These days, the Philippine passport has a validity period of 10 years for adults, and five years for minors (below 18 years old). Before the passport expires, it is advisable to have it renewed, to ensure smooth overseas travel and to avoid any problems.
Fortunately, getting your passport renewed is now easy, even if you are outside the Philippines. For Filipinos in Taiwan, passport renewal services are available at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the Philippines’ representative office in the country. The MECO main office is based in Taipei, and it also has extension offices in Taichung and Kaohsiung.
If you are planning to renew your passport as a Filipino based in Taiwan, here is a brief guide on the requirements, fees, and procedures for the application process and the passport releasing stage, as well.
Passport Renewal Requirements
Below is a list of requirements for passport renewal. The documents vary for OFWs, dual/multiple passport holders, newly-married women who would like to use their husband’s surname, and women who are reverting to their maiden name.
For OFWs
For overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the requirements for passport renewal are as follows:
- Online appointment;
- Personal appearance of applicant;
- Printed Application Form;
- Current Philippine passport plus one (1) photocopy of data page (pages 2 and 3);
- One (1) photocopy of passport pages 4 to 5 and 44;
- Valid Taiwan Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) plus one (1) photocopy of front and back sides;
- One (1) photocopy of latest Taiwan Visa; and
- Processing fee of TWD 2,000.
For Dual/Multiple Passport Holders
If you are a dual/multiple passport holder, then you’ll need to prepare the following requirements:
- Online appointment;
- Personal appearance of applicant;
- Printed Application Form;
- Bureau of Immigration/MECO Reacquisition/Retention of Philippine Citizenship (RA 9225) document plus one (1) photocopy of the following: Order, Order of Approval, Oath of Allegiance, Identification Certificate;
- PSA Certificate of Live Birth or PSA Report of Birth plus one (1) photocopy;
- PSA Certificate of Marriage or PSA Report of Marriage plus one (1) photocopy;
- English version of Taiwan Household plus one (1) photocopy;
- Taiwan/Foreign Passport plus one (1) photocopy; and
- Processing fee of TWD 2,000.
NOTE: For passports that are not renewed one (1) year after the date of expiration, please include an Affidavit of Delayed Renewal of Passport.
For Newly-Married Women
Newly-married women who will use their husband’s surname need to prepare the following:
- Online appointment;
- Personal appearance of applicant;
- Printed Application Form;
- PSA Certificate of Marriage/MECO-registered Report of Marriage plus one (1) photocopy;
- Current Philippine passport plus one (1) photocopy of data page (pages 2 and 3);
- Valid Taiwan Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) plus one (1) photocopy of front and back sides;
- One (1) photocopy of latest Taiwan Visa; and
- Processing fee of TWD 2,000.
For Women Reverting to Their Maiden Name
For this category, the requirements vary for annulled/divorced women and widowed women:
Annulled/Divorced Women
- Online appointment;
- Personal appearance of applicant;
- Printed Application Form;
- PSA Certificate of Marriage annotated to indicate court decision on annulment/recognition of divorce;
- Current Philippine passport plus one (1) photocopy of data page (pages 2 and 3);
- Valid Taiwan Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) plus one (1) photocopy of front and back sides;
- One (1) photocopy of latest Taiwan Visa; and
- Processing fee of TWD 2,000.
Widowed Women
- Online appointment;
- Personal appearance of applicant;
- Printed Application Form;
- PSA Certificate of Death of husband plus one (1) photocopy;
- PSA Certificate of Live Birth plus one (1) photocopy;
- PSA Certificate of Marriage/Report of Marriage plus one (1) photocopy;
- Current Philippine passport plus one (1) photocopy of data page (pages 2 and 3);
- Valid Taiwan Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) plus one (1) photocopy of front and back sides;
- One (1) photocopy of latest Taiwan Visa; and
- Processing fee of TWD 2,000.
Passport Renewal Procedure
Once you have gathered all the necessary documents, here is a guide to the passport renewal application process:
- Go to this link to set an appointment at the MECO office.
- Click the corresponding tab if you are booking an appointment with MECO Taipei, MECO Taichung, or MECO Kaohsiung office.
