Getting a Passport- Things I learned

Things I learned when getting a new passport or renewing passport.
It is better to use online appointment than
going to DFA Manila(Here). It saves you not only
time, effort and money in going there, but also
you're least victimized by vultures lurking there.

Once you sent you application for appointment
online, you'll receive an email of confirmation
with the date and time of your appointment.Got mine the next day.
Print this email because this will serve as your entrance ticket on
Gate 2 and as a validation ticket when you go to verification window.
You could also download,print and use the online application form found here
(other requirements can found be there). I already prepare one of this at home
including thumb mark before going there. But be sure to prepare all documents
below sending your online application.

For new applicant:
please prepare NSO certificate
of Birth,Certificate of Marriage (if needed).NBI
Clearance valid for Travel abroad and Valid ID's.
Be ready with the photocopy of your documents,
ID's except for NSO beacause they get the original copy. In my son's case,
they get the original copy of his NBI. But in my wife's case they did not.
Hmmm!
Your Passport picture with royal blue backgroud.

For passport renewal:
Have your old passport photocopy the inside of
front page and back page and the pages that
have immigration stamp.
Your passport picture with royal blue background.
I wasted money by getting an NSO and NBI clerance.

Picture! Picture!
With those documents in hand, my wife and I excitedly went to DFA Manila.
My wife had been criticizing my picture because
according to my sister-in-law, it is not in accordance
with the requirement of our DFA. The background color
is too dark and my face is too small.
So, when one vulture (I mean the person complete
with a very big ID hanging on his head) approach us
(while pointing to his ID) and told us to let them help us and check our documents,
my wife obliged. She showed both our applications form and to her horror,
her picture was not valid and told her that my picture is the correct one.
She was advised to have another picture be taken and pay P180.00.
Of course I did not believe them. I explained to the
man that we'll just come back. My son's passport
picture was taken at the same establishment and was not
rejected. See how good actor these vultures are?
Passport picture can be had inside the DFA compound for only P 150.00

After passing gate 2 and now were in front of the window 15,( there are more
than 20 staff that handles verification windows)
the lady behind the counter noticed that the attached
email copy of my appointment was for my wife, and upon checking
the printed email in my wife's application, it was also for her.
Ngeek! My son printed it twice.
No amount of "drama" can convince the lady so I have
to find an internet, download the email and have it printed.

Two Guard:

So off I go and prior exiting the room, I ask the guard where I could
find an internet shop to download and print my appointment,
he promptly point his finger to my right,"sa gitna lang sir"
(In middle of this hallway).
But before proceeding I decided to urinate because
I have been holding it for a long while and ask the guard
again where is the nearest C.R.,"labas kayo ng gate na yan.
kanan lang Sir"while pointing to my left.
After emptying my gall bladder I decided to ask the guard that
was guarding the other gate the same question-
"Where is the nearest Internet shop here?"Just to be sure.
He told me while pointing to the direction outside the building,
"labas kayo Sir,Madami sa labas."
I could not believe my ear. Two guards manning different
gate but with common hallway gave conflicting answer.
Or maybe I gave him a wrong question?I went inside (disregarding
the 2nd guards direction) and into the middle of the hallway and
there I find the internet shop. I consumed no more than 5 minutes
in opening my email copied and paste in a word document and
inform the lady manning the shop that my paper was ready for printing. The cost-P 35.00

Xerox copy
On my way back to window 15, I saw my wife still there
holding photocopy of her ID? She didn't know that it must
be photocopied. She had to join a long line of people because there is only one copying
machine inside.All long bond paper and would cost you P3.00 ( no short bond paper)
The owner must be a very lucky guy.
After you passed the verification window you'll be given
a slip of paper that would serve a your OR, stapled unto you application form,
with the amount of payment you choose to make.
P500.00 for 14 days processing
P750.00 for 7 days processing.

Auditorium:
Then you would be asked to go to auditorium. Just follow
the series of arrow along your way and your arrive at an
air conditioned auditorium. This is where you will pay for your passport
and they would encode your passport. You'll affix your signature and thumb print.
This would take you only 5-10 minutes.
That's what happened to me and my wife.
I paid P500.00 each so will be back by June 9.
Hope you learned something though.