The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has recently launched their online appointment system website which is a do-it-yourself site where you can set an appointment for the renewal or application of your Philippine passport.
In the past years, Filipinos have been accustomed to processing their passport renewals and applications through travel agencies and other third-party companies who are authorized by the DFA. These companies and agencies profit by charging a processing fee. It was working like a well-oiled machine until the day when magnetic passports were introduced. This required a personal appearance for the applicant, whether it was for a Philippine passport renewal or a new application. Furthermore, actual image capturing is done on site.
As part of the DFA's effort to extend its services to Filipino citizens, they launched their official DFA Appointment System website for passport renewal and application. Within a few minutes, the applicant can choose a set date and time when he will go to the DFA to renew his passport or apply for a new one. The website also includes all the necessary information such as document requirements and other helpful hints related to the service being requested.
As applications for renewals piled up in the recent months, there have been an unusal number of bad experiences. These have been "expressed in ink" through personal blog posts in the world wide web. However, there is NO other way to get it done except through the DFA. Given a few months, they should be able to adjust to their new volume of applicants and deliver service that no longer take a whole day.
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By Cool Hoots
