Passport Application for a Spouse Married to a Foreign National by Shanaz Well www.pinoysignal.com

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Natural Disasters 2010

Batu-bato sa Langit,
Tamaa'y 'wag Magagalit

It is a compilation of Filipino Poetry depicting real-life and sensational situations affecting Filipino lives. These were written for the sole purpose of waking up the ideals and shaking the nerves of Filipinos inside and outside the Philippines. Batu-bato sa Langit is a prominent Filipino proverb, which means that whoever is affected by the contents of these poetries may react against it. But the writers placed these facts with symbolism and passion to deliver the realities of today.

Lugaw Para sa Bata
Feeding Project

"Lugaw Para sa Bata" is a small project from Team Kabsat in Pangasinan who aimed to give Lugaw as breakfast to few children in the province of Pangasinan in the Philippines. United with the heart of service and Filipino thoughtfulness, Team Kabsat decided to serve Lugaw to children ages 4 to 12 on selected areas to atleast minimize hungerproblem especially to small children. As of the moment, Team Kabsat shall feed only 100 children every month as that number is, as of the moment, the possible count that they can serve. However, Team Kabsat is looking forward that the Lugaw Project shall not only serve 100 children every month but more children are expected to be reached with this small project. read more

MARRYING A FOREIGNER

Passport Application
(For a Spouse Married to a Foreign National)
Shanaz Well, March 2009

I went to the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) nearest to my town. That is the DFA-San Fernando City, La Union, being in Region I. I am applying for a machine-readable passport. The old green-colored passport, even it was still valid, will be changed to brown-colored passport. This time, embedded with more securities and embedded passport photograph.

Whether I am a first time applicant or not, I brought with me the following documents:

1. Duly accomplished application form which can be secured in the DFA gate. You can also download the form over their website. In my case, I downloaded and printed it in a legal-sized paper.
2. Original NSO Birth Certificate
3. NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) Clearance
4. Official Transcript of Records
5. Valid Driver's License
6. Green Passport (Expired or not)
7. CFO Guidance and Counseling Certificate of Attendance
8. NSO Marriage Contract
9. Pictures, as specified by the DFA (3 colored pictures, royal blue background, 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm photo size, not less than 3 cm facial image size, printed on quality photo paper, taken within the last six months). Please take note that DFA has the right to reject photos.
6. Professional License issued by the PRC (Professional Regulatory Commission)

I went to the DFA office with the above documents but here is one thing I learned. The person controlling along the gates of the DFA checks your documents if they are already sufficient for your application. Once they are sufficient, the person in charged will make a stamp on your application stating the date of your appointment. Huh, do I have to go back again? Yes. The DFA only allows persons to go inside the DFA premises ONLY UPON APPOINTMENT. In my experience, I went back to DFA after a week.

On my appointment date, I was already there an hour earlier. The officer shall call only persons with appointments so I have to listen very carefully on my name. As newly married, I sometimes forget that it was me whom they called already because I already use a new surname, my husband's surname. This is just a little awareness that might happen. It sounds funny but it happened to me. They called my name already thrice and I am not standing on my seat. Ok, it was a little mistake on my part.

Now I am inside the DFA ground floor and you have to follow your number according to the roll call. It was my turn to be checked by the officer and he asked me to photocopy my birth certificate, marriage certificate, my different identification card, asked me few questions in relation to the papers I presented, took one copy of my NBI clearance, took my old passport, and asked me how if I want, whether expedite (faster) or regular processing of my passport. Then I was done on his table. He was very friendly.

I need to go to the second floor for verification of data to be entered in their main database, signed it as correct, made payments, and the schedule for claiming was also stamped there. My old passport was cancelled. In the ground floor, a table for LBC Express Padala Services is there. To use this service, fill up the LBC Passport Delivery Form, pay their service fees, and give the claim stab/receipt for them to claim the passport for you. LBC Postal Services shall deliver your passport a day after the claiming date, right infront of your doorsteps. Easy, less time and effort consumed, secured, and manageable. I also did and it worked.