Public Advisory: DFA-TOPS Olongapo to Open on September 1, 2021

PUBLIC ADVISORY: DFA-TOPS OLONGAPO TO OPEN ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

28 August 2021 — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will open a new Temporary Off-Site Passport Service (TOPS) site at SM City Olongapo Downtown in Olongapo City, Zambales on September 1, 2021.

TOPS Olongapo has the following features:

1. 1. Because this TOPS is not configured to handle complicated applications, only straightforward passport renewal applications are accepted – no new/ first-time applications, no renewal which require change/correction of name, no renewal of lost passports.

1. 1. No walk-in applicants will be accepted. All appointments must be booked online via www.passport.gov.ph. The online appointment system (OAS) will open beginning August 28, 2021, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please have your current passport ready when making an appointment.

1. 1. Appointments booked at TOPS Olongapo are non-transferable and cannot be rescheduled. If an applicant wishes to make any changes after obtaining their TOPS appointment, the existing TOPS appointment must first be cancelled. A new appointment can then be booked and paid.

1. 1. Because there is no cashier at this TOPS, all payments must be made during the online appointment booking process. Cards or e-wallets should be readied prior to the registration. Only charges shown during the online booking process are to be paid. No other fee will be paid on-site at TOPS Olongapo, nor should applicants pay extra fees to obtain an appointment.

1. 1. All passports will be released via courier only, therefore, applicants must agree to have their current passport cancelled on-site. Those who do not wish to have their passport cancelled prior to receiving their new passport must not apply at TOPS Olongapo.

1. 1. There is no expedited processing at TOPS Olongapo. Processing time for passports is between 12-15 working days. The delivery of passports via courier will add 3-5 working days to the passport turnaround time.

1. Applicants who booked at TOPS Olongapo who do not meet the requirements of a straightforward passport application and / or who do not agree to its procedures (i.e. cancellation of passport on-site) will not be processed. No request for refund nor change of passport processing site will be entertained.

The opening of TOPS-Olongapo is the start of the DFA’s project to roll-out regional TOPS operations.

At present, there are six (6) TOPS operating in Metro Manila area with a maximum capacity of 500 appointment slots per day. The DFA’s TOPS facilities are limited to accepting passport applications and capturing the applicant’s biographical details. Each TOPS is being supervised by a specific DFA Consular Office (CO) and all backend / needed additional processing are done offsite and any follow-ups are made with the supervising CO.

TOPS Olongapo is under the supervision of the DFA Consular Office in San Fernando, Pampanga; initially, TOPS Olongapo will start with 350 appointment slots daily.

The Department encourages the public to closely pay attention to the processing conditions of TOPS Olongapo, to avoid disappointment and the inconvenience caused by cancelled appointments and unnecessary expenses.

The Department thanks the public for its understanding as the DFA continues to find ways to address the burgeoning public demand for passports while strictly adhering the guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the safety of its applicants and its personnel. END