NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
S.B. No. 2001
ir • ^
23 MRRU P2 24
RKCtiVcDSY;
(In substitution of S.B. Nos. 691 and 1036, taking into consideration H.B. No. 6510)
Prepared by the Committee on Foreign Relations 
with Senators Revilla, Ejercito Estrada, and Marcos as authors thereof
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A NEW PASSPORT LAW, REPEALING FOR 
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8239, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE "PHILIPPINE PASSPORT ACT OF 1996"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in Congress assembied:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. 
Passport Act".
This Act shall be known as the "New Philippine
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The people's constitutional right to travel is 
inviolable. Accordingly, the government has the duty to issue passports or any travel 
document, in line with international instruments, to any citizen of the Philippines or 
individual who complies with the requirements of this Act, using, as much as 
practicable, the latest tamper-proof, personalization, and data management 
technology. The right to travel may be impaired only when national security, public 
safety, or public health so requires. To enhance and protect the unimpaired exercise 
of this right, only minimum requirements for the application and issuance of passports 
and other travel documents shall be prescribed. The government shall ensure 
expeditious action on such applications and the issuance of passports and other travel


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documents shall be prescribed. The government shall ensure expeditious action on 
such applications and the issuance of passports and travel documents.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
(a) 
Ambassadors - refer to those who have been appointed as Chiefs of 
Mission and are currently serving as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary;
(b) 
Biographic data - refers to an individual's full name, birthdate, birth 
place, and sex as recorded in the Certificate of Live Birth, Report of Birth, or Certificate 
of Foundling;
(c) 
Biometric data - refers to front facing photograph, fingerprint, iris scan, 
and/or such other identifiable features of an individual;
(d) 
Convention on International Civil Aviation or Chicago Convention - 
refers to the Convention which sets out certain principles and arrangements for the 
development of International civil aviation and establishment of international air 
transport services signed in Chicago in 1944 and which entered into force in 1968;
(e) 
Consular offices (CO) - refer to field offices or any offsite office of the 
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of Consular Affairs located in the 
Philippines that performs consular and related functions;
(f) 
Consular Official - refers to a DFA official assigned to the Office of 
Consular Affairs, DFA Consular Offices in the Philippines and Foreign Service Posts, 
who is responsible for providing passport and other consular services;
(g) 
Foundling - refers to a deserted or abandoned child or infant with 
unknown facts of birth and parentage. This also include those who have been duly 
registered as a foundling during his or her infant childhood, but have reached the age 
of majority without benefiting from adoption procedures;


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(h) 
Emergency Travel Document - refers to a form of identification, 
compliant with current latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 
standards, that the Philippine government issues to its citizens or recognized 
residents, under emergency circumstances, so they can cross international borders in 
lieu of a regular passport;
(i) 
Fugitives from Justice - refer to those who flee after conviction, by the 
Philippine court, to avoid punishment and those who, after being charged in court, 
flee to avoid prosecution;
(j) 
Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) - refer to embassies, missions, consulates 
general, and other foreign service establishments maintained by the DFA;
(k) 
ICAO - refers to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a 
specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), established by UN Member States in 
1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on 
International Civil Aviation or the Chicago Convention;
(l) 
Issuing Authority - refers to the DFA Office of Consular Affairs, DFA 
Consular Offices in the Philippines, or the Philippine Foreign Service Posts overseas 
which issue passports and provide other consular services;
(m) 
Legal Guardians - refer to persons exercising parental authority, either 
by operation of law, or by order of the court, over minors or over persons over 
eighteen (18) years of age but who are unable to fully take care of themselves or 
protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination 
because of a physical or mental disability or condition;
(n) 
Large Scale - refers to the commission of any of the offenses under this 
Act against three (3) or more persons individually or as a group;


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(o) 
Machine Readable Travel Document - refers to an official document, 
confirming with the specifications contained in ICAO Document 9303, issued by a 
State or organization, which is used by the holder for international travel and which 
contains mandatory visual data and a separate mandatory data summary in a format 
which is capable of being read by a machine;
(p) 
Passport - refers to the ICAO-compliant machine readable travel 
document issued by the Philippine Government which contains a request to other 
governments to permit its bearer to pass safely and freely, and to provide all lawful 
aid and protection, if needed;
(q) 
Recognized Alien Residents - refer to aliens who are permanent 
residents of the Philippines, or who are Stateless persons or refugees, as recognized 
by the Philippine Government;
(r) 
Refugee - refers to a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being 
persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social 
group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, 
owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or 
who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his or her former 
habitual residence, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it, and is 
officially given refugee status by the Philippine government;
(s) 
Stateless Person - refers to a person who is not considered as a national 
by any State under the operation of its law; and
(t) 
Syndicate - refers to a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring or 
confederating with one another concerning the commission of the offenses as defined 
under this Act.
