HELP! My Passport got mutilated!

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I have an upcoming overseas travel this November and I was so excited. Everything was already planned including hotel and park tickets. Then, upon checking of the most important thing - passport, I've just found out that it's damaged! And the title was literally what I said that time.

The first page of my passport (information page, the one that is laminated and has your photo) was folded. I have tried straightening it up but the paper has lamination and can't be just fixed in simple ways.

Yellow lanes shows visual illustration of where my passport got folded

Mutilated or damaged passports are those that are in not good condition such as pages are torn(punit), bend/folded (tupi), has water damaged (nabasa), eaten by their dog, vandalized (may sulat), missing or tampered pages or the worst - hard cover was detached from the pages and especially if the chips embedded are no more readable by the machine (this we can’t physically check though)

Panic runs down me. First thing I did was to secure a passport appointment. Luckily, I got a schedule with an allowance of 19 working days before my trip. Regular processing will take 15 working days and 7 working days for rush. Of course, rush processing has additional charge.

PASSPORT PAYMENT AMOUNTS

Regular passport: 950 pesos

Express Processing: +250 pesos

Total for rush = 1200 pesos

As anxiety adds up on the next days, I read forums and news about the releasing dates and renewal since it's my last Alas. My hope of travelling on the next month was slowly deteriorating as I read "hate tweets" about their passport, despite of processing rush, are still delayed leading to their work and travel plans postponed.

I thought on several plans and ideas such as validating my passport in DFA and immigration hoping for some assurance that I can still use it.

So here are the things I did:

• I called the DFA support. They said that any form of damaged is considered as mutilated and suggests to have it renewed.
• On the following day, I called again. The agent suggests to have it checked by immigration as they have the last say about it. Though DFA will consider the passport, the immigration will still be the one to decide if they will allow you or not.
• Next day, I went to NAIA 3 hoping that I can talk with someone from the immigration. From the airport, I went directly to the information counter and the personnel happily assisted me. She called the immigration office via phone and had someone talked to me regarding my issue. Unfortunately, the immigration officer endorse me to the main branch in Intramuros cause I'm not allowed to go inside the immigration office in the airport since they only allowed someone with flight ticket. I also went to the check-in counter of the plane operator of my flight hoping that they have a reader to validate my passport. Unfortunately, they didn’t entertain me.
• I also went to DFA Aseana office hoping that I can get some sort of certification proving that my passport is still ok. But the information personnel said that it's already mutilated.
• So my last option is to have it renewed.

Requirements for mutilated passport are as follow:

• Printed application form from the online schedule
• Affidavit of Mutilation. You can get this at any notary public. I got mine for 200 pesos - 2 copies.
• Original and photocopy of any Government ID. If you have no government id you can check the complete list of valid ID from DFA site.
• Original and photocopy of your passport. Photocopy the front and back page (passport owner information page and the 'in case of accident' info page)
• Mutilated passport can only be renewed at DFA Aseana Branch. Satellite offices only process New Application and expired passport renewal.

Renewal of mutilated passport is as easy as getting a new one. But an interview will be done as an extra step.

During the interview the consul said that mine is not mutilated because the machine can still read. I have options to still use it but I need to go to immigration Intramuros main branch to validate since - again - they are the last say. The second option is to have it renewed but they will tag it as early renewal. If for instance I apply again for early renewal, they may refuse to process it for the second time. I have it renewed and process it rush for 7 days.

For process on how to get a Passport Renewal, please visit my other post: DFA Passport Renewal

I'll keep you posted once I got my passport and if it's indeed 7 days processing!

Update: Yes I've got my passport after 7 days rush processing. Though mind that you need to wait (in my case 30mins) and fall in line again. But its better than getting it next days right?