How To Get To The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA - OCA) Aseana Business Park?

The Office of Consular Affairs is responsible for the issuing of passports to Filipino Citizens. Before this office can be found in the DFA compound along Roxas Boulevard and Libertad Street. Around March of 2010, the Department of Foreign Affairs transferred the office to a new location in Aseana Business Park which is along Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard corner Bradco Avenue is Brgy Tambo, Paranaque City. This four-storey building hosts the Authentication and Passport Services (both new application and renewal) functions.

For those who are used to going to the DFA building along Roxas Boulevard, this would seem to be a drastic change in practice, especially if there is a need to renew passports in a month or two. But there are reasons for transferring locations. One is for modernization and another for streamlining the procedures - particularly fending off fixers. Machine-readable passports (MRP) are no longer issued by DFA; they are now issuing biometric/e-passports.

Some tips in getting your passport:

1. The DFA highly recommends that you set an appointment online (http://passport.com.ph/set-appointment) or via telephone (737-1000) before going there. Unlike the old process in the DFA building in Roxas Blvd, the new process does not accept walk-ins.
2. Make sure to have read all the instructions online (http://passport.com.ph/what-to-expect) and asked all the importan questions when setting an appointment on the phone. Some things to make sure are requirements (e.g., what forms to fill up, are photos still needed, etc).
3. Before traveling, make sure that your passports are still valid for six months. The Bureau of Immigration would stop you either during exit from here or entry abroad if they find the validity of your passports insufficient (usually "less than six months")
4. DFA Hotline is +632-834-4000. If you have questions, dial in this number.
5. Inside the DFA, signs may not be present on where you need to go - don't be afraid to ask the guards around.
6. No need to bring photos as the e-passport requires one to be physically present to take their pictures onsite; so, take note that you should bring your kids since they have to be there.
7. If there's a very urgent need, some people's advice is to prepare a letter explaining the need and go directly to Passport Division. This, of course, is not guaranteed, provided that there would be a lot of applicants with the same case as well.

Passport fees:
- Regular Processing: Php 950.00 (20 working days)
- Rush Processing: Php 1,200.00 (10 working days)
- An additional fee of Php 200.00 will be charged for processing of Lost Passports if it is still valid.

Directions on how to commute/travel to DFA-Office of Consular Affairs:

*Remember to take note that the DFA Office's main landmark streets are  Bradco Street, Diosdado Macapagal, and Roxas Boulevard. Nearest LRT 1 and MRT Station is EDSA-Taft Avenue Station. Jeepney rides from Baclaran LRT Station is also practical.

From the CaMaNaVa* (north of Manila) area:
*CaMaNaVa stands for Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela

Option 1. From Monumento, there are buses plying along EDSA that have signboards saying MIA-611 Tambo. This bus route will surely be passing by DFA building in Macapagal Boulevard.

Option 2. From Monumento, ride a jeepney along Rizal Avenue bound for Taft Avenue and asked to be dropped at EDSA. There are buses plying along EDSA that have signboards saying MIA-611 Tambo. This bus route will surely be passing by DFA building in Macapagal Blvd.

Option 3. From Monumento, take an LRT 1 Yellow Line going to EDSA-Taft Station and look for buses bound for MIA-611 Tambo.

From around Manila:

Option 1. Ride a jeepney along Rizal Avenue bound for Taft Avenue and asked to be dropped at EDSA. There are buses plying along EDSA that have signboards saying MIA-611 Tambo. This bus route will surely be passing by DFA building in Macapagal Blvd.

Option 2. Take an LRT 1 Yellow Line going to EDSA-Taft Station and look for buses bound for MIA-611 Tambo.

Option 3. From Lawton/City Hall area, ride a jeepney going to Baclaran and asked to be dropped Bradco Street. This is the street of DFA-OCA building. Walk some 500 ms. (around 5-10 mins walk).

Option 4. Along Roxas Boulevard or from Lawton/Manila City Hall, there are FX that are taking the route of Sucat-Lawton. You can ride this and asked to be dropped at Bradco Street. This is the street of DFA. Walk some 500 ms. (around 5-10 mins walk).

From Quezon City and Marikina:

Option 1. Take the LRT2 Purple Line and go down at Recto Station. From here, transfer to Doroteo Jose Station of LRT 1 Yellow Line and ride an LRT bound for EDSA-LRT station; there are buses that have signboards saying MIA-611 Tambo. This bus route will surely be passing by DFA building in Macapagal Blvd.

Option 2. From Cubao, you can ride a jeepney/FX that is bound for Quiapo and ask to be dropped at Rizal Avenue. Ride an LRT 1 bound for EDSA-LRT station via Doroteo Jose Station.  There are buses that have signboards saying MIA-611 Tambo. This bus route will surely be passing by DFA building in Macapagal Blvd.

Option 3. From EDSA, there are buses that have signboards saying MIA-611 Tambo. This bus route will surely be passing by DFA building in Macapagal Blvd.

Areas by the east side of Metro Manila (i.e. Pasig, Mandaluyong, Pateros etc):

Option 1. You can ride an MRT southbound to EDSA-Taft Station and and look for buses bound for MIA-611 Tambo. This will pass by DFA.

Option 2. From EDSA, there are buses that have signboards saying MIA-611 Tambo. This bus route will surely be passing by DFA building in Macapagal Blvd.

Option 3. You can ride an MRT southbound to EDSA-Taft Station and from there ride a jeep or bus going to SM Mall of Asia. There is a jeepney terminal where you can ride a Baclaran/Macapagal Blvd bound jeepney that will pass by DFA.

From the south (Pasay, Makati, Paranaque and more southern area):

Option 1. From SM Mall of Asia, there is a jeepney terminal where you can ride a Baclaran/Macapagal Blvd bound jeepney that will pass by DFA.

Option 2. Ride an FX or bus bound for Manila City Hall or Lawton that passes through Roxas Boulevard and get down at Bradco Street, which is the street of DFA. You might need to use the footbridge.

Option 3. Along Roxas Boulevard, there are FX that are Sucat-Lawton. You can ride this and asked to be dropped at Bradco Street, which is the street of DFA. You might need to use the footbridge.

For private vehicles, the DFA-OCA building is accessible via Diosdado Macapagal Blvd. From EDSA (MOA-bound), turn left upon reaching the corner of Diosdado Macapagal Blvd. The building is located on the left side and is beside a Petron Gas Station. Parking is no problem said those who brought their cars onsite.

Of course, you can ride a taxicab from any point in the metro and just mention to the driver to drop you off at "DFA sa Macapagal Blvd" or "Aseana Business Center Macapagal Blvd".

Here's a map around DFA-OCA via Google Maps:

Landmarks around DFA-OCA are: Petron Gas Station, McDonald's, S&R, Michelin, Shell Gas Station, Aseana Powerstation, SM Mall of Asia, Shrine of Jesus the Way Church

*photo from accessibletourism.info

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