DFA: Last day to get passports scheduled for release on or before Dec. 2020 is on Jan. 7, 2022

The Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA) on Thursday announced that Filipinos with unclaimed passports scheduled for release in December 2020 or earlier have until January 7, 2022 to claim them.

Such passports still left unclaimed after that date will be canceled and properly disposed of by January 10, 2022, the DFA said.

Those who will claim such passports need to get them at the DFA Consular Office where they were processed.

Failure to claim their passports by then will have to apply anew.

"Those who are unable to claim their passports at the respective DFA Consular Offices before 7 January 2022 must file a new passport application after securing a certificate of unclaimed passport from DFA Aseana or at the DFA Consular Office where they were processed," the DFA said.

#ConsularAdvisory: Got unclaimed passports which were scheduled for release in December 2020 or earlier? Check out this infographic for more information! https://t.co/sEO5rXLWNb pic.twitter.com/diwS8xemp1

— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) December 10, 2021

It clarified however that passports scheduled for release after December 2020 are not included in the planned disposal. 

"Passports scheduled for release after December 2020 are not affected and may still be claimed from the DFA Consular Office where they were processed," the DFA said.

The DFA also said it encourages the public to claim their passports within 30 days from its scheduled release.

DFA Department Order No. 2021-012 on the Disposal of Unclaimed and Spoiled Passports says: “A passport left unclaimed by its holder one (1) year after the date it was received by DFA Aseana, or by the Consular Office (CO) or by the Foreign Services Post (FSP) shall be cancelled.”

Passport applicants may authorize another person to get their passport with the proper documents such as authorization letter or special power of attorney, among others. —KG, GMA News