Five years ago, I wrote about the procedure and other details involved in renewing the Philippine passport in the Philippine Embassy in Thailand. The passport I applied for that time would be expiring in the first week of August this year 2016. I thought of renewing it later, about less than 6 months before the expiration, but I have plans to travel on April. It is advisable that passport be renewed at least six months before the expiration date as the international law states that the passport must have a minimum of 6 months validity when going international trips.
The renewal fee in the Embassy website is 2,100 baht but the actual amount collected is 2,220 baht. I am glad it is lower than the 2,700 baht I had paid 5 years ago. The submission of my application was fast because I've downloaded the application form in the embassy's website and was ready for submission when I went to the Consular Office. There were not much clients that day as I arrived late morning. The requirements I've submitted were 1) original passport; 2) photocopy of the passport page 3 containing the information of the holder and 3)completed application form. That's all! Take note, no picture needed for this time.
For those who haven't been to the Consular Office, to get inside the embassy compound, one must register in the guard and leave an ID. Therefore, an extra ID aside from the passport should be brought. When I went out of the compound after I've finished my transaction, there was a couple who submitted a photocopy of their passport in lieu of an ID. Upon entering the Consular office, there is a small touchscreen machine on the right side of the entrance door that prints the queue number. I got myself a number.
When the cashier collects the payment, I was asked to wait for the next call, which compelled me to go inside a room adjacent to the call window for the digital passport photo and signature. Presto! Application is done. A paper shall be given to you indicating the application number and steps on how to check in the website of the availability of the passport. Passport is said to be ready 4 to 6 weeks.
