DFA/CFO confusion for changing last name on passport

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 18]

Hi, all. My wife (Filipina) and I (US citizen) embarked on the Filipino name change rigmarole just recently. I have an I-130 petition in progress, FWIW. Tomorrow, my wife was scheduled to visit the DFA to change her name on her passport to her married name, which would be the first of several name change efforts. Unfortunately, after booking the non-refundable DFA appointment and hostel stay (she's traveling to Dumaguete from the Cebu area as the Cebu DFA is completely booked out several months), she learned a surprise requirement that isn't found on the DFA website: she has to have attended the CFO PDOS seminar! Now here's the problem: the CFO's scheduling website requires visa number and visa expiration date! She doesn't have her visa yet, so we don't know what to do. We did some additional research and found several non-DFA online references to having to complete the CFO seminar before the DFA allows passport name changes. Has anyone run into this problem? How do we proceed?

 

An additional question is will she have to attend the PDOS again later on when her visa is approved, or can she just go back to the CFO office to get a sticker on her then-changed passport (although I remember reading that CFO doesn't issue stickers anymore)?

Gripe: Please, DFA. Please update your requirements to be accurate for spouses of foreigners. We could've saved PHP 1000 plus the hostel booking if you just better documented your own processes. 🙄

 

Edited Sunday at 12:20 PM by Nathan Alden, Sr.

[RO_AH 1,689]

7 hours ago, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

Tomorrow, my wife was scheduled to visit the DFA to change her name on her passport to her married name, which would be the first of several name change efforts. Unfortunately, after booking the non-refundable DFA appointment and hostel stay (she's traveling to Dumaguete from the Cebu area as the Cebu DFA is completely booked out several months), she learned a surprise requirement that isn't found on the DFA website

She learned from where? Did she go to the appointment? So a Filipina cannot change her name if she is married ti a Filipino (since no CFO is required)? This is a bunch of poo if you ask me. 

7 hours ago, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

We did some additional research and found several non-DFA online references to having to complete the CFO seminar before the DFA allows passport name changes

Be careful of where your online research leads you.

7 hours ago, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

Has anyone run into this problem? How do we proceed?

Nope. My wife had no issues changing her passport, we did it right after we received the PSA marriage certificate.

 

7 hours ago, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

An additional question is will she have to attend the PDOS

She can't get in until she has visa. CFO is a 1 time thing.

Edited Sunday at 07:55 PM by RO_AH

[Crazy Cat 45,332]

***Comment linking AI answer removed.  Please do not reference AI links or answers***

[top_secret 2,750]

DFA has no CFO requirement to change a name on a passport. Whoever told you that is incorrect.

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 18]

We found references on several websites, although I am aware that tons of web content is now AI-generated and feeds off other sources that are untrue. Several of the sources have listicle-like layouts, which nowadays tends to indicate AI generation. I was suspicious, which is why I posted here.

[RO_AH 1,689]

I don't know what's wrong with AI answers and long as you are searching on your own. You can control what you get and you can follow up and ask for more info or clarification. With that said, what @top_secret said is correct just like the link I posted from Grok.

[Edward and Jaycel 2,145]

This is right from the DFA website:

CORE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADULT RENEWAL APPLICATIONS

1. Confirmed Online Appointment (click here)
2. Accomplished Application Form
3. Personal Appearance
4. Current ePassport with photocopy of data page; and
5. Original PSA-issued documents that will support the change of name.
   • Certificate of Marriage;
   • Annotated Certificate of Live Birth;
   • Annotated Certificate of Marriage to show annulment/divorce/court ordered instruction; and/or
   • Certificate of Death of Spouse.

NOTE: If a woman opts to retain maiden name, a PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage is not required.

[Noe&Estella 59]

That was an old requirement for Filipinos married to foreign nationals acquiring a new passport or doing a passport name change. When I did my passport name change in 2017, the CFO certificate was required so I had to attend the GCP first. After I got my visa, I went back to the CFO office and got the sticker on my passport.

 

I'm not sure what year DFA removed it, but it's no longer required as posted above.

 

 

[seekingthetruth 1,256]

40 minutes ago, Noe&Estella said:

That was an old requirement for Filipinos married to foreign nationals acquiring a new passport or doing a passport name change. When I did my passport name change in 2017, the CFO certificate was required so I had to attend the GCP first. After I got my visa, I went back to the CFO office and got the sticker on my passport.

 

I'm not sure what year DFA removed it, but it's no longer required as posted above.

 

 

 

My wife also had to do CFO before she could change her name on her passport.  Also around 2017.  There was no online appointment back then and it was relatively painless.  She went to the CFO office in Clark which I think is now closed.  In the seminar, they kind of chuckled at why she was there.  I can't remember which DFA she was dealing with.  Might have been Marquee Mall in Angeles.

 

Never had to go back for a sticker because we are still here in Subic.

On 9/21/2025 at 8:11 PM, Nathan Alden, Sr. said:

An additional question is will she have to attend the PDOS again later on when her visa is approved, or can she just go back to the CFO office to get a sticker on her then-changed passport (although I remember reading that CFO doesn't issue stickers anymore)?

 

When my wife asked about that in 2017 CFO Clark said no.  Just bring everything in and they would take care of it.  YMMV.

 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by seekingthetruth

[Nathan Alden, Sr. 18]

2 hours ago, Noe&Estella said:

That was an old requirement for Filipinos married to foreign nationals acquiring a new passport or doing a passport name change. When I did my passport name change in 2017, the CFO certificate was required so I had to attend the GCP first. After I got my visa, I went back to the CFO office and got the sticker on my passport.

 

I'm not sure what year DFA removed it, but it's no longer required as posted above.

 

 

Thank you. This was the wisdom I was looking for! We were both already aware that the DFA doesn't list it as a requirement.