New and Renewal Passports, How Easy or Hard it is to Get In your Place?
By joyce959
@joyce959 (1559)
Philippines
February 5, 2008 11:27am CST
I am still feeling mad on how the system works here. Last friday early morning, my 2 sons has no school classes, so we went to renew their passports. We queu in the line which started on the 2nd floor and we were at the 5th floor. We waited for an hour in the line. When the line was moving we were told to go inside a room to sit row by row and wait. After more than one hour waiting we were told to line up again, only to be told that they will not process our passports on that day coz they were processing the papers / passports of those who went there the previous day. We will just be given appointment day to come back and process the papers. Even then we waited to reach the window after so many hours waiting just to be given appointment. When I presented my sons' papers we were told to come back Monday, but my young son said he has thesis defense monday so he can't come, the other son can't make it too coz he has school retreat for 3 days in another place 4 hours travel from where we are living. I ask them if they could just give us another appointment day or the next friday coz that's the day my sons are free. They said they can not. That means we will come back and queu again to be given another appointment. My gosh, what a waste of time! and I was absent from office for that purpose and it was in vain!
The problem with their system now, is that it is required to personally appear to sign and put thumb mark on another paper besides the application form which already have the photo, signature and thumb mark of the person.
Upon waiting hours in line to submit the papers for processing, they will require you to pay which also has a queu line, and then wait again for an hour to sign and put thumb mark on another paper. Then they will tell you to come back after 14 working days (if you pay P500) and if you want it expedite you come back after 7 working days after paying P750, to pick up your passport. My Gosh! 7 working days ( excluding sat and sun) is already expedite for them? I am really fuming mad at their system now. It really sucks!
Do you have the same experience? Is it easy to get and renew passport in your place or country?
3 people like this
11 responses
@crazed_moma (1054)
• United States
6 Feb 08
It was fairly easy. I filled out my application on line, took it to the passport place (in the main post office) and had it mailed to me about a month later. Now I've just gotta plan a trip to use it so I don't feel dumb getting it!
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
12 Feb 08
Can I ask a question crazed_moma? do you think the post office would do the same for my son if I was wanting a renewal for a New Zealand passport? do you think if i did his photos and filled in the application forms, that they could process on our behalf? or is it best I just send it straight to NZ? just wondering whether they assist with international passports? thanks
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
6 Feb 08
sounds strange all the traveling I've done but I've never gotten a passport. My parents have them though and I know they had to go through a lot each time they need to renew them.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
6 Feb 08
Oh yes a passport is needed to travel to other countries, even Canada now from what I understand. It used to be you didn't need one for there - I know years back I went there and didn't have one.
We can travel all over the US without one and that's where all of my traveling as been although I have been to Canada and Mexico years ago.
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
6 Feb 08
Hi faith... What I know, passport is needed when you are going to travel to other countries. It isn't needed if your just traveling within your own country. I don't know if in the US passport is not required for US citizens who want to travel to other countries.
@p3halliwel2005 (3156)
• Philippines
6 Feb 08
I have never tried getting one myself.I think we live in the same country..lol..My sister was telling me about the time her husband went to get a passport. They started around 7am I think and they ended up almost 5pm. Here 3000 people are allowed to get a passport per day if your number 3001 you can fall in line again the next day. They were also not allowed to go inside since her husband is the only one getting a passport and to get a seat outside the building they have to pay 10 bux so they ended up sitting on the sidewalk which she said made her and her kid look like a beggar. My friend on the other hand had all her papers in hand. She looked chinese and she was asked if she bought her year book with her.Now how in the world would anybody bring a year book in a place to get a passport? She was asked to bring it still though when she claimed her passport.Now I know we do have a faster service wherein you call and you just go there to take your picture and have your thumbmark. ..I guess you better check if your country have that kind of thing.
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
9 Feb 08
The system before is much easier and maximum days for passport release is 5 days. Before you dont need to appear personally. Today the system is different and much harder and takes much longer. Just read my comments at other responders.
