Tips on Reporting Marriage & Renewing Passport at the same time in the US

[mkatt8 0]

After having read a lot of reviews (more of complaints, actually) regarding dealing with the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, I pretty much thought we came prepared. Yesterday, we went to the Philippine Consulate in LA and arrived at 11 am. We parked behind the building across the street and we paid $14 when we got done at 3:00 pm. We went inside and got in the elevator. The Consulate is located at the 5th Floor. Just down the hallway, we had our Philippine Passport Size photos taken and we also had another different set of photos taken for the Report of Marriage. The photos came out pretty fast. We now headed down the hallway with everything in hand.

As you enter the Consulate, you have to show your papers to the person sitted behind the desk beside the entance door.If everything is in order, then you will be given a number.

You would have to do the Report of Marriage FIRST. Give all the necessary papers to the Civil Registry booth and then if everything's okay, you need to go to the Cashiers booth to pay $31. Then go back to the Civil Registry and show him the receipt. He will then give you a set of papers that you need to hand over when your number is called to Renew your passport.

4 hours later our numbers were called. My son first then myself. Just hand over the requirements and also the set of papers that the Civil Registry gave you so that your new passport will reflect your new married name. Sign and do the thumb printing. Now, you have to go and pay the fee to the Cashier. It's $50 plus $6 for priority mail. Because I definitely, do not want to go back there anymore and pick it up. Your choice though. You can pick it up or have your passport mailed to you. We were out of there 15-20 minutes from the time our numbers were called.

TIPS:

1) Try NOT TO GO on a Monday. There were a LOT of people yesterday. They said Wednesdays & Thursday are really quiet. Be there as soon as they open.

2) Park behind at their own buliding lot. You can have your parking ticket validated at the Releasing counter of the Philippine Consulate and ONLY pay $3 even if you're parked the whole day. NEVER park in front. Yes, it is metered parking but I heard a lot gets towed at the strike of 4 pm.

3) For Report of Marriage - Make 5 (FIVE) photo copies of Marriage Contract, 5 (FIVE) photo copies of bride & grooms Birth Certificate and passport data page.

I only made 4 photo copies because that's what I read on their website. The extra copy was the "set of papers" that the Civil Registry gave me to be handed to the person in charge for renewing your passport.Not to worry, down the hall where I got my pictures taken, he has a photo copier as well so, everything is pretty much there on the 5th floor ( except for snacks!). The rest of the requirements you can get at their website. Just take not of the revisions I just mentioned.

4) Get your number first and THEN have your photos taken.

4) Have your photos taken there, It's $7 for 4 Philippine Passport Size photos and $2 -3 for 2 photos with white background for the Report of Marriage. (You'll be needing 4 photos for each groom & bride) and 25 cents for 1 photo copy. Make sure you go to the right one because there is another photo shop on the 5th floor that charges more. The cheap photo shop office is located on the same side of the Mens comfort room. Sorry, I forget to get the room number.

A lot of Filipinos complained because the Consulate were very strict with the photo requirement. They had theirs done at Walgreens, CVS, Costco and other professional photo shops only to be rejected. Money down the drain. So save yourself the hassle and money and just have your picture taken there. It's real quick. Less than 5 minutes and it's done. Make sure you wear a top with a collar. Bangs away from your face and ears showing.

5) The Consulate observes Lunch Break from 12-1 pm. You can wait inside while they take their lunch. There a seats inside.

6) Bring some snack & drinks but be discrete about it. Supposedly it's not allowed but some still brought stuff in because no one is there to check, most specially during lunch break. There is also a kiosk on the 1st floor where you can buy drinks & snacks.

7) Bring whatever to pass the time away. Electronics are allowed.

8) If you ARE still in the Phillipines, it is MUCH, MUCH better to renew your passport there.

9) Other Philippine Consulates in the US have different requirements. This post is intended only for those who are doing their Report of Marriage AND Renewal of Passport in Los Angeles.

I hope this helps!

CHEERS!!!

Edited March 23, 2010 by mkatt8

[John&Juvy 36]

[rheanick 42]

After having read a lot of reviews (more of complaints, actually) regarding dealing with the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, I pretty much thought we came prepared. Yesterday, we went to the Philippine Consulate in LA and arrived at 11 am. We parked behind the building across the street and we paid $14 when we got done at 3:00 pm. We went inside and got in the elevator. The Consulate is located at the 5th Floor. Just down the hallway, we had our Philippine Passport Size photos taken and we also had another different set of photos taken for the Report of Marriage. The photos came out pretty fast. We now headed down the hallway with everything in hand.

As you enter the Consulate, you have to show your papers to the person sitted behind the desk beside the entance door.If everything is in order, then you will be given a number.

