A passport application form, available online or from a travel agency, must be completed and submitted with three color passport photographs measuring 4.5 cm by 3.5 cm, taken against a royal blue background. The picture must have an 8 mm to 10 mm space between the crown of the head and the edge of the picture to allow for cropping. You must wear appropriate attire without patterns that are "loud" or "busy." Make sure the photo shows your ears and forehead. You must appear in person to get your passport.
Brown passports are those that were issued before May 1, 1995. To renew this type of passport, you must submit the old passport and photocopies of the first three pages. You must also turn in the page containing your arrival and departure stamps, at least the most recent ones, from the Bureau of Immigration.
Green passports are those that were issued after May 1, 1995. To renew this type of passport, you need to submit the old version, as well as copies of the first three pages and the Bureau of Immigration stamps. The back and inside covers of the passport must also be turned in. If the passport is for the child of unmarried parents, the mother must also be present for the passport to be renewed.
If you want to renew your passport to use your husband's surname, you must go in person. You'll need an official copy of the marriage contract printed on the National Statistics Office's official paper. If you do not have that form, you can also submit the Local Civil Registrar copy of your marriage certificate. That certificate must be authenticated by the National Statistics Office, however.
Getting a passport is easier with the online Passport Appointment System. This is a project of the Department of Foreign Affairs that seeks to benefit Filipinos who are either applying for a new passport or renewing an old one through their main office. All you have to do is visit the site and fill out the necessary details (name, date and place of birth, previous passport number, etc.). Allow up to seven working days for the DFA Passport Office to get in touch with you for your appointment date and time. On the assigned date and time, proceed to the special area for those with appointments and submit the requirements.