Thanks for taking part in this discussion.
@Evacuee (1147)
•
5 Feb 08
Here in the UK its not that easy if you want your first passport as you have to have someone who has known you for two years and is a professional person such as a solicitor, lawyer or doctor to sign you application.
Now how many people know a professional person who is qualified to sign the form and have known them for two years unless it is your doctor? And he charges maybe £10 or £15 for the privilege!! The passport costs £70 also.
But I suppose its better than to just give them out to all and sundry!
1 person likes this
@Evacuee (1147)
•
23 Feb 08
I have just re-applied for my passport because as I wear glasses the Passport Office returned everything and said there was a reflection from my glasses. I don't see much of a reflection however. So now I have had to have my photo taken twice again with my face all twisted up because I could not see the guy when he was taking the photo!! Good job I'm no James Bond lookalike! Such utter rubbish but that's the way it goes I suppose.
@djmarion (4898)
• Philippines
6 Feb 08
getting a passport is a bit difficult here in our place. i share your opinion regarding how bad the system is, i can still remember the same dilemma when i first get a passport 2 years ago, it was summer then and i need a passport since i'll be going to Bangkok for a 5-day vacation. i went to the DFA at 3 o'clock in the morning since my sisters told me that line waiting would be very long, imagine my shcok when i get there and see the long line. its still 3 o'clock for goodness sake. to no avail i sleepy waited there until the office opens at 8 AM. i was on the 73rd line and patiently waited for my turn to be inside. the place is crowding and getting hotter and hotter as the day gets in.
i finish my turn at 11:30 and i was advice to get back for the releasing 5 days after.
its the worst experience for me. goverment agency really sucks.
1 person likes this
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
6 Feb 08
Hi marion... We are in the same country. So what you have experienced was 2 years ago. It was much better then, coz you have to queue just for 2 days first on the filing, processing and payment and then 2nd upon the release of passport after 5 days. Now the system is different. You have to queue a long line first to get an appointment day, they will get the xerox copy of your application and they will attach the date and time of your appointment on the original which you will bring on the day of your appointment, it may not be on the following day, it might be the next day afterwards and onwards. You may try online appointment and they will send to your email add the appointed day and you wait for that in 7 days (much longer time waiting). Then you go on the appointed day for filing and processing of your application, for payment and after payment you will again sign and put thumb mark on another paper, all these processes require qeueing long lines. Then you come back after 14 days when you pay P500 or after 7 working days (what they term as expedite) when you pay P750.
When you are changing into a new system, you will try to make the service faster and easier. But this new system harder,it's time consuming, takes a long time. It really sucks!
@mummymo (23706)
•
5 Feb 08
If you have already held a passport and can return it to the passport office as it has expired it is so simple - they prefer to do it all by post! You get your application filled in, your photo authenticated and signed by an appropriate person you pop it all in an envelope with your old passport and sent it off by registered post and about 3 weeks later your passport gets delivered. I can't remember now how much it costs but I know it did go up in price lately!
It sounds as though getting a passport in your country is an expensive, frustrating and time consuming experience! xxx
1 person likes this
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
5 Feb 08
I wish it could be the same here as easy as in your place mummy.
But here it is really time consuming queuing long lines and have to go there 3 times; one day to queue long lines to get appointment, another day to queue again for filing of papers and payment, then another day for the release of the passport. The system here is really frustrating.
1 person likes this
@addysmum (1225)
• Canada
5 Feb 08
In Canada we have not needed a passport to go to the USA until recently so there was a huge rush of people getting passports so they could go across the border. Due to this there was a delay of over 6 months to get it. The worst part for us was that my husband immigrated from England when he was 8 and 15 years ago he lost his citizenship card which he didn't feel inclined to do anything about until last year (why I don't know, I didn't even know he had lost it). Well that left us in a big mess, he needed his citizenship card to renew his drivers license and his photo id drivers license to get his citizenship card and because of the passport delays (the same branch of government that does citizenship) it took 8 months to get his card, then he was told that because of his name change at 6 years old in England he may be denied his card replacement which would then cause him to be deported back to England. The most stressful 8 months of my life not knowing if he was going to get send back even after being in Canada for over 20 years and a citizen for almost as long. It all worked out in the end but what a mess.
