Manila, Philippines – With the anticipated holidays season, surge of travelers wanting to spend the Christmas out of town is also expected.
Following this, the public is urged to process their papers and passports at the earliest time possible to avoid any inconvenience.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in an advisory, cited expected surge of the demands for passport services from passengers and travelers.
DFA advised early processing of application and renewal of passports to avoid inconvenience and disruption of travel plans due to passport validity issues.
Similarly, the public is reminded to avoid booking flights and/or submitting visa applications without passports—further noting that the passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the travel date.
In line with this, public is advised to secure online appointments and prepare required documents to ensure easier and smoother process of application and renewal.
Meanwhile, airlines and travel agencies are urged to inform their clients of these requirements to avoid delay or inconvenience during airport check-ins and immigration processes.