MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a new passport law that aims to digitalize passport applications and streamline applications for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, overseas Filipino workers, among others.

Under Republic Act 11983, which Marcos signed on March 11, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is tasked to set up an online application portal and one-stop shop that is “readily accessible on its official website to facilitate convenience of application and ease in gathering and submission of the requirements.”

The New Philippine Passport Act, which repeals RA 8239, also allows the DFA to set up offsite and mobile passport services outside of its consular offices and foreign service posts.

Section 20 of the law also mandates the DFA to set up special lanes for the application of regular passports for the following:

• Senior citizens
• Persons with disabilities
• Pregnant women
• Minors aged 7 years old and below
• Solo parents
• OFWs
• Individuals with emergency and exceptional cases

The DFA must also arrange accommodations for the regular passport applications of Muslim Filipinos who will be participating in the annual Hajj pilgrimage. This will be for a period of four months, starting from the date listed in the official request by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.

Regular passports are issued to Filipino citizens who are not qualified to hold diplomatic or official passports. This includes government officials and employees traveling abroad in a personal capacity. (READ: 10-year passport validity begins January 2018)

Government officials and employees, along with their family members, may hold two passports at once while they are in office.

The new law also sets penalties for those who confiscate, retain, or withhold DFA-issued passports without authority, with violators facing imprisonment of not less than 12 years and a fine between P1 million and P2 million. Passport forgery carries a punishment of 6 to 15 years of imprisonment and fines between P100,000 to P250,000.

“For offenses relating to improper passport use and other travel documents, offenders will face six to 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of not less than P100,000, but not more than P250,000. On offenses relating to passport issuances, violators will face six-year imprisonment but not more than 12-year incarceration and a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P250,000,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

Unfair and discriminatory practices in the issuance of passports can result in suspension and dismissal from service, along with a fine of up to P250,000 and a maximum imprisonment of six years. – Rappler.com