SEC. 4. Authority to Issue, Deny, or Cancel. - Upon the application of any 
qualified Filipino citizen, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, hereinafter referred to as


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Secretary, or any duly authorized consular officer may issue passports in accordance 
with this Act.
Philippine consular officials in a foreign country shall be authorized by the 
Secretary to issue, deny, or cancel a passport in the area of jurisdiction of the Foreign 
Service Post in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
In the interest of national security, public safety, and public health, and In 
accordance with Sections 4 and 9 of this Act, the Secretary or any of the authorized 
consular officials may, deny issuance of a passport or cancel a passport: Provided, 
however, That such act shall not mean a loss of, or a doubt on, the person's 
citizenship: Provided, further. That the issuance of a passport may not be denied if 
the safety and interest of the Filipino citizen are at stake: Provided, finally. That denial 
or cancellation of a passport shall not prevent the issuance of an Emergency Travel 
Document.
SEC. 5. Requirements for the Issuance of a Passport. -The Secretary, ora duly 
authorized consular official, shall issue a passport to an applicant who Is a Filipino 
citizen and who has complied with the following requirements:
(a) 
A duly accomplished application form;
(b) 
Proof of citizenship as prescribed by relevant laws regarding the 
acquisition of Philippine citizenship which include, but are not limited to:
(1) 
For natural born citizens. Certificate of Live Birth or Report of
Birth, or Certificate of Foundling, whichever is applicable, authenticated by the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or its successor agency;
(2) 
For naturalized citizens. Certificate of Naturalization,
Identification Certificate, Court Order granting naturalization. Decree of
Naturalization, or copy of law granting legislative naturalization;


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(3) 
Identification Certificate for those who avail of Recognition with 
the Bureau of Immigration;
(4) 
Order of Approval, Identification Certificate of Oath of Allegiance 
for those who avail of Reacquisition or Retention of Philippine citizenship under 
Republic Act No. 9225, otherwise known as "Citizenship Retention and 
Reacquisition Act of 2003";
(c) 
Valid and sufficient proof of identity, foremost of which is the individual's 
record in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) as provided for in Section 6 of 
Republic Act No. 11055 or the "Philippine Identification System Act", and its future 
amendments;
(d) 
For a married woman who wishes to use her husband's surname. 
Certificate of Marriage or Report of Marriage, whichever is applicable, authenticated 
by PSA or its successor agency;
(e) 
For a woman who wishes to revert to the use of her maiden name by 
virtue of an annulment; declaration of nullity of marriage; legal separation; judicially- 
recognized foreign divorce; or death of a husband, a duly annotated authenticated 
Certificate of Marriage or Report of Marriage, whichever is applicable, or Certificate of 
Death or Report of Death, whichever is applicable, authenticated by PSA or its 
successor agency;
(f) 
For a minor applicant, the application may be filed by either parent: 
Provided, That if a person other than the minor's parents files the application, a Special 
Power of Attorney (SPA) duly executed by a person exercising parental authority, as 
per existing laws, must be presented for this purpose. For minor applicants who are 
foundlings, an adult guardian, through the presentation of a letter of guardianship 
issued by a Family Court and a DSWD clearance, may file for the minor's passport 
application;


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(g) 
Certificate Declaring a Child Legally Available for Adoption (CDCLAA) 
issued by the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) if the applicant is a prospective 
adoptive child under the Republic Act No. 11642, otherwise known as the "Domestic 
Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act";
(h) 
For applicants who are sixty (60) years old and above and for migrant 
workers abroad, who are renewing their passports, the DFA shall implement a system 
wherein the applicants may submit their application without the need to physically 
appear in the Office of Consular Affairs or any Consular Office, through the use of 
available technology, as far as practicable;
(I) In case of discrepancy, the applicant's name or other details in the 
Certificate of Live Birth or Report of Birth shall prevail over those appearing in any 
other public or private document: Provided, however, That unless by operation of law 
or through court order, the applicant is permitted to use a name other than what is 
officially recorded in the PSA, or its successor agency, or the Local Civil Registry Office 
(LCRO);
Valid IDs must be consistent with the name and other biographical details in 
the Certificate of Live Birth or Report of Birth, as well as to the Certificate of Marriage 
or laws wherein a woman prefers to use her husband's surname on any given form; 
and
(j) A travel authority, issued by the head of the department, agency, or 
office or a duly authorized representative, if the applicant is a government official or 
employee seeking to apply for a diplomatic or official passport. The DFA is mandated 
to ensure the integrity of the passport at all times. As such, the Secretary or duly 
authorized consular official may require the applicant to provide additional documents 
until the latter adequately establishes citizenship and identity.


