Passport applicants can now monitor again the status of their passport application from the same web site that they have applied online.
In a tweet, the DFA said passport applicants may now check the status of their passports using “an improved and consolidated passport tracking system.”
Applicants just need to log on to https://tracker.passport.gov.ph or go back to the site where they applied their passport at https://www.passport.gov.ph and then click “Track Your Passport.” It will now be called Unified Passport Tracking System (UPTS).
The DFA had earlier suspended their online tracking system as it discovered a potential data breach inadvertently exposing or compromising the personal information of passport applicants.
“The Passport Tracking System and the Pending Applications Tracker can no longer be accessed and used to verify the status of passport applications,” DFA said.
Under the new UPTS, applicants only need to input their application reference number of their full name to be able to get an update.
Meanwhile, the DFA also opened three new passport sites at the three malls in Metro Manila and Batangas to handle “simple renewals” only to “ensure faster turnover of passport applicants per day.”
The new passport application sites are in Robinson’s Novaliches in Quezon City, Robinson’s Lipa in Batangas and SM Manila.
Processing of “more complicated transactions” such as new or lost passport applications and those that require changes in the holder’s personal details will be handled by the supervising consular offices of these three new sites.
“In keeping with the instructions of Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. to increase the number of appointment slots available to the public, DFA-OCA (Office of Consular Affairs) tweaked the design of these and succeeding TOPS (temporary off-site passport services) to put a premium on the speed of transaction, as only by ensuring a faster turn-around time per applicant can we have increased capacity per day,” Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Senen Mangalile explained.
Mangalile led the launching of the sites accompanied by the Supervising Heads of Consular Office (CO) Emmanuel Arbado of CO NCR North, Ramon Nerida of CO NCR West, and Jose Christian Palillo of CO Lipa.
Appointments to any of these TOPS sites may be booked only at www.passport.gov.ph.
Assistant Secretary Mangalile reminded applicants who wish to apply to that these new TOPS that only those who are renewing their passports without complication such as error correction, lost passport, etc. will be accommodated.