New passport payment scheme to ease application process

MANILA, Philippines — The new system involving the advance payment of passport processing fees will encourage applicants to appear at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) consular offices on their date of appointment to avoid forfeiture of their payment.

The DFA launched yesterday its passport ePayment Portal to help increase its capacity to receive and process passport applications.

The ePayment Portal requires passport applicants to pay in advance or prepay the processing fees through selected payment centers and, eventually, through debit and credit cards and over-the-counter cash transactions in selected banks.

The new payment system is convenient since applicants can pay the fees anywhere, any time and it will also maximize the capacity of DFA consular offices.

The DFA said only 60 to 65 percent of applicants appear at DFA consular offices on their date of appointment under the old system.

“With ePayment, we expect that no-shows in our consular offices will be significantly reduced, if not totally eliminated. By prepaying, applicants are encouraged to show up lest they forfeit their passport processing fee,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

The ePayment tests at DFA Aseana in Parañaque City posted a show-up rate of 94-97 percent compared to the current 60-65 percent.

The new payment system will also eliminate fixers and scammers since the scheme requires applicants to pay the fee prior to their personal appearance at their consular office of choice. The appointment made is non-transferable.

Applicants can pay the passport processing fee through any of the following payment centers: Bayad Center; EcPay; Pera Hub; Robinsons Business Center and Department Store; Walter Mart Department Store; 7-Eleven; USCC Western Union and Villarica Pawnshop.

Other payment centers as well as credit/debit card payment facility will be made available soon.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Frank Cimafranca said the ePayment portal will initially apply to applications lodged at the DFA Aseana Consular Office beginning June and would be rolled out in Metro Manila in July and nationwide by August.

“The ePayment system is just one of the programs the DFA is introducing to improve people’s access to its passporting services,” Cimafranca said.