No need to reschedule confirmed appointments, DFA tells passport applicants affected by ECQ

(Eagle News) – Passport applicants affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) do not need to reschedule or cancel their confirmed appointments, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced.

“Passport applicants with confirmed appointments from 09 March to 30 April 2020 will be accommodated at the CO [Consular Offices) near them or where they made their appointments starting 04 May 2020 until 31 July 2020, Mondays to Fridays, during business hours”, the DFA said in a statement.

Applicants may also choose to go to other consular offices, provided they call first to schedule an appointment.

On the other hand, those seeking Authentication, Visa, and Civil Registration services will be accommodated starting May 4.

The DFA also announced that “its Consular Offices in Luzon, along with the Office of Consular Affairs in ASEANA Business Park in Paranaque, will continue to suspend its operations until 30 April 2020”.

Some consular offices in Visayas and Mindanao, on the other hand, will be operating with skeleton workforces, and “will provide services only to individuals with urgent consular needs, such as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and those with medical emergencies”.

The department also reminded the public that there will be some delays in the production, delivery, and availability of passports nationwide, due to logistical limitations brought about by the ECQ.

“Applicants who want to claim their passports may do so AFTER the quarantine period”, the DFA added, noting that applicants have six months after the date of issue to claim passports before these are cancelled.

Eagle News Service