(Eagle News) — All passports which were scheduled for release before December 2020 but remain unclaimed on January 10, 2022 will be cancelled and disposed of.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs, this was in accordance with DFA Department Order No. 2021-012 on the Disposal of Unclaimed and Spoiled Passports.
The department said those who have yet to claim their passports, which were scheduled for release in December 2020 or earlier, may do so until 07 January 2022 (Friday) at the DFA Consular Office where they were processed.
Meanwhile, those who are unable to claim their passports at the respective DFA Consular Offices before 7 January 7, 2022 must file a new passport application after securing a certificate of unclaimed passport from DFA Aseana or at the DFA Consular Office where they were processed.
Passports scheduled for release after December 2020 are not affected by the order, and may still be claimed from the DFA Consular Office where they were processed, the department said.
“While no penalty is given for passports claimed at a later date, the public is encouraged to claim their passports within thirty (30) days from its scheduled release,” it added.
According to the DFA, applicants may authorize another person to claim the passport on their behalf “provided the authorized persons comply with the requirements indicated in the Department’s website,” such as a special power of attorney.