Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The right to travel is stipulated under Section 6, Article III of the 1987 Constitution. This 
entails that the State must ensure an enabling policy environment for the mobility of 
its citizens while taking into consideration concerns on national security, public safety, 
and public health, among others. With the recent development on the use of 
information and communications technology in government transactions and 
international standards on civil aviation, it is imperative for the State to align its policies 
to comply with its international commitment and make its services more efficient. 
Taking these into consideration, this bill aims to repeal Republic Act No. 8239, also 
known as the Philippine Passport Act of 1996 and provide for a new passport law in 
the country. This bill also seeks to guarantee our compliance with international 
standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the 
harmonization of our domestic laws with international agreements. This bill also 
simplifies the issuance and processing of passports and provided for a new type of 
passport called Emergency Passport.  
Further, this measure proposes the issuance of different types of travel documents for 
individuals categorized as stateless, refugees, or granted with asylum. Senior citizens 
and persons with disabilities will also enjoy a 50-percent discount for the processing 
and replacement of their passports. This is on top of providing them with courtesy 
lanes and exemption from setting of passport appointment.  
In addition, this bill provides a 10-year validity period on regular passports and a 5-
year validity period for individuals under eighteen (18) years old. This proposed 
measure also enumerates the types of passports, required its database, and provides 
for its corresponding processing fees. The bill also establishes the Passport Revolving 
August 23, 2022
2:00 pm
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Fund (PRF) that is constituted from the collected service fees. The PRF will be used 
for the improvement of passporting, consular services, and other services offered by 
the Department of Foreign Affairs. Lastly, the bill has provided set of penalties for any 
violation committed.  
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 


3
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
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 Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “New Philippine Passport 
Act.” 
SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. — The people's constitutional right to travel is 
inviolable. Accordingly, the government has the duty to issue passports or any travel 
document 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 travel documents. 
SECTION 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;
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(b)  Biographic data refers to an individual's full name, birthdate, birth place, and sex 
as recorded in the certificate of live birth or report of birth;  
(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 of the Department of Foreign Affairs 
(DFA) Office of Consular Affairs located in the Philippines where passport and 
consular services are provided; 
(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)  Fugitives from justice refer to those who flee after conviction to avoid punishment 
and those who, after being charged, flee to avoid prosecution; 
(h)  Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) refer to embassies, missions, consulates general, 
and other foreign service establishments maintained by the DFA; 
(i)  
ICAO refers to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a specialized agency 
of the 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; 
(j)  
ICAO Document 9303 refers to the latest edition of the compendium of ICAO 
technical requirements, standards and recommended practices for the 
production of machine-readable travel documents; 
(k)  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; 
(l)  
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; 
(m)  Machine Readable Travel Document refers to an official document, conforming 
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 


 
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contains mandatory visual data and a separate mandatory data summary in a 
format which is capable of being read by a machine;  
(n)  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; 
(o)  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; 
(p)  Syndicate refers to a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring with one 
another; and 
(q)  Travel Document refers to a form of identification, compliant with current ICAO 
standards, that the Philippine government issues to its citizens or recognized 
residents so they can cross international borders in lieu of a regular passport. 
 
SECTION 4. Authority to Issue, Deny, or Revoke. — Upon the application of any 
qualified Filipino citizen, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, herein after referred to as 
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, verify, deny, or revoke 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, the Secretary 
or any of the authorized consular officials may, after due hearing and in their proper 
discretion, deny issuance of a passport or revoke 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 revocation of a 
passport shall not prevent the issuance of an Emergency Travel Document. 
 
SECTION 5. Requirements for the Issuance of a Passport. — The Secretary, or a 
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; 


 
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(b) 
Proof of citizenship as prescribed by relevant laws regarding the acquisition of 
Philippine citizenship which include, but are not limited to: 
(1)  Birth Certificate or Report of Birth, whichever is applicable, for natural born 
citizens authenticated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA); 
(2)  Naturalization Certificate for Naturalized citizens; 
(3)  Filipino Identification Certificate by Election for those who were born before 
January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, and who elected Philippine 
citizenship upon reaching the age of majority; or 
(4)  Documents issued upon 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; 
(d)  PSA authenticated Marriage Certificate or Report of Marriage, whichever is 
applicable, for a married woman who wishes to use her husband's surname; 
(e)  Duly annotated PSA authenticated Marriage Certificate or Report of Marriage, 
whichever is applicable, of 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, or a judicially-recognized divorce; or Death Certificate or Report of 
Death of the husband; 
(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 
must be presented for this purpose; 
(g)  Written consent of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 
if the applicant is a prospective adoptive child under Republic Act No. 8552, 
otherwise known as the "Domestic Adoption Act of 1998." If the applicant is a 
prospective adoptive child of a non-Filipino citizen, or a relative within the fourth 
civil degree of consanguinity or affinity under Republic Act No. 8043, otherwise 
known as the '"Inter-Country Adoption Act of 1995", the following shall be 
presented: 
1)  
Authenticated birth certificate from the PSA or a foundling certificate from 
the DSWD; 
2)  
Placement Authority issued by the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB); 
and 


 
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3)  
Certification issued by the DSWD; 
(h)  For applicants who are sixty-five (65) years old and above, 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 birth certificate 
or report of birth shall prevail over that appearing in any other public or private 
document: Provided, however, that 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 the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO); 
(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. 
 
