Passport Renewal-DFA Alabang

My green colored Philippine passport expired in 2009 but I was so lazy to renew it. Since my family will be renewing their passports, I decided to renew mine too. I booked our appointment online. I got the April 11, 2014 2:30pm slot. TIP: if you're booking for your family with a maximum of 4 pax, click here to be sure that you all would get the same time. Fill up all the necessary details & prepare all the required documents. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW APPLICANTS 

 REQUIREMENTS FOR RENEWAL

REQUIREMENTS FOR LOST PASSPORT

REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY CASES

• If your passport is mutilated, damaged or lost, you have to submit the following:  
• Affidavit of Mutilation
• Affidavit of Loss
• Payment of Penalty Fee for Lost Valid Passports (P250 for machine-readable and P350 for e-passports
  

DFA ALABANG is located at Metro Alabang Town Center, 4th floor. If you're bringing your car, it's better to park it near ATC Cinema or near Alabang-Zapote Road. Enter thru ATC (near the cinema) then climb up the escalator leading to the Dollar Store. Go straight and you will see the new Metro Department Store. DFA is on the 4th floor of the department store. 

We got there around 1:45pm. People were lined up on the 3rd floor. Since our parents are both Senior Citizens (lucky them!), they asked the guard if they still need to line up. The guard let them proceed to the DFA office. They were done renewing their passports after an hour. (I'm not sure if they tell that to all senior citizens coz I saw some who were still lining up. Not sure too if they are senior citizens or they just look like one lol) If you're applying together with your child aged 0-2 yrs then you can avail of this privilege too.

Around 2:15pm, we were asked to go to the 4th floor. We were grouped according to our appointment. We saw that the 1:30pm slot and 2pm slot were still outside the office. Good thing, monoblock chairs were provided and there's a vending machine available. After more than 3 hours, we went inside the DFA office. (I think it is better to schedule your appointment in the morning. There seems to be a lot of people in the afternoon due to convenience.) Application Form was scanned and you have to sign your name in a "logbook". Line-up again for the verification of your documents. 

Since I was going to use my married name, I attached an original copy of my marriage license, ID (original & xerox- there is a copy machine inside the DFA but they charge 3pesos per page), and expired green passport (with photocopies of the front and back page).  Let them know too that you'll change your name & marital status. (My husband was not allowed to proceed coz he lack supporting documents. The man in charge told him to comeback within a month-same time- with all the documents ready. No need to apply for a new appointment.)  Once the documents are checked, they will give you a number & you can now wait for your number to be called in step 1 PROCESSING.

I noticed that they are kinda strict with all the documents & supporting documents in DFA Alabang. My brother had his passport renewed in DFA ASEANA and they just asked for his old passport & photocopy of the 1st page (the one with your picture & details on) and the last page (with the contact details and your signature). 

STEP1-PROCESSING
-they will again check all the documents. Sign your application form in front of the officer & you will be asked if you prefer regular processing (P950-15 working days) or Express processing (P1200- 7 working days). Here, you will be issued a receipt that you will present in Step 2.

• Remind them that you will change your name & status for married women. I was asked to change my last name & middle name written on my application form. 
• Saturday appointments are considered express processing so you will be charged P1,200.
• Replacement of lost valid passport is done only in DFA ASEANA.

STEP2- Cashier
-I paid P950  for regular processing. Release date will be May 14, 2014.

STEP3- Encoding 
  - wait for your number to be called again for encoding. Once your number is called, proceed to the window assigned to you. Picture taking, signature,  left and write thumb scan.
- Check all the details during encoding. Here I was asked why I checked single during my online application if I am married already and I want to use my married name. I told him that I thought I have to write details according to what is written in my old passport. He just asked the other encoders what to do then just let me dictate my husband's name for encoding. I thought I will be having problems with that. Whew!   So I guess if you want to change your name & marital status, you should indicate married and just let them know that you will be using your married name. 

• You should remove earrings, clear & colored contact lenses. 
•  Wear minimal makeup & you can smile as long as you're not showing your teeth. 
•  Ears should be visible too. 

 * After step 3, you have an option to either claim your passport during the release date or have it delivered to you via LBC. You have to pay P120 if you choose the latter. Your passport will be delivered a day after the release date.

We were done with our passport renewal at 6:30pm. GOODLUCK!