DFA OKs online appointment for 10-year validity passport

By Joniel Monton MANILA --- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will start issuing passports with 10-year validity starting January 2018. This follows the Republic Act 10928 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last August which aims to extend the Philippine passport validity up to 10 years except for passports issued for minors that will remain to have a five-year validity. That is why to those who wish to apply or renew their passports, you can already apply for a passport appointment online at www.passport.gov.ph/appointment. You may schedule an individual or group appointment by choosing a date that has an available slot. Senior citizens with IDs, persons with disabilities, single parents with a valid solo parent ID, pregnant women with a medical certificate and children seven years old and below, do not need to apply for an appointment. Passport fees will remain the same: P950 pesos for regular processing and P1,200 pesos for express processing. The DFA reminds applicants that scheduling of appointments is free and beware of “fixers”. — UNTV News & Rescue