SECTION 6. Application. — A person applying for a passport for the first time shall 
be required to appear in person for biometric and biographic data capturing. 
A person exercising parental authority 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 travelling companion of the applicant. The DFA may require other or 
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 implementations 
of this Act: Provided, That, senior citizens who are sixty-five (65) years old and above 
may renew their passports without need of personal appearance. 
 
SECTION 7. Types of Passports. — The Secretary or the authorized consular officer 
may issue the following types of passports; 


 
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(a) 
Diplomatic Passports are issued to persons 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 President of the Senate and Speaker of House of 
Representatives. 
(4)  The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court and the 
Presiding Justice 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, and Foreign Service Officers of all ranks in 
the career diplomatic service, including designated attachés from the DFA 
and agencies of the government; 
(8)  The Secretaries of all the departments of the Executive branch; 
(9)  The Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; 
(10)  The Official delegates to international or regional conferences accorded full 
powers by the President; and 
(11) The spouses and unmarried minor children of the abovementioned officials 
when accompanying or following to join them in an official mission abroad. 
The President of the Philippines or the Secretary may grant diplomatic passports 
to officials and persons other than those enumerated herein who are on official mission 
abroad or are granted full powers by the President; 
 
(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 other members of the Judiciary, and all other government 
officials and employees travelling on official business and official time; 


 
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2.  
Staff officers and employees of the DFA assigned to diplomatic and 
consular posts, and 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): 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: 
 
(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 travelling abroad on 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 Passports, which shall be valid for one (1) year from date of 
issuance, are issued 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. 
 
SECTION 8. Grounds for Denial of Issuance of Passport or Revocation of 
Passport. — A passport application may be denied, or revoked, on the following 
grounds: 
(a)  On orders of the court, to hold the departure of an applicant because of a 
pending criminal case; 


 
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(b)  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; 
(c)  On orders of the court, when the holder is a fugitive from justice; 
(d)  When a passport was acquired fraudulently, tampered with, or issued 
erroneously; 
(e)  When a passport is returned to the DFA by other government agencies or 
entities: Provided, that revocation of the passport will not prevent the holder 
from being issued a new passport: 
(f)  
On written notarized request by the person exercising parental authority over 
a minor applicant or passport holder, Provided, That, if the requesting party is 
not a Filipino, the consent of the Filipino parent is required; 
(g)  When the applicant has been found to have violated any of the provisions of 
this Act; and 
(h)  Such other disqualification under existing laws. 
 
SECTION 9. Passport Databases. — the DFA shall create the following databases: 
(a)  Passport database which shall contain all current and, if available, previous 
passport and travel document records of Philippine citizens, including 
recognized alien residents. 
(b)  Watchlist database which shall contain the names of persons whose passport 
applications have been denied or whose passports were revoked under Sec. 
4, as well as those persons found to have committed, or attempted to commit, 
offenses under Sec. 19 of this Act shall be included into a watchlist database. 
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. 


 
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(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 revoked by the DFA under Sec. 
4 of this Act shall also be included in this database. 
 
SECTION 10. Appeal. — Any person whose passport application was denied or 
revoked shall have the right to appeal to the Secretary, whose decision may be 
reviewed by the appropriate court. 
 
SECTION 11. Validity. — As provided for under Republic Act No. 10928 extending 
the validity of Philippine passports, regular passports issued under this Act shall be 
valid for a period of ten (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 in the national economic interest or political stability of the 
country such restriction is necessary: Provided, finally, That a new passport may be 
issued to replace one which validity has expired, the old passport being returned to 
the holder after cancellation. 
 
SECTION 12. 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 surrendered to any entity 
or person other than the government or its duly authorized representative. 
 
SECTION 13. Names and Titles. — Passports shall contain the full name of the 
applicant, but shall not include any title, profession or job description. 
 
SECTION 14. Other Travel Documents. — The following travel documents may be 
issued in lieu of a passport, under the circumstances listed hereunder: 
(a)  Emergency Travel Document, which shall be valid for one (1) year from date 
of issuance, for: 


 
12
(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; 
(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)  Travel Document Certificate, which shall be valid for thirty (30) days from date 
of issuance, for: 
(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 travelling 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 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. 
 
SECTION 15. 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. 
Should the DFA find that the applicant made false claims or deliberately withheld 
information about the loss of the passport or passports, the applicant shall be held 
liable under Section 19(b) of this Act. 
 
SECTION 16. 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. 


