Passport applicants advised to keep application receipts

FOR HASSLE-FREE RELEASE


For a speedy and hassle-free release of their passports with 10-year validity, Filipinos in Dubai and the Northern Emirates were advised to keep the receipts of their passport appointments and those of their relatives' applications.
Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes gave the advice during a press conference on Tuesday, according to a report on Gulf Today.
He also said applicants  who could not make it to their passport appointments were reminded to notify the Philippine Consulate General-Dubai in Al Qusais five days prior to their scheduled date.
Applicants were also reminded that an express lane exists for household service workers, minors, those with medical emergencies, and death in the family.
Records of the Consulate indicated that the number of passports it processed increased from 68,892 in 2016 to 71,566 in 2017. In the same year, about 69,929 new passports were issued to Filipinos residing in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
More vacancies may be opened at the PCGDXB-Consular Section to increase the 350 passport applications and renewals processed daily at the diplomatic mission.
According to data from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, there are 618,726 Filipinos across the seven emirates.
Of these, 347,210 are in Dubai, 197,040 are in Abu Dhabi, 38,311 in Sharjah, 14,714 in Ras Al Khaimah, 9,724 in Fujeirah, 8,805 in Ajman, and 2,922 in Umm Al Quwain.
About 200,000 tourist visas were issued to Filipinos by the Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing in 2016. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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