I applied for renewal of my passport today at DFA Pasay. I was in at 8am and out at 9am. Of course, I would have been done a few minutes earlier had I not let one of the many fixers standing near the entrance boss me around.
I was a little earlier than my scheduled time (8am-9am). When I fell in line to get in the DFA alley there was a man wearing a white polo (which I mistook for a uniform) who came up to me asking for my application form. He was pointing to his ID probably to make me think that he is a DFA employee.
My Mistake: I showed him my application form. He saw that my picture has not yet been pasted on the application form and that there were no thumb marks yet. He also saw the email that I printed because I got scheduled online. Then he told me that I have to go to Gate 2 but I first have to get my picture pasted on the form. (I didn't have a paste but I was thinking that the processors inside would have. And, they do have.) So he pointed me to a small studio(DFS Photo Studio) right beside the entrance of the alleyway. I went in, then the person inside asked me whether I already have a photo. I said I did. So he pointed me to another table where a lady was stationed with a paste and an ink pad. The lady pushed the ink pad to me, so I used it to put my thumbmarks on the form. She asked me for my photo so I gave it to her as well. While she was putting paste on it, she told me that I would have to pay 10 pesos. I asked her, "Para saan po?" (For what?). She said "Para sa dikit"(For the paste). So I told her "Wag na lang po. Ako na lang magdidikit." (No, thank you. I'll have that pasted, myself.) So she scowled at me and wiped the paste from the back of my picture (very counter-productive, really...). Without another word, I took my stuff and went back in line.
Obviously, the man who pointed me to the studio is not a DFA personnel or at least is not showing the correct process for applying/renewal.
Anyway, even after that short encounter with the fixers, I managed to complete the renewal process in an hour. With that, I'd like to offer you a few tips which might be useful for those who are about to renew their passports:
1. As much as possible, have it scheduled online so you won't have to go to the basketball court queue. When you have an appointment you just have to go straight to the guard at Gate 2 (Gates 2 and 3 are in the DFA alleyway). Then, he will show you the separate windows processing those with appointment.
2. Be ready with the requirements. You can print the application form and accomplish it at home. For renewals, photocopy the front and back pages of your current passport and those pages with VISAs.
3. Have your passport picture taken before going there. I had mine taken at the mall for 120 pesos (8 copies). Most studios there would ask 150 pesos for that. The DFA processors would have paste/staplers and stamp pad but for your convenience (and if you have the resources) do it at home. Hahaha.
4. You only have to pay 500 pesos for a 32-page passport (64-page passports are at 600 pesos) to be processed in 14 days. Nothing else. However, you can opt for the 7-day express processing for an additional amount of 250 pesos.
5. If you are busy and do not have the time/energy to go back, you can have the passports delivered for 100 pesos (nationwide) to delivery services available in the basketball court. You should receive them a day after the release.
