decent attire with collar”. The photo must be of good quality and must have been taken within the last six months. Ferris has seen fit to fulfil this requirement by taking applicants’ photographs himself at the Teachers’ Club on Dublin’s Parnell Square.
While the filing and processing of new passport applications are done at the consulate, the paperwork must be sent via diplomatic pouch to the Filipino embassy in London and then on to Manila for production, with a total estimated turn-around time of up to six weeks. Because of the time element involved in processing, Filipino citizens are strongly advised to keep their passports current and to renew them at least two months before their expiration date.
The fees for acquiring the new maroon-coloured machinereadable passports are the same as for the previous manually scripted green passport. The €71 charge includes €5 for photos, and there are no additional costs if photos have to be taken several times.
Current holders of valid nonmachine- readable Philippine passports need not renew their documents immediately, as the green passport will still be honoured as a bona fide travel document until its date of expiry.
Ferris emphasised the value of keeping a valid passport – with two years and three months validity for work permit and green card holders, and one year and three months validity for working visa applicants. He warned that due to their neglect in keeping up-to-date passports, many people “have been refused renewal of work permits and extension of permission to remain in Ireland.”
The consul also stressed the importance of keeping photocopies of relevant passport pages, adding that copies are often needed when applying for residence and naturalisation applications. “If you lost your passport, you may have no other way of proving your stay in Ireland which will delay your residence stamp.”