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SEC. 6. Prohibition against unfair and discriminatory practices. -The DFA, as 
well as its authorized passport issuing authorities and personnel shall only require the 
following documents to prove the following: (1) identity of the applicant; (2) the 
applicant's citizenship, and (3) lack of legal travel restrictions, consistent with the 
Republic Act No. 11032 or the "Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government 
Service Delivery Act of 2018".
SEC. 7. Application. - A person applying for a passport for the first time shall 
be required to appear in person for biometric and biographic data capturing. This 
requirement shall be open for modification upon the determination by the Department 
of Foreign Affairs and the existence of enabling technologies and procedures that will 
enable the non-requirement of personal appearance.
A person exercising parental authority, under relevant domestic laws, shall 
assist an applicant who is a minor.
An applicant who is unable to read or write, persons with disability, or a senior 
citizen may be assisted by a relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or 
affinity, or by the traveling companion of the applicant.
The DFA may require other additional documents as may be specified in the 
rules and regulations promulgated for the implementation of this Act.
Personal appearance as well as other additional documents shall be required 
by the DFA as specified in the rules and regulations promulgated for the 
implementation of this Act: Provided, That senior citizens who are sixty (60) years old 
and above and migrant workers abroad may renew their passports without need of 
personal appearance.
SEC. 8. Types of Passports. -The Secretary or the authorized consular officer 
may issue the following types of passports:


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(a) 
Diplomatic Passports dive issued to citizens with diplomatic status or who
are on diplomatic mission, such as:
(1) 
The President and former Presidents of the Philippines;
(2) 
The Vice-President and former Vice Presidents of the Philippines;
(3) 
The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, and former Presidents of the Senate and Speakers of the 
House of Representatives;
(4) 
The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, 
as well as the respective Presiding Justices of the Court of Appeals and the 
Sandiganbayan;
(5) The Secretary, Undersecretaries, and Assistant Secretaries of the
DFA;
(6) 
The Members of Congress, the Secretary of the Senate, and the 
Secretary General of the House of Representatives;
(7) 
The Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the 
Republic of the Philippines; Chiefs of Mission, Foreign Service Officers of all 
ranks in the career diplomatic service, and including designated attaches from 
the DFA and agencies of the government, including the officials of the Migrant 
Workers Office (MWO) as created under Section 15 of Republic Act No. 11641 
or the "Department of Migrant Workers Act";
(8) 
The Secretaries of all departments of the Executive branch;
(9) 
The Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas;


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(10) 
the Official delegates to international or regional conferences 
accorded full powers by the Senate; and
(11) 
The spouses and minor children of the abovementioned officials 
when accompanying or following to join them in a diplomatic mission abroad.
The President of the Philippines or the Secretary may grant diplomatic passport 
to officials and persons other than those enumerated herein.
(b) Official Passports are issued to all government officials and employees 
on official trip abroad but who are not on a diplomatic mission or have not been 
accorded diplomatic status, such as:
(1) 
The Undersecretaries, Assistant Secretaries of the Cabinet other 
than the DFA, the Associate Justices of the Court of Appeals and the 
Sandiganbayan, and other members of the Judiciary, all other government 
officials and employees traveling on official business and official time;
(2) 
Staff officers and employees of the DFA assigned to diplomatic 
and consular posts, as well as officers and representatives of other government 
departments and agencies assigned abroad;
(3) 
Persons in the domestic service and household members of 
officials assigned to diplomatic or consular posts not exceeding two (2) 
persons; Provided, That an increase in domestic service and household 
members of such officials shall be approved by the Secretary; and
(4) 
Spouse and minor children of the staff officers and employees of 
the DFA assigned to diplomatic or consular posts and offices and 
representatives of other government agencies assigned abroad, when 
accompanying or following to join them.
