DFA to release new guidelines on passport delivery

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will release next week new guidelines aimed at improving the delivery of passport and other consular services.

“We in the DFA have been working hard to fulfill our commitment to deliver fast and efficient services to as many of our people as possible,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for administration Rafael Seguis said yesterday.

Seguis said the new guidelines will complement the measures the DFA has undertaken to improve its services, such as the transfer of consular offices to shopping malls in Metro Manila and in other parts of the country.

He said the satellite consular offices will follow mall operating hours seven days a week.

The new guidelines will also cover the accreditation of travel agencies in the regions. It took into account the appeals for reconsideration of the Philippine Travel Agency Association, Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association, National Association of Independent Travel Agencies and other stakeholders to a directive issued by the DFA last May 2.

In the directive, the DFA instructed its consular offices nationwide to stop the accreditation of travel agencies offering passport services effective June 30 and remove the special privileges enjoyed by accredited agencies such as guaranteed slots and express processing for their clients.

“The directive was issued simply to ensure that all passport applicants, regardless of their social status, get to experience the same privileges but at no additional cost to them,” Seguis said.

Seguis also assured the public that the DFA has no plans to increase passport fees, which remain at P950 for regular processing and P1,200 for expedited processing.