Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – Benefits, Programs, and Services

The Department of Foreign Affairs or DFA is one of the government agencies dealing with foreign relations in the Philippines. It was founded in 1898 under the administration of President Emilio Aguinaldo. The DFA now has five (5) satellite offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) and twenty-one (21) regional consulate offices in the provinces.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, headed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, aims to protect the Philippines’ sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interest. It is also in charge of issuing passports and authentication of the documents.

DFA works closely with Philippine embassies and consulates around the world. The DFA is responsible for formulating and implementing foreign policy decisions, while the embassies and consulates act as the diplomatic arm on a global scale. They facilitate communication between the Philippines and the host countries, protect the rights of overseas Filipino workers, provide consular services, and promote Filipino culture and interests abroad. In essence, the DFA and Philippine embassies/consulates operate in synergy to uphold the nation’s international relations.

dfa department of foreign affairs

Mandate

The Department of Foreign Affairs, as the prime agency of the government responsible for the conduct of Philippine foreign policy, commits to effectively and efficiently deliver foreign policy, diplomatic, attention to nationals, and consular services that are responsive to the needs of our stakeholders here and abroad.

Vision

A resilient foreign service for a strong Philippines.

Mission

To promote and protect Philippine interests in the global community.

Service Pledge

The Department shall continually uphold the principles of good governance, improve its quality management system, and adhere to the highest standards of professionalism.

Core Values

The Department of Foreign Affairs core values are excellence, integrity, patriotism, professionalism, and service.

Objectives

  1. Contribute to the strengthening of national security and the protection of territorial integrity and sovereignty;
  2. To contribute to the national effort to sustain development and improve the Philippines’ competitiveness in the global marketplace;
  3. To improve international awareness of Philippine culture to foster mutually beneficial relationships with other nations;
  4. To improve the Department’s performance, increase and maximize human, financial, technological, and other resources;
  5. To protect the rights and welfare of Filipinos living overseas, as well as to mobilize them as participants in national progress; and
  6. To portray the Philippines in a positive light.

Fundamental Pillars of Philippine Foreign Policy

  1. Preservation and enhancement of national security;
  2. Promotion and attainment of economic security;
  3. Protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare and interests of Filipinos overseas.
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Programs and Services

The Department of Foreign Affairs provides services to all Filipinos whether you live abroad or you are in the Philippines. Not a lot of people know the DFA’s programs and services so take a look at this list as they are beneficial for those who need them.

Authentication of Documents

Authentication of documents is a way of guaranteeing that a document is reliable, credible, and genuine. If you want to use the document in another country, you must get an Apostille. An Apostille certifies the genuity of the signature of a public official on the documents.

If you want to authenticate or apostille a document, here’s the list of documents you can authenticate and the processes on how to authenticate them to help you.

  • NBI Clearance
  • Birth/Marriage/Death Certificate, Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR, Advisory on Marriage and/or Negative Records)
  • School Documents
    • For Elementary and High School Level (Form-137 and Diploma)
      • Certified True Copies from the school; and
      • Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) from DepEd Regional Office
    • For Technical and Vocational Courses (TOR and Diploma/National Certificate)
      • Certified True Copies from the school; and
      • Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) from TESDA
    • For State Colleges and Universities (TOR and Diploma)
      • Certified True Copies and Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) from the school
    • For Private/Local Colleges and Universities (TOR and Diploma)
      • Certified True Copies from the school; and
      • Certification, Authentication, and Verification (CAV) from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
  • Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) document/s
  • Medical Certificate/s
    • For employment: DOH stamp per document
    • For other purposes: Certification issued by DOH with attached Medical Certificate
  • Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) issued document/s
  • Driver’s License
  • Certificate of Employment/Training/ Seminars/ Baptismal Certificates and other documents issued by a private entity
  • Memorandum of Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding/any other form of contract
  • Immigration Record/s
  • DSWD Clearance
  • Police Clearance/Sundry
  • Business Registration and Other Documents issued by a Government Agency (e.g. SEC, DTI, BIR, SSS, Municipal Business Permit & Licensing Office, etc.)
  • Barangay Clearance/Certificate
  • Export Document/s
  • Foreign Documents for Certification (for use in the Philippines only)

Application

Applying for document authentication is easy. But first, you must compile all the necessary documents both original and photocopy before you apply. There are two ways to apply, one is walk-in and the other is online.