1 person likes this
@casita (237)
• United States
30 Mar 08
If you are an immigrant in the U.S. it can be an overwhelming experience.
I have firsthand experience of someone from Mexico whose passport expired. He couldn't renew it until his green card was renewed. The passport is contingent on the green card.
So, he waited for green card.
Then, he had to wait for passport appointment.
When date was coming up, he called to verify that he had copies of all documents needed to renew passport.
He was then told that his appointment date had been changed.
But no one ever called him about it.
It was moved back 4 months.
When that new date came up,
he again called to verify documents.
He gathered his papers and went to consolate.
When he got there,
he was told that he was missing necessary documents.
It took a bit of trial and error,
but eventually he got the passport.
I know all of this because I was there with him,
just in case he needed any help.
Anyway, my point is,
it really depends on where you are and where you are from.
I can tell you from firsthand experience
that legal documented immigrants from Mexico
have one heck of a time getting a passport renewed.
@shakeroo (3986)
• Malaysia
5 Feb 08
It is relatively easy for me to apply or renew my passport. The whole process is very much automated since I only need to bring my ID and everything will be processed within 24 hours. I just need to come back on the next day to pick up my new passport and I do not even have to queue to get a number or anything like that.
The scenario that you mentioned above are what almost similar to what it used to be decades ago in Malaysia and now things have changed a lot since then. Citizens can get a new passport within 24 hours.
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
5 Feb 08
That's really nice in your place to be able to renew passport within 24 hours. I wish we could have that system here. I wonder when will that happen here.
The previous renewal of my passport and my sons the last 5 years ago, I had just called an agent to pick up our papers / documents here in our house and they took care of submitting our application form and photo and then they delivered the new passport in our house after a week but I paid double fee for that. Personal appearance was not required then so we're able to renew our passports without queuing and appearing there. But then the system now was changed, even when I have to hire the service of an agent, it is also required for us to personally appear for another signature and thumb mark. The system now is much harder and takes longer time than before.
@Perspectives (7131)
• Canada
20 Feb 08
Hi Joyce..saw you had only nine on this discussion and I wanted to add mine so you could have your ten and earn a little at the same time. Just a friendly show of support! (smiles.) I always try to do that for friends whenever I see they are just one short of making that magic ten to start earning. Every little bit helps..right?
Anyway, we haven't had the need to have passports because we haven't traveled to the U.S. or anywhere out of Canada since 911. However, we have been looking into it and it is not as challenging here. Friends of ours got theirs a year or so ago and as long as you have a birth certificate, two references, and proof of your social insurance number an application it goes through quite smoothly.
I can appreciate how frustrating your system must be. I love Mylot for so many reasons...and one of them is learning about how things are done in different countries. Thanks for letting us know about this situation in yours.
Raia
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
20 Feb 08
Hi Raia.... Thanks for taking part in this discussion to make the 10 total responses. I didn't know that having a total of 10 responses in a discussion will have additional earning. I appreciated that info and your participation here.
Well, as I said in my discussion and comments, the passporting system here changed, from an easier and shorter system (maximum 5 days), to a more difficult and longer system of getting and renewing passport (14 working days upon payment and encoding). Just last thursday I went to get appointment for the following day (friday) when my sons are available coz they don't have classes, but then their friday sched is already full and I was given tues (feb 19). So yesterday,feb 19, my sons had to skip school just to go and renew passports and we had queu in 3 long lines - for processing of application form, for payment and for the encoding, signing and thumbmark. So really frustrating system.