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(c) 
Regular Passports are issued to Filipino citizens who are not eligible or 
entitled to diplomatic or official passports, including government officials or employees 
going abroad for pleasure or other personal reasons. Government officials and 
employees and members of their families may, during their incumbency in office, hold 
two (2) passports simultaneously:
(1) 
A regular passport for private travel; and
(2) 
A diplomatic or official passport when traveling abroad on a 
diplomatic or official business. The spouse and minor children of persons 
entitled to diplomatic or official passports shall be issued regular passports if 
they are not accompanying or following to join them.
(d) 
Emergency Travel Document is issued by Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) 
to Filipino citizens who have been previously issued regular passports but for one 
reason or another, cannot apply for or cannot be issued a regular passport.
(1) 
Emergency Passports - shall be issued to Filipino travelers who 
have lost their passports while traveling overseas and are justifiably in need to 
complete their intended overseas travel prior to return to the Philippines or 
their residence overseas. This shall be valid for one (1) year from date of 
issuance; and
(2) 
Emergency Travel Document Certificate is issued to Filipinos 
in foreign countries who have lost their passports overseas and are in dire need 
to return to the Philippines. This certificate shall be valid for thirty (30) days up 
to six (6) months from date of issuance.
(e) 
Convention Travel Document shall be valid for five (5) years from 
date of issuance, shall be issued for a Stateless person who is likewise a permanent 
resident or a refugee granted such status or asylum in the Philippines. This type of 
Travel Document can only be applied in the DFA main consular office in Manila, or its
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successor office, without prejudice to the establishment of additional offices for this 
purpose.
SEC. 9. Grounds for Denial of Issuance of Passport or Cancellation of Passport 
or Imposition of Restrictions on Passports. - A passport application may be denied, or 
cancelled, or restrictions may be imposed on a passport, based on the following 
grounds:
(a) 
Denial of Passport:
(1) 
On order of the court, to hold the departure of an 
applicant/passport holder who is a respondent in a complaint pending 
preliminary investigation, and against whom a Precautionary HDO was issued 
by the court;
(2) 
On written notarized request by the person exercising parental 
authority over a minor or incapacitated applicant or passport holder;
(3) 
When the applicant has been found to have violated any of the 
provisions of this Act;
(4) 
Such other disqualification under existing laws.
(b) 
Cancellation of Passport:
(1) 
On orders of the court, when the holder has been convicted of a 
criminal offense: Provided, That a passport may be issued after service of 
sentence;
(2) 
On orders of the court, when the holder is a fugitive from justice;
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(3) 
Upon order of the court, to initiate the procedure for the 
cancellation of the passport of a suspected terrorist individual charged with any 
violation of Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of Republic Act No. 11479, 
otherwise known as "The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020": Provided, That a 
passport may be issued upon acquittal of the accused or of the dismissal of the 
case filed against such person or upon the discretion of the court on motion of 
the prosecutor or of the accused;
(4) 
When a passport was acquired fraudulently, tampered with, or 
issued erroneously;
(5) 
When a passport is returned to the DFA by other government 
agencies or entities: Provided,’\\\^\. cancellation of the passport will not prevent 
the holder from being issued a new passport;
(c) Imposition of Restriction of Passport:
(1) 
When the country of designation is in a state of political instability 
which could pose a danger to the Filipino traveler;
(2) 
When diplomatic ties have been fractured or severed with the 
Philippines; or
(3) 
When the country of destination is subject to travel restriction by 
government policy, enforcement of action by the United Nations or in a state 
of war.
SEC. 10. Passport Databases. -The DFA shall create the following Databases:
(a) Passport database which shall contain all current and If available, 
previous passport and travel documents records of Philippine citizens, including 
recognized alien residents;
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(b) 
Watchlist database which shall contain the names of persons whose 
passport applications have been denied or whose passports were cancelled under 
Section 4 as well as those persons found to have committed, or attempted to commit 
offenses under Section 23 of this Act. No passport shall be issued to the persons found 
in the database until they are able to meet the documentary or legal requirements for 
the removal of their names from the database.
The Secretary or any of the duly authorized consular officials may recommend 
the inclusion of persons in the database other than those; previously cited for other 
reasons that may provide a basis for the DFA to deny issuance of a passport to these 
persons. Nothing in the above provisions shall prevent the issuance of other types of 
travel documents to persons included in the watchlist, at the discretion of the 
Secretary or duly authorized consular officials.
