A valid passport is a must for international travel, regardless of where we may be in the world. As Filipino nationals, it is our responsibility to make sure that our Philippine passports are renewed regularly, especially if we want to keep on living and working here in Oman.
ALSO READ: How to Apply for a Residence Visa in Oman
The Philippine passport serves as a Filipino citizen’s travel document as well as primary identification. It is issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and select Philippine diplomatic missions overseas. For adults, the Philippine passport is valid for 10 years, while for minors, it is valid for 5 years from the date of issue.
Applying for a New Passport in Oman
Did you know? The Philippines has established diplomatic relations with the Sultanate of Oman since October 1980. Back then, the Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh was recognized as the country’s “non-resident” Ambassador to Muscat. There were only about 1,000 to 2,000 Filipinos living in Oman at that time.
Towards the late 1980s, and continuing into the 1990s, the Filipino population in Oman increased significantly. Hence, the Philippine Embassy in Muscat was established, offering various services to the Pinoy community. Notably, the current Philippine Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman is H.E. Imelda M. Panolong.
Typically, a passport must be valid for at least 6 months before the date of travel. However, due to the long turnaround time (about 2 months) and the fact that your new passport will be coming from Manila, it is advised that you renew your current passport at least 8-9 months before it expires. This will account for any possible delays in processing and bringing your new passport to Oman.
Before anything else, be sure to have all the requirements ready. Here is a list of the documents and fees you need to prepare when renewing your Philippine passport:
Requirements and Fees
1. Online Appointment
All passport applicants, including minors, must have an online appointment before going to the Philippine Embassy. Go to the Consular Appointment System to set your appointment. Upon submitting your information, you will receive an email confirmation regarding your appointment. Don’t forget to download and print all the forms and documents, and bring them to the Embassy on your scheduled date of appointment.
2. Personal Appearance
Personal appearance is required, for adults as well as minor applicants. This is because the biometrics (e.g. photo, fingerprints) must be captured live.
3. Duly Accomplished Application Form
As mentioned earlier, a printout of your duly accomplished application form is required. To download the Passport Renewal Application Form, please visit this link for adult applicants or this link for minor applicants. Application forms for minors (17 years old and below) must be accomplished by the parent or guardian.
4. Original Passport and Photocopy of its Data Page
You need to bring your original current passport, as well as a photocopy of its data page. This is the page where your photo and personal information are displayed.
5. Passport Renewal Fee
The fee for renewing your passport is OMR 24. This must be paid in cash only, at the Embassy.
Additional Requirements
Additional requirements must be prepared for certain cases, as follows:
1. For Minor Applicants (17 years old and below)
- Copy of Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
- Copy of Parents’ Passport Data Pages
- Accompaniment by at least one Parent or Legal Guardian
2. For a Married Woman who will use her Husband’s Surname
- If married in the Philippines – Copy of Marriage Certificate issued by the PSA and apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
- If recently married abroad – Copy of Report of Marriage issued by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate where the marriage was registered (in lieu of PSA-issued Marriage Certificate)
3. For a Married Woman who wants to revert to using her Maiden Surname:
- If widowed – Copy of the PSA-issued Death Certificate of the deceased husband, apostilled by the DFA
- If marriage was annulled in the Philippines – PSA-issued Marriage Certificate with annotation on the dissolution of marriage, apostilled by the DFA; or Report of Marriage with annotation on the dissolution of marriage.
- If divorced or if the marriage was nullified in Oman – Copy of the Divorce or Nullification Decree with English translation, apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
- If divorced or if the marriage was nullified in another country – Copy of the Divorce or Nullification Decree with English translation (if applicable), apostilled by the Foreign Affairs office of the country where the divorce or nullification of marriage took place
On the date of your appointment, submit all of the above requirements to the Philippine Embassy. Upon assessment and approval of your application, your new passport will be processed within 8 weeks. You will receive an SMS notification from the Embassy as soon as your passport is ready for release. To collect your new passport, you don’t need to book an appointment.
