Requirements for new and renewal applications remain the same, except that applicants no longer need to submit photographs. Applicants are now required to personally appear at the Consulate General to have their biometrics (photo, thumbmarks and signature) taken. The passport fee is now HK$510, in view of the microchip technology used in the new ePassport.
The new Philippine ePassport features an integrated circuit chip on the back cover that contains essential data in verifying the identity of the passport holder. Aside from the information found on the data page, it includes the biometrics of the passport holder, as well as a unique identification number. A host of other security features ensures that the data within the chip is authentic, and renders the passport virtually tamper-proof.
It conforms to the highest security standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It is designed to allow for seamless immigration checks and faster airline travel arrangements, and prevents identify theft and tampering of personal data.
With this development, the Consulate General will stop issuing the Machine Readable Passport (MRP). However, all MRPs and the non-machine readable passports (with green cover) already issued by the Consulate General, the Department of Foreign Affairs and all Philippine Embassies and Consulates General will remain valid until the date of their expiry.
Philippine passport holders are also reminded to renew their passports at least six months before expiry.
Appointment system
To facilitate the processing of ePassport applications, the Consulate General encourages applicants to avail themselves of an appointment system designed to shorten the waiting period of its clients, described as follows:
1. Applicants should submit the accomplished ePassport application form (downloadable at www.philcongen-hk.com) together with copies of their current passport and their Hong Kong ID through any of the following: (1) dropping the documents in the Drop Box located in the Consulate General premises anytime from Mondays through Fridays at 9.00am to 4.00pm; (2) faxing the documents to 2866-9885 (care of Passport Section); (3) emailing scanned copies of their documents to
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, or; (4) mailing their documents at the Passport Section of the Consulate General.
2. Applicants should set an appointment on when they could personally visit the Consulate General for the digital capture of their biometrics. They can set their appointments from the third working day they submitted their application any time from Mondays through Fridays at 9.00am to 4.00pm. For applications submitted by e-mail or fax, they should indicate their preferred date of appointment (should
at least be three working days from submission of application) in the e-mail message or in the fax message cover.
3. Applicants should personally appear at the Consulate General on their scheduled appointment. They will undergo the digital capture of their photograph, thumbmarks and digital signature, and pay the processing fee. This process should take around 15 minutes.
4. Applicants should then return to the Consulate General after 20 working days, or on the date stamped on their official receipt to receive their ePassport.
Walk in applicants and those who did not appear on their scheduled appointment will be entertained only after applicants who appeared for their scheduled appointments have been served.
For information the passport requirements and other passport-related matters, applicants may contact the Consulate General's Passport Section at telephone 2823-8535 or at email
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