(c) 
Stolen, lost, and revoked database which shall contain the information 
on passports and travel documents of persons who declared that their passports or 
travel documents have been lost or stolen. The passport or travel document that has 
been cancelled by the DFA under Section 4 of this Act shall also be included in this 
database.
SEC. 11. Safeguards on the Passport database. - The DFA, with the 
coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology 
(DICT), shall implement appropriate organizational, technical and physical security 
measures to ensure that the information gathered for the Passport database is 
protected against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, tampering, and accidental or 
international loss, destruction, and damage.
SEC. 12. Appeal. - Any person whose passport application was denied or 
cancelled may appeal to the Secretary, whose decision may be reviewed by the 
appropriate court.
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SEC. 13. Validity. - Regular passports issued under this Act shall be valid for a 
period often (10) years: Provided, however, That for individuals under eighteen (18) 
years of age, only a passport with five (5)-year validity shall be issued: Provided, 
further. That the issuing authority may limit the period of validity to less than ten (10) 
years whenever such restriction is necessary in the interest of national economy or 
political stability of the country.
SEC. 14. Ownership of Passports. - A Philippine passport remains at all times 
the property of the government, the holder being a mere possessor thereof for the 
duration of the passport's validity and the same may not be confiscated by any entity 
or person other than the government, through the Department. Any other government 
agency, official or employee that confiscates a passport or travel document shall 
promptly turn over the confiscated passport or travel document to the Department.
SEC. 15. Names and Titles. - Passports shall contain the full name of the 
applicant, but shall not include any title, profession or job description.
The Philippine naming conventions and the relevant laws of the Philippines on 
the names of persons shall govern the details that shall be reflected in the passport.
SEC. 16. Other Travel Documents. - The following travel documents may be 
issued in lieu of a passport, the following travel documents, as described under Section 
8, may be issued in lieu of a passport under the circumstances listed hereunder:
(a) Emergency Travel Document:
(1) A Filipino citizen with urgent travel requirements who, for 
one reason or another, has lost one's passport or whose passport has 
expired or is expiring and cannot be issued a regular passport; and
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(2) A Filipino citizen with emergency travel requirements, who 
has not been issued a regular passport and who, for one reason or 
another, cannot be issued a regular passport.
(b) 
Tra ve! Document Certificate:
(1) 
A Filipino citizen being repatriated to the Philippines;
(2) 
The alien spouse of a Filipino and their dependents who 
have not yet been naturalized as a Filipino and who are traveling to the 
Philippines or is a permanent resident of the Philippines returning from 
traveling abroad; and
(3) 
Aliens permanently residing in the Philippines who are not 
able to obtain a passport or other travel documents from their countries 
of origin.
(c) 
Convention Travel Document which shall be valid for five (5) 
years from the date of issuance, shall be issued to Refugees or Stateless 
persons recognized by the DOJ Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit 
(DOJ-RSPPU) or the appropriate government agency and is likewise a 
permanent resident.
SEC. 17. Loss or Destruction of a Passport. - The loss or destruction of a 
passport shall be immediately reported to the DFA or a Foreign Service Post. The 
holder of such passport shall submit an affidavit stating in detail the circumstances of 
such loss or destruction. As used in this Act, a lost passport is one the whereabouts 
of which are unknown to the applicant despite diligent search, or if known, may not 
be retrieved, recovered and produced by the applicant for reasons beyond the 
applicant's control.
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A holder who subsequently manages to find his lost passport shall turnover the 
same to the Department. If he is not able to do so, he shall submit an Affidavit stating 
the location of the passport and the person or entity in possession thereof.
Should the DFA find that the applicant made false claims or deliberately 
withheld information about the loss of the passport or passports, or intentionally 
destroyed a passport, the applicant shall be held liable under Section 23(b) of this 
Act.
SEC. 18. Fees. - Reasonable fees, as may be determined by the Secretary, 
shall be collected for the processing and issuance of a passport or a travel document: 
Provided, however. That any fee shall not be increased more than once every three 
(3) years.
In the issuance and replacement of passports. Senior citizens and persons with 
disability shall be entitled to a reduced passport application fee up to twenty percent 
(20%) of the prevailing and approved application fees.
