After the online application for passports, applying or renewing a Philippine passport became easier. Furthermore, this dramatically increased satisfaction in processing passport requests. To give you a short background, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), was successful in inculcating the online passport appointment system. This system allows people to apply and renew passports online! Although a lot of people are enjoying it, there still are issues.
One common issue is that when errors and discrepancies are present; the applicant won’t know it until they proceed to the appointment. This is an issue that somehow frustrated a lot of passport applicants. Why? Because the thought of going back to DFA only because there were errors and discrepancies in their application is truly a pain in the neck.
The DFA was able to notice this and took action to eliminate such cases. With this, the Feedback Mechanism came to life.
What is the DFA Feedback Mechanism?
Ideally, the Feedback Mechanism is a feature that makes passport applicants aware of their application. Say for instance, there were discrepancies on the information they’ve given; the feedback mechanism will tell them this before their selected appointment date.
Before this, applicants won’t know the status of their online application. They will just be made aware if certain discrepancies and errors are present in their application at the time they visit DFA for the claiming of their passport.
With this new feedback mechanism, passport applicants are:
- Informed if there are issues/discrepancies/errors in their application through email
- The system will update them of the current status of their application
Moreover, this new system allows a hassle-free process for applicants. In addition, it will also eliminate unnecessary visits to the DFA just to submit and confirm information.
According to DFA Consular Affairs Executive Director Angelica Escalona, this rebuilt and redesigned application process allows applicants to know discrepancies in their application. “Dati, kung mag a-apply ka ng passport, sasabihan ka na kunin ito sa naka-schedule na petsa. Ngunit kung may problema sa application mo, halimbawa may nakikitang discrepancies sa mga information o dokumentong isinumite mo, hindi ‘yan malalaman hanggang sa araw na kukunin mo na sana ang passport mo. Walang feedback mechanism noon,” Escalona stated.
In addition to that, this new feedback mechanism will:
- Send an email within 24 hours after it evaluates the passport application
- This is where you will find out if there are problems/concerns/discrepancies on the information you’ve given or the documents you’ve submitted.
- You won’t have to go back and forth to the DFA Office just to settle what’s needed
Although this is the case, we need to remember that the following people have priority lanes and are not anymore required to push through with the online application:
- Senior citizens
- Persons with disabilities (PWDs)
- Solo parents
- Pregnant women
- Children that are below seven years old
- Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
The system will prompt you that if you are under these categories, you can already proceed to the DFA Office since you can fall in line in the priority lanes.
With this new system, passport application is truly easier, more efficient, and less hassle! What do you think about this new DFA feedback mechanism? Share us your thoughts!
Read Also: How to Set an Appointment for Passport Application Online in the Philippines
Hello po good day tanong kulang po kung pwede pa babg ma edit yung information sa passport po kasi may mali po kasi sa information ng passport ko pero nabayaran ko na po sya at renewal po ung passport ko ung place of birth iba po kasi nalagay ko akala ko kasi address.. pwede pa po ba itong ma edit sa system po kung saka sakali.. appointment ko po is ngayon november 8 po.