If you need to “follow up” your new passport, you may send an email to the Philippine Embassy’s Consular Section after 7 weeks have passed since your application. You can send a message entitled “Update on Passport Release” to muscatpe@omantel.net.om, copy furnished to muscatpeconsular@yahoo.com. In your message, don’t forget to include your full name, contact number, and the date of your application.
Additional Reminders:
- To claim your new passport, please bring your official receipt and old passport.
- Passports will be released only to the applicant or to his/her representative, provided that the latter presents an authorization letter with a photocopy of the applicant’s ID or old passport, along with the original old passport (which will be cancelled).
- Passports of minors (17 years old and below) may be claimed by the parent or legal guardian who submitted and signed the application.
- There is no “expedite” process for Philippine Foreign Service posts, since all Philippine passports are printed in Manila. This means that you cannot request the Embassy for the processing time to be shortened. Nonetheless, while your new passport is being made, you can still use your current passport if it is still valid — for identification, employment, travel, or other purposes.
Video: Filipina Talks About How to Renew PH Passport in Oman
If you are a Filipino who is living and working in Oman, then you’re probably wondering about how to renew your passport here. Fortunately, we found this video shared by an OFW based in the Sultanate. Through her YouTube channel, Rovelyn Rafols talks about how she was able to renew her passport:
Frequently Asked Questions
Meanwhile, here are some commonly asked questions — and answers — about the services at the Philippine Embassy in Muscat:
1. I lost my passport. How can I replace it?
If you lost your passport, be sure to prepare the following requirements so you can have it replaced:
- Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and Apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA);
- Photocopy of the data page of your lost passport (if available);
- Photocopy of your resident card (front and back);
- Police report with English translation;
- Newspaper publication about the lost passport;
- Affidavit of Loss describing the circumstances in relation to the lost passport, with additional fee of OMR 10.000; and
- Additional penalty fee of OMR 36.000.
NOTE: Payments for the fees must be made in cash only.
2. My passport is expiring in less than six (6) months, but I need to travel immediately. Can I request for an extension of validity?
Extension of passport validity is possible, but only for very specific cases. Passports that are valid for less than six (6) months may be extended once, based on the following cases:
- Death in the family, where the OFW and his/her dependents need to travel urgently to the Philippines;
- Medical emergencies, where the OFW and his/her dependents need to travel urgently for medical treatment in the Philippines or in another country;
- OFWs who are returning to their employers abroad and have valid job contracts processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) or any Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO); or
- OFWs who are going home and have final exit visas.
NOTE: In these cases, please present the necessary documents (e.g. death certificate, medical certificate, job contract) as proof of urgency. You will also need to present plane tickets with confirmed flight details.
3. Aside from passport services, what other services are provided by the Philippine Embassy?
In addition to passport services, the Embassy also provides the following services for Filipinos:
- NBI Clearance;
- Civil Registration (e.g. Report of Marriage, Report of Birth, Civil Wedding);
- Legalization of Documents (e.g. Authentication, Notarial and Certification); and
- Assistance to Nationals (e.g. assistance in criminal/trafficking/immigration cases, repatriation, verification on whereabouts and condition, legal services for detained/convicted Filipinos).
Opening Hours
In accordance with the Philippine Embassy’s PR-36-2020, the Embassy is partially open on weekdays, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Contact Information
Embassy of the Philippines in Muscat, Oman
Address: Bldg. No. 1041 / 1043, Way No. 3015, Al Kharijiya Street, Shatti Al Qurum, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Telephone Number.: (+968) 2460-5335, 2460-5140, 2460-5143
Email: muscatpe@omantel.net.om and muscat.pe@dfa.gov.ph.
Website: https://muscatpe.dfa.gov.ph/
Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/PHLinOman/
Google Map Location
In case you are wondering where the Philippine Embassy in Oman is located, below is a map guide for you:
DISCLAIMER: The above guide is presented for general, information-sharing purposes only. The learn more about the requirements, fees, and procedures for renewing your Philippine passport, please visit the official website of the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, Oman.
We certainly hope that you find this article useful! Again, keep in mind that your Philippine passport should be valid and renewed regularly, especially if you are planning to travel soon. Meanwhile, if you need to have some of your documents (e.g. Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, etc.) authenticated, here is a guide on how to authenticate your documents in Oman.