SEC. 19. Establishment of an Online Application Porta! and Electronic One-Stop 
Shop. - With the assistance and cooperation of other agencies involved in the 
procurement and issuance of the requirements enumerated in Section 5 of this Act, 
the DFA is mandated to establish and maintain an online application portal and 
Electronic One-Stop Shop readily accessible on its official website to facilitate 
convenience of application and ease in gathering and submission of the requirements.
SEC. 20. Passport Revolving Eund. A portion of the total fees amounting to not 
more than twenty percent (20%) of the gross annual collection shall be retained by 
the Department for the purpose of covering production costs, beyond the allotments 
provided for under the General Appropriations Act of the current fiscal year, and other 
passport-related expenditure deemed appropriate by the Department.
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The service fees received by the DFA under this section shall constitute a 
revolving fund to be called the "Passport Revolving Fund" which may be utilized by 
the DFA primarily for the improvement of its passporting and consular services and 
other DFA services except travel and transportation allowances and expenses.
The use and disbursement of the Passport Revolving Fund shall be subject to 
audit by the Commission on Audit. The Secretary shall submit a report on the collection 
and use of the Passport Revolving Fund to the Senate and the Flouse of 
Representatives semi-annually.
SEC. 21. Waiver. - The Secretary or his duly authorized representative may 
waive any requirement set forth in Section 5 of this Act, as well as the fees for the 
processing or issuance of passports and Travel Documents contained in Section 16 of 
this Act.
SEC. 22. Setting up of Special Lanes. -The DFA shall arrange accommodations 
to expedite the application and renewal of passports for senior citizens, persons with 
disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and 
individuals with emergency and exceptional cases through the creation of special 
lanes. The DFA shall also institute arrangements to expedite the application and 
renewal for regular passports from the months of March to June for Muslim Filipinos 
who are intending pilgrims to the annual hajj pilgrimage in coordination with the 
National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
SEC. 23. Offenses and Penalties. - A passport, being a proclamation of the 
citizenship of a Filipino, is superior to all other official documents and as such, shall 
be accorded the higher respect by its holder. Any act prejudicial to its integrity is a 
grave crime against the security of the State and shall be penalized accordingly:
(a) Offenses relating to issuances; penalties. -(1) A fine of not less than 
One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than Two Hundred Fifty
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Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and 
one (1) day but not more than twelve (12) years shall be imposed to any person who:
(i) 
Acts or claims to act in any capacity or office under the Republic 
of the Philippines without lawful authority, accepts passport applications, 
grants, issues or verifies any passport or travel document to any or for any 
person whomsoever, or is caught selling in whatever capacity passport 
application forms, or lost or stolen passports and travel documents;
(ii) 
Acts or claims to act in any capacity, with the intention to profit 
thereby, intercepts a person proceeding to the DFA or any of its consular offices 
or Foreign Service Posts to apply for a passport, and persuades, entices, 
encourages, or misleads such applicant to course the application through 
another person or agency other than the DFA or its personnel on the pretext 
of facilitating its approval or issuance by the DFA; or
(iii) 
Being neither a diplomatic or consular official, nor an employee 
authorized to grant, issue, or verify any passport or travel document to or for 
any person, and even though not claiming to be such, offers, for any material 
gain or consideration, to escort a passport applicant, or assist the same in 
booking an appointment, filling out an application form, making payments, 
handling application documents, or any other action relating to passport 
application.
(2) A fine of not less than One Flundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but 
not more than Two Flundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) and imprisonment 
of not less than eighteen (18) months and one (1) day but not more than six (6) 
years, and upon conviction perpetual disqualification from holding public office shall 
be imposed to any person who:
(i) Being a diplomatic or consular official authorized to grant, issue, 
or verify passports, knowingly and willfully grants, issues, or verifies any such
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passport to any or for any person not owing allegiance to the Republic of the 
Philippines, whether citizen or not; or
(ii) Being a diplomatic or consular officer, knowingly and willfully 
grants, issues, or certifies to the authenticity of any passport or travel 
document for any person not entitled thereto, or knowingly and willfully issues 
more than one (1) passport to any person except as provided for in this Act.
