Statement: On the Issuance of Diplomatic Passport

22 June 2019

On 20 December 2016, former Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario was issued a diplomatic passport by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), as approved by then Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. by virtue of Department Order No. 12-1993. The said diplomatic passport is valid until 19 December 2021.

On 18 June 2019, the DFA Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) - Diplomatic and Official Passport Section (DOPS) revalidated former SFA Del Rosario’s diplomatic passport, as provided by Section 14 of the Philippine Passport Act of 1996 and in accordance with existing regulations, for a business trip to Hong Kong.

Since the issuance of the 1993 Department Order, diplomatic passports have been issued to former DFA secretaries as well as ambassadors as a matter of courtesy, not to confer them with diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention, but only to accord them the usual port courtesies at immigration points abroad.

The DFA Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) will be issuing an order shortly, cancelling all courtesy diplomatic passports. END