Option 1: Walk-in

If you plan to go directly to the Department of Foreign Affairs office, you have to make sure to go there early as they only have limited slots per day depending on the capacity of the Consular Office. The only applicants who are allowed to walk in are:

  • Documents owners. Documents must be under the applicant’s name.
  • Documents of immediate family members.
    • Representatives must bring the following documents:
      • Proof of kinship (birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.)
      • Signed authorization letter (SPA for minor document owners)
      • Valid government IDs with picture and signature of the owner of the documents
      • Representative‘s valid government  ID  with picture and signature

Procedures for Application

Step 1: Secure an application form, fill it out, and present it at the Verification Window Counter.

Step 2: Prepare all the documents.

Step 3: Present your valid government ID and documents (original and photocopy) to the processor.

Step 4: Go to the cashier to pay the fees.

Option 2: Online Appointment

If you choose to avail the option 2, you can click this  Apostille. However, the DFA’s Apostille Application and Appointment system (AAAS) is not available to all Consular Offices. It is still under development to become available to all. The applicants who are allowed to avail of the Online Appointment are the following:

  • Documents owners. Documents must be under the applicant’s name.
  • Documents of immediate family members. 
  • Authorized Representative who is not family-related to the owner of the document (liaison officers)
    • Authorized Representative must bring the following:
      • Signed authorization letter (SPA for minor document owners)
      • Valid government IDs with picture and signature of the owner of the documents
      • Representative‘s valid government  ID  with picture and signature

Procedures for Application

Step 1: Go to  https://www.apostilleonline.ph/ and fill out the form. Make sure all the information is correct and print the confirmed appointment.

Step 2: Go to your chosen Consular Office and present your appointment letter at the Appointment Verification Window Counter.

Step 3: Prepare all the documents.

Step 3: Present your valid government ID and documents (original and photocopy) to the processor.

Step 4: Go to the cashier to pay the fees.

Filing/Claiming of Apostille Documents

After filing the documents and paying the fees, you will receive a date and time of release of the documents. Make sure to go on the date they assigned to you and bring the following:

For Document Owners:

  • Official receipt
  • Original valid government-issued identification card

For Authorized Representatives:

  • Official receipt
  • Authorization letter from the owner (Original Special Power of Attorney for minor applicants)
  • Valid government IDs with picture and signature of the owner of the documents
  • Representative‘s valid government  ID  with picture and signature

If an authorized representative is from a company, he or she must present proof of affiliation such as SEC GIS, Company ID, etc. Foreign nationals who want to process any employment-related document, he or she must present the Alien Employment Permit from DOLE and the Alien Certificate of Registration from the Bureau of Immigration.

Consular Records

If Filipino citizens need to apply for registration or delayed registration of birth, marriage, and death that happens abroad, they need to go to the Civil Registry Division of the Office of Consular Affairs (OCA-CRD). This division acts as a receiving and initial processing office for those documents and serves as a channel office between the Philippine Embassy, Consulates, and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

If you are planning to register, present the original documents and five (5) more photocopies of each. 

Report of Birth

Here’s the list of requirements needed to register a report of birth.

For Filipinos who gave birth abroad or had a child abroad, you must register your child to the Office of Consular Affairs of the Philippines.

  • Report of Birth Form (FA Form No. 40/ Rev. 01 24 April 2018). 
  • Original copy of the birth certificate issued by the birth country.
  • The child’s passport or travel document
  • Authenticated Marriage Certificate of the parents from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or Foreign Marriage Contract.
    • For unmarried parents, must submit an Affidavit to Use the Surname of the Father (AUSF) and an Affidavit of Acknowledgement of Paternity.
  • Parents’ passport
  • Five (5) passport-size photos of the child
  • Notarized Affidavit of Delayed Registration and Notarized Affidavit of Two (2) Disinterested Persons  (For kids who are older than one (1) year old)
  • Negative Certification of Birth Record from PSA with QR code.

Report of Marriage

Here’s the list of requirements needed to register a marriage.

  • Report of Marriage Form (Form Rev. 01 24 April 2018).
  • Original copy of Marriage Contract / Certificate
  • Birth Certificates of the couple
  • Passport of the couple
  • Five (5) passport-size photos of the child
  • Notarized Affidavit of Delayed Registration and Notarized Affidavit of Two (2) Disinterested Persons  (For couples who are married for more than one (1) year)
  • Negative Certification of Marriage Record from PSA with QR code (CRS Form No. 3)

Report of Death

Here’s the list of requirements needed to register a Report of Death.

Application for Report of Birth, Marriage, and Death

Once you have completed all the documents needed to register, make sure to book an appointment before going to the consular office. Due to the volume of people going to the consular, they restricted all transactions by securing a scheduled appointment for all applicants. Follow these easy steps on how to register for reports.