(b) 
Offenses relating to false statements; penalties. - A fine of not less than 
One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than Two Hundred Fifty 
Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than eighteen (18) 
months and one (1) day but not more than six (6) years shall be imposed to any 
person who willfully and knowingly:
(1) 
Makes any false statement In any application for passport with 
the intent to induce or secure the issuance of a passport under the authority 
of the Philippine government, for any purpose, contrary to this Act or rules and 
regulations prescribed pursuant hereto;
(2) 
Makes any false statement in an Affidavit declaring a passport as 
lost while knowing its actual whereabouts or not exerting diligent effort to 
retrieve, recover, and produce the same; or
(3) 
Uses or attempts to use any passport which was secured In any 
way by reason of any false statement.
(c) 
Offenses relating to forgery; penalties. - Any person who:
(1) Falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates or alters any 
passport or travel document or any supporting document for a passport 
application, with the intent of using the same, shall be punished by a fine of 
not less than Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) but not more
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than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) and imprisonment of not 
less than six (6) years but not more than fifteen (15) years. The possession of 
the documents herein mentioned shall be prima facie evidence of commission 
of the acts enumerated herein and the intent to use the same; or
(2) Willfully or knowingly uses or attempts to use, or furnishes to 
another for use, any such false, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered 
passport or travel document or any passport validly issued which has become 
void by the occurrence of any condition herein prescribed shall be punished by 
a fine of not less than Sixty Thousand Pesos (P60,000.00) but not more than 
One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P150,000.00) and imprisonment of not 
less than six (6) years but not more than fifteen (15) years.
Provided, That forgeries of five or more passports or travel documents, would 
be considered a massive forgery tantamount to national sabotage and shall be 
punished by a fine of not less than Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) 
but not more than One Million Pesos (PI,000,000.00) and imprisonment of not less 
than seven (7) years but not more than seventeen (17) years.
(d) Offenses relating to improper use of passports and travel documents; 
penalties. - A fine of not less than Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) 
but not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) and imprisonment of 
not less than six (6) years but not more than twelve (12) years shall be imposed upon 
any person who willfully and knowingly:
(1) 
Uses or attempts to use any passport Issued or designed for the 
use of another or any supporting document for a passport application which 
belongs to another;
(2) 
Uses or attempts to use any passport or supporting document in 
violation of the conditions or restrictions therein contained, or of the rules 
prescribed pursuant thereto; or
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(3) 
Furnishes, disposes, or delivers a passport to a person other than 
to the one whose name and for whose use the passport was issued, except 
when the applicant is a minor, a senior citizen, or physically or mentally 
incapacitated and the passport is released to the parent, guardian, or 
immediate relative: Provided, That in case of any emergency and for 
humanitarian reasons, at the discretion of the head of the Office of Consular 
Affairs or the head of the Foreign Service Post, the passport may be released 
to a third party upon the submission of a written authorization from the 
applicant;
(4) 
Defaces or destroys a Philippine passport; or
(5) 
Sells, trades, pawns, mortgages, or uses an issued passport or 
travel document as a collateral to secure debt, or in any manner uses such 
passport or travel document as current or object of commerce; Provided, That 
In such situation, the buyer, trader, creditor, or mortgagee shall also be liable 
to the same extent as the passport/travel document holder.
(e) 
Offenses relating to multiple possession of passports; penalties. - No 
person or individual may hold more than one (1) valid passport, except as provided 
for in Section 8 hereof, and any individual who possesses more than one (1) unexpired 
passport shall, for every unexpired passport found in the individual's possession, be 
punished by a fine of not less than One Flundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but 
not more than One Flundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P150,000.00) and imprisonment 
of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day but not more than twelve (12) years: 
Provided, That the maximum fine and imprisonment shall be imposed by the court for 
any attempt to use or the actual use of an unexpired passport which is not in the 
name of the user.