You would have to do the Report of Marriage FIRST. Give all the necessary papers to the Civil Registry booth and then if everything's okay, you need to go to the Cashiers booth to pay $31. Then go back to the Civil Registry and show him the receipt. He will then give you a set of papers that you need to hand over when your number is called to Renew your passport.

4 hours later our numbers were called. My son first then myself. Just hand over the requirements and also the set of papers that the Civil Registry gave you so that your new passport will reflect your new married name. Sign and do the thumb printing. Now, you have to go and pay the fee to the Cashier. It's $50 plus $6 for priority mail. Because I definitely, do not want to go back there anymore and pick it up. Your choice though. You can pick it up or have your passport mailed to you. We were out of there 15-20 minutes from the time our numbers were called.

TIPS:

1) Try NOT TO GO on a Monday. There were a LOT of people yesterday. They said Wednesdays & Thursday are really quiet. Be there as soon as they open.

2) Park behind at their own buliding lot. You can have your parking ticket validated at the Releasing counter of the Philippine Consulate and ONLY pay $3 even if you're parked the whole day. NEVER park in front. Yes, it is metered parking but I heard a lot gets towed at the strike of 4 pm.

3) For Report of Marriage - Make 5 (FIVE) photo copies of Marriage Contract, 5 (FIVE) photo copies of bride & grooms Birth Certificate and passport data page.

I only made 4 photo copies because that's what I read on their website. The extra copy was the "set of papers" that the Civil Registry gave me to be handed to the person in charge for renewing your passport.Not to worry, down the hall where I got my pictures taken, he has a photo copier as well so, everything is pretty much there on the 5th floor ( except for snacks!). The rest of the requirements you can get at their website. Just take not of the revisions I just mentioned.

4) Get your number first and THEN have your photos taken.

4) Have your photos taken there, It's $7 for 4 Philippine Passport Size photos and $2 -3 for 2 photos with white background for the Report of Marriage. (You'll be needing 4 photos for each groom & bride) and 25 cents for 1 photo copy. Make sure you go to the right one because there is another photo shop on the 5th floor that charges more. The cheap photo shop office is located on the same side of the Mens comfort room. Sorry, I forget to get the room number.

A lot of Filipinos complained because the Consulate were very strict with the photo requirement. They had theirs done at Walgreens, CVS, Costco and other professional photo shops only to be rejected. Money down the drain. So save yourself the hassle and money and just have your picture taken there. It's real quick. Less than 5 minutes and it's done. Make sure you wear a top with a collar. Bangs away from your face and ears showing.

5) The Consulate observes Lunch Break from 12-1 pm. You can wait inside while they take their lunch. There a seats inside.

6) Bring some snack & drinks but be discrete about it. Supposedly it's not allowed but some still brought stuff in because no one is there to check, most specially during lunch break. There is also a kiosk on the 1st floor where you can buy drinks & snacks.

7) Bring whatever to pass the time away. Electronics are allowed.

8) If you ARE still in the Phillipines, it is MUCH, MUCH better to renew your passport there.

9) Other Philippine Consulates in the US have different requirements. This post is intended only for those who are doing their Report of Marriage AND Renewal of Passport in Los Angeles.

I hope this helps!

CHEERS!!!

LA outreach is much better....if you are able to reserve a slot, you only need to spend less than 30 minutes to process both your report of marriage and passport renewal.

[jim1953 0]

I am wondering why a US Citizen by birth is required to have his birth certificate and marriage information on file in the Philippines? Why does a US Citizen have to have his legal marriage, done in Arizona, on file in the Philippines? What happens if the marriage is never registered? will refusing Registration of marriage keep my wife from getting her passport re-newed, with her married name?

[Tahoma 2,291]

I am wondering why a US Citizen by birth is required to have his birth certificate and marriage information on file in the Philippines? Why does a US Citizen have to have his legal marriage, done in Arizona, on file in the Philippines? What happens if the marriage is never registered? will refusing Registration of marriage keep my wife from getting her passport re-newed, with her married name?

Yup.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Yup.

But, if you can wait three years to become a USC, it really won't matter.

They do maintain an extensive genealogy in the Philippines, and reporting marriages, births, and deaths overseas is necessary to keep the database up to date.

[Tahoma 2,291]

But, if you can wait three years to become a USC, it really won't matter.

Yup, for those who don't plan on holding a dual citizenship.

[M and C 32]

I would be doing my passport renewal and ROM in a few days. Just to make sure -- do they actually have a photo booth for the ROM in the Consulate? I checked the website and they said don't bring pictures for the passport anymore. But for the ROM, they require 1.77 in x 1.37 in photos. If I have my photo taken in Walgreens/CVS/Walmart, they would give me a 2 in x 2 in photo because those are the dimensions here in the US when we say passport photo. I'm trying to find out where to have my photo taken with the required size.