Step 1: Gather all the documentary requirements and scan them all.

Step 2: Send the scanned documents to oca.crd@dfa.gov.ph and wait for the email confirmation for your appointment date and time.

Step 3: On the day of your appointment, submit your documents to the Civil Registration Window for assessment.

Step 4: Go to the cashier and pay the sular fee worth $25 or equivalent to Philippine peso.

Step 5: Get five (5) photocopies of the official receipt and give it to the Civil Registration Window.

Step 6: All your forms and documents will be submitted to the relevant Foreign Service Post (Embassy/Consulate General).

Philippine Passport

If you want to travel abroad, whether for work or a tour, you need a passport. The Philippine passport is a property of the Republic of the Philippines and all information must be true and accurate. Falsifying any information in the passport is punishable by the law. If you want to get your passport, here is the list of requirements you need.

  • Application Form
  • Birth Certificate issued by PSA
  • Identification cards
    • Government-issued identification card with photo and signature
    • School ID or Certificate of Enrolment with photo for minor applicants
  • Marriage Certificate issued by PSA for married women who want to use their spouse’s surname.

Passport Application

The DFA doesn’t accept walk-in applicants and appointment slots are limited, so make sure that you have plenty of time (at least a year) before your planned trip.

Step 1: Go to the Department of Foreign Affairs website and go to the “Passport Appointment System”.

Step 2: Click the “Schedule an Appointment”. 

Step 3: Go to the Application Type and drop down the choices. Choose what applies to you and fill out the application form.

Step 4: Choose your payment method. After paying the fee, you will receive a payment reference number in your email.

Step 5: Print the application form they will send in your email.

Step 6: Go to the DFA office and bring your application form and other documentary requirements.

Visa Application for Foreign Nationals

Most countries require foreign visitors to apply for a visa to enter their country. The Philippines is one of the countries that requires visas for foreign nationals who want to go here. To find the complete set of requirements for all kinds of visas, check this link: https://consular.dfa.gov.ph/images/PDF/Information_Boards/IB-VISA_14-APRIL-2020.pdf

Requirements

  • Application form
  • Copy of 9(e) arrival stamps in the Philippines
  • Copy of other valid visas
  • Copy of Protocol Diplomatic ID or proof of marital union (for dependent spouse)
  • Copy of the principal’s passport and visa (for dependent spouse and household members)
  • Letter of Endorsement from the requesting Foreign Embassy Organization accredited in the Philippines
  • Applicant’s original passport
  • Two (2) passport-size picture
  • Proof of legal status as a tourist or a businessperson
  • Confirmed return or onward tickets 
  • Payment for Visa

Visa Application

Step 1: gather all the documentary requirements and make sure they are complete

Step 2: Go to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate to submit your requirements for assessment.

Step 3: Pay the visa fees to the cashier.

Step 4: You will receive the time and date of release of your documents. Bring any government-issued ID and the official result to claim them.

Video: How to Contact DFA | Online | Email | DFA Customer Service

If you have any inquiries and don’t know how to reach the Department of Foreign Affairs, watch the video by HowToPaanoTo channel to help you contact their Customer Service.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the validity of the Philippine passport?

The Philippine passport has now a ten (10) year validity for 18 years old and above. Minors will be issued passports with five-year validity.

How long does it take for me to get my passport?

Once you submit your application, it will take 30-45 days to process it and for you to receive it.

How long does it take to get the authenticated or apostille documents?

The apostille process takes three (3) working days after submitting all the documents costing Php 100 and one (1) day if you want to rush the process but you need to pay Php 200. However, due to the pandemic, expediting authenticated documents has been temporarily stopped.

Can I go directly to the DFA office?

No, every transaction at the Department of Foreign Affairs must be done by appointment. They do not allow walk-ins to control the volume of people and health protocol. You can schedule an appointment by visiting their website at https://dfa.gov.ph/.

Is it okay not to apply for a visa to go abroad?

Some countries don’t require visas to Philippine citizens such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, etc. Make sure to check if the country you want to visit requires a visa or not.

Summary

The Department of Foreign Affairs aims to strengthen national security, to protect our territorial integrity and at the same time portray the Philippines in a positive light. It also promotes Philippine culture to other nations and has a beneficial relationship with them.

The DFA is the Philippine agency that is in charge of processing and releasing passports and visas, authenticating documents, and assisting Filipinos who are in trouble abroad. The DFA embraces the challenges and changes to give better services to Filipino citizens.

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