(f) 
Offenses relating to forgery of visas and entry documents; penalties. - 
A fine of not less than Two Flundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) but not more
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than One Million Pesos (PI,000,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than seven (7) 
years but not more than seventeen (17) years shall be imposed upon any person who:
(1) 
Knowingly forges, counterfeits, alters, or falsely makes any 
immigrant or non-immigrant visa, permit, border crossing card, alien 
registration card, or other document prescribed by statute or regulation for 
entry into, or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in, the Philippines 
or elsewhere with the intent of using the same;
(2) 
Knowingly uses, attempts to use, possesses, obtains, or receives 
any such visa, permit, border crossing card, alien registration card, or other 
document prescribed by statute or regulation for entry into, or as evidence of 
authorized stay or employment in, the Philippines or elsewhere, knowing it to 
be forged, counterfeited, altered, or falsely made, or to have been procured by 
means of any false claim or statement, or to have been procured by means of 
any false claim or statement, to have been otherwise procured by fraud or 
unlawfully obtained: Provided, That the use of forged, counterfeited, altered or 
falsely made visa, permit, border crossing card, alien registration card, or any 
entry document shall be prima facie evidence of knowledge of its forgery, 
counterfeiting, alteration, or falsity; or
(3) 
Knowingly possesses any blank permit or engraves, sells, brings 
into the Philippines, or has the control or possession in any plate in the likeness 
of a plate designed for the printing of permits, or makes any print, photograph, 
or impression in the likeness of any immigrant or non-immigrant visa, permit, 
or other document required for entry into the Philippines or elsewhere, or is in 
possession of the distinctive paper which has been adopted by the DFA for the 
printing of such visas, permits, or other documents: Provided, That the person 
who forges, counterfeits, alters, or falsifies any immigrant or non-immigrant 
visa, permit, border crossing card, alien registration card, or other entry 
document shall be punished by a fine of not less than Two Hundred Fifty 
Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00) but not more than One Million Pesos
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(Pl/000/000.00) and imprisonment of not less than seven (7) years, but not
more than seventeen (17) years for each visa or entry document.
(g) Offenses relating to illegal withholding of passport; penalties. - Any 
person who confiscates, retains, or withholds, without any legal authority, any valid 
passport issued by the DFA shall be guilty of the crime of illegal withholding of 
passport: Provided, That the act of withholding or denying passports or travel 
documents from applicant workers before departure, for monetary or financial 
considerations, or for any other reasons, and other rules under the existing rules and 
regulations of the DFA, or a court of law, other than those authorized under the Labor 
Code and its Implementing rules and regulations, shall continue to be considered as 
"illegal recruitment" and be penalized as such crime under Section 6(k) and Section 
7, respectively, of Republic Act No. 8042, otherwise known as the "Migrant Workers 
and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995", as amended.
Any person found guilty of the crime of Illegal Withholding of Passport shall 
suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day but 
not more than twelve (12) years, and shall pay a fine of not less than One Million 
Pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more than Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000.00).
If the offender is a public official, in addition to the prescribed penalties, the 
offender shall be dismissed from service and shall suffer perpetual absolute 
disqualification to hold office.
If the offender is a corporation, partnership, association, or any juridical 
person, then the penalty shall be imposed upon the president, partner, manager, 
and/or any responsible officer of the organization who directly participated in the 
commission of the violation of this Act and allowed its perpetuation and continuance: 
Provided, That in every case, the criminal conviction of the liable officer/s shall cause 
and carry the automatic revocation of the business license and/or special certificate 
of accreditation or certificate of registration of corporation, partnership, association, 
or juridical person: Provided, further. That these entities and their officers who are
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criminally held liable for the violation of this Act shall not be allowed to operate similar 
establishments under different names. If the offender is an alien in the Philippine 
territory, in addition to the penalties above, the alien shall be deported after serving 
the sentence and be permanently barred from entering the country.
(h) 
Offenses pertaining to unfair and discriminatory practices. - Any 
violation of Section 6 of this Act will warrant the following penalties and liabilities:
(1) 
First Offense: Administrative liability with six (6) months 
suspension;
(2) 
Second Offense: Administrative liability and criminal liability of 
dismissal from service, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and 
forfeiture of retirement benefits and imprisonment of one (1) year to six (6) 
years with a fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) 
but not more than Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P250,000.00).
(i) 
The penalties provided for under this Section shall be imposed in their 
maximum when the offenses are committed by a syndicate or on a large scale.
(j) 
In case any of these offenses prohibited in this Act constitutes a violation 
of the Revised Penal Code and the penalty imposed therein is higher than that 
provided in this Act, the penalty prescribed in this Act shall be imposed.
SEC. 24. Implementing Ruies and Regulations. -The Secretary shall issue the 
rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of, and carry out the 
policy set forth in, this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act.
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SEC. 25. Repealing Cause. - Republic Act No. 8239, otherwise known as the
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"Philippine Passport Act of 1996", is hereby repealed. All other laws, acts, presidential
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decrees, executive orders, issuances, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations
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or parts thereof, which are contrary to and inconsistent with any provision of this Act,
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are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 26. Separability Cause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
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unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall
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remain in force and effect.
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SEC. 27. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately following the
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completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of
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general circulation.
Approved,
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