The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had now exempted Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from getting an appointment schedule for renewal of passports, according to Office of Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary Frank Cimafranca on Wednesday, January 10.

Now, OFWs share the same “priority status” with senior citizens, persons with disabilities or differently abled persons, minors below 7 years of age and single parents.

In a report by PhilStar, Assistant Secretary Cimafranca said that those first time OFWs or persons trying to apply, the government agency is trying its best to accommodate by creating a “special portal which can be used by recruitment agencies”. He also continued to remind passport holders to renew them once they reach less than one year validity.

“We are trying to address this by trying to increase our capacity to process passports”, an answer to the congested online scheduling system for passport renewal. All appointment slots until March have been booked and blocked off in all locations and satellite offices of the said department, as seen on its online application system.

Source: PhilStar