 
13
 
Senior citizens and persons with disability shall be entitled to at least fifty percent 
(50%) discount on the processing, issuance, or replacement of a passport. 
 
SECTION 17. Passport Revolving Fund. — The DFA may charge a service fee of 
not more than fifty percent (50%) of the current fees, as determined in Section of this 
Act for services rendered to applicants relating to the processing or issuance of 
passports requiring special consideration, waiver or issuance beyond regular office 
hours. 
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 House of Representatives semi-
annually. 
 
SECTION 18. Waiver. — The Secretary is solely authorized to waive any requirement 
set forth in Section 5 of this Act, as well as the fees for the processing and issuance 
of passports and travel documents prescribed under Section 16 of this. 
 
SECTION 19. 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 highest 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. – A fine of not less than Fifteen 
thousand pesos (P15,000.00) but not more than Sixty thousand pesos 
(P60,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day but 
not more than twelve (12) be imposed to any person who: 
(1)  Acts or claims to act in any capacity 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 


 
14
whomsoever, or is caught selling in whatever capacity passport application 
forms, or lost or stolen passports and travel documents; or 
(2)  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 
(3)  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. 
 
A fine of not less than Fifteen thousand pesos (P 15,000.00) but not more than 
Sixty thousand pesos (P60,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than six (6) years 
and one (1) day but not more than twelve (12) years, and, upon conviction, perpetual 
disqualified from holding public office shall be imposed to any person who: 
(1)  Being a diplomatic or consular official authorized to grant, issue, or verify 
passports, knowingly and willfully grants, issues, or verifies any such 
passport to any or for any person not owing allegiance to the Republic of 
the Philippines, whether citizen or not; or 
(2)  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 
Fifteen thousand pesos (P 15,000.00) but not more than Sixty thousand pesos 
(P60,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day but 
not more than twelve (12) be imposed to any person who willfully and knowingly: 


 
15
(1)  Makes any false statement in any application 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; or 
(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 
seventy-five thousand pesos (PhpP75,000.00) but not more than One 
hundred fifty thousand pesos (PI 50,000.00) 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 (PI 50,000.00) 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 as massive forgery tantamount to national sabotage and shall be punished 
by a fine of not less than Two hundred and fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) nor 
more than One million pesos (1,000,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than seven 
(7) years nor more than seventeen (17) years. 
 


 
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(d)  Offenses Relating to Improper Use of Passports and Travel Documents; 
Penalties. – A fine of not less than Sixty thousand pesos (P60,000.00) but not 
more than One Hundred fifty thousand pesos (P 150,000.00) and imprisonment 
of not less than six (6) years but not more than fifteen (15) be imposed upon any 
person who willfully and knowingly: 
(1)  Uses or attempts to use any passport issued designed for the use of 
another or any supporting document for a passport application which 
belongs to another; or 
(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 
(3)  Furnishes, disposes, or delivers a passport to any person other than to that 
in whose name and for whose use it 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 an emergency and for humanitarian reasons, 
at the discretion of the head of the Office of Consular Affairs or the head of 
the Consular Section or the Consul General of a Foreign Service Post, the 
passport may be released to a third party upon the submission of a written 
authorization from the applicant; or 
(4)  Defaces or destroys a Philippine passport; or 
(5)  Sells, trades, pawns, mortgages or uses an issued passport or travel 
document as collateral to secure debt, or in any manner uses such passport 
or travel document as currency 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 7 hereof, and any individual who possesses more than one (l) 
unexpired passport shall, for every unexpired passport found in the individual's 
possession, be punished by a fine of not less than Fifteen thousand pesos (PI 
5,000.00) but not more than Sixty thousand pesos (P60,000.00) and 
imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (l) day but not more than 


 
17
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 Fifteen thousand pesos (P15,000.00) but not more than Sixty 
thousand pesos (P60,000.00) and imprisonment of not less than three (3) years 
but not more than ten (10) 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 
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 other 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 
falsely makes any immigrant or non-immigrant visa, permit, border-crossing 
card, alien registration card or other entry document shall be punished by 


 
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a fine of not less than Sixty thousand pesos (Php60,000.00) but not more 
than One hundred fifty thousand pesos (Phpl50,000.00) and imprisonment 
of not less than six (6) years, but not more than fifteen (15) 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, 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 by 
Republic Act No. 10022. 
Any person found guilty of 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 public 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; 
and: Provided further, That these entities and their officers who are 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 prescribed above, 


 
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(h)  The penalties provided for under this Section shall be imposed in their maximum 
when the offenses are committed by a syndicate or in large scale. 
 
(i)  
In case any of the 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. 
 
SECTION 20. Implementing Rules 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. 
 
SECTION 21. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions or parts not affected shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
 
SECTION 22. Repealing Clause. — Republic Act No. 8239, otherwise known as the 
Philippine Passport Act of 1996, is hereby repealed. All other laws, decrees, orders, 
rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with 
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 23. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,