Lost, stolen, and damaged or mutilated passports can cause problems for any Philippine passport owner looking to work abroad as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) or travel abroad to visit neighboring countries for fun and relaxation. So it is very important that you take care of your passport as it can be a daunting task to have to replace it. You will go back through the process of application. Better make sure that you handle your passport with care.
But in case your passport gets damaged or lost, please check the details below how you can replace it and the steps you need to do.
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Claiming that a passport is lost is easy. If you cannot find it regardless of how much effort you spent looking for it, then it is as good as gone. If it was stolen, then the passport is also considered lost. If the passport is valid, you might want to report it to the police immediately.
Declaring it damaged or mutilated, on the other hand, is another story. Before it can be considered as such, it needs to satisfy the following requisites:
Lost VALID passport: If the passport is still valid, there is a 15-day clearing period.
Lost passport if abroad: If the Philippine passport holder lost it while abroad or outside the Philippines, a replacement must be filed in the consular services from the embassy of the Philippines in whatever country where the passport was lost.
Lost EXPIRED passport: Lost expired passport is treated as a new application with the following additional requirements:
Frequently Lost Passport: Regardless of validity dates, frequently lost passport will be treated as a new application.
Lost passport for a Naturalized Citizen: In addition to the general renewal requirements, a Naturalized Citizen will also need the following:
Lost passport for applicants who became a Filipino citizen by Election: Applicants for passport replacement for Filipino citizen by election also need to bring the following documents.
Mutilated or damaged passport: If the passport has been damaged or mutilated, then it will be treated as a new application with a 15-day clearing period.