- Make sure that the information you provide in the application is correct. Don’t forget to include an active or working email address.
- Confirm your application by clicking the link sent to your registered email address.
- Go to the MECO office on the appointed date and time. Typically, the schedule for passport applications are: Mondays to Thursdays (8:00 am to 2:30 pm); Fridays (8:00 am to 12:30 pm); and Sundays (9:00 am to 12:30 pm).
- Submit your application form and documents for checking and verification. Follow their instructions for a smooth process, from submission of documents to biometrics capturing, and so on.
- Pay the required processing fee at the Cashier.
- After your appointment, wait for a text or email message from MECO regarding the schedule of your passport’s release. You can also monitor the status of your passport by logging into the Passport Releasing Portal.
NOTE: Appointment bookings are NOT needed for the following persons: senior citizens (60 years old and above); minor children below 7 years old, accompanied by their parents; pregnant women; persons with disability, accompanied by their guardian; caregivers accompanied by their elderly ward; and fishermen.
Additional Reminders
Before you go to the MECO office and apply for passport renewal, here are some important reminders:
- You can apply for passport renewal as early as one (1) year before your current passport expires. This way, you can ensure a smooth travel experience every time you go overseas.
- Securing an appointment with the MECO is FREE of charge. Beware of any individuals or groups that are charging money for setting appointments!
- From time to time, the MECO office posts available dates for appointment through its Facebook page. You can check these posts before booking an appointment with them.
- Before going to the MECO office for your appointment, be sure to check and bring all the requirements. Incomplete documents and discrepant data will not be entertained.
- Applicants are expected to dress appropriately for the their MECO appointments. People wearing shorts, sleeveless shirts, and/or slippers will not be entertained.
- For the biometrics portion of your passport application, you will be asked to remove earrings, necklaces, headbands, contact lenses, or other items that obstruct your face.
Passport Releasing Procedure
Philippine passports are evaluated and approved by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and printed in the Philippines. Considering the time period for printing and the transport of physical passports to Taiwan, you can expect your new passport to be released around five (5) weeks from the date of your application.
Once you have confirmed that your passport is ready for release, you can claim it based on these schedules: Mondays to Fridays (8:00 am to 2:30 pm); and Sundays (9:00 am to 12:30 pm).
How to Claim Philippine Passport
There are three ways to claim a passport from the MECO office: in person, through a representative, or passport delivery service. Here are the requirements and procedures for each method:
Personal Claiming
You do NOT need to book an appointment to claim your passport. In these cases, walk-in clients will be entertained at the MECO office.
To claim your passport in person, you simply need to present the following: your old passport (for passport renewal applicants); and MECO claim stub. Your old passport will be canceled before the new one is released; both of these will be returned to you as soon as you have confirmed that the information in your newly-released passport is correct.
Claiming Through Representative
If your new passport will be claimed by a representative, keep in mind that you need to fill-up and submit an Authorization Form for passport releasing on the day of your passport application.
To claim your passport through a representative, prepare the following documents: your old passport (for passport renewal applicants); MECO claim stub; and ID of authorized representative for verification. Your old passport will be canceled before the new one is released; both of these will be returned to the authorized representative, as soon as he/she has confirmed that the information in your new passport is correct.
Passport Delivery Service
If you prefer to have your new passport delivered straight to your address, you can avail of passport delivery service during the day of your passport application. The cost for this service is TWD 270 for intercity delivery, and TWD 290 for delivery to outlying islands.
For this option, you’ll have to surrender your old passport to the passport processor on the day of your application. Your old passport will be canceled and eventually sent to your address, together with your new passport as soon as it is released.
Contact Information: MECO Main Office
If you have any questions or concerns regarding passport services, you can get in touch with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) through the following contact details:
Address: 2F, Chang Hong New Era Building, 55 & 57 Zhouzi St., Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan
Telephone: +886 2 2658 8825
Website: https://www.meco.org.tw/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MECO.official/
Google Map:
Meanwhile, another important aspect of being an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) is your membership with the Social Security System (SSS). Check out this article to learn how you can pay your SSS contributions, even if you are living and working in Taiwan!