Where's My Passport?

Well, this is an update on my post last August when I renewed my passport and guess what - I still don't have it!

I am a very reasonable person but come on, next week will be the maximum 8 weeks indicated on my receipt to collect the renewed passport but how can I collect it when it's not yet ready for release? I am not even sure where it is now but when you call the consulate here in Dubai, they don't pick up the line. And when you send them email, they just reply with a one liner telling me to check the website which was down for several days. And when it was finally up, my name was still not in the list. OMG!

I am very upset with the Philippine Consulate here in Dubai. I don't want to rant but I think it's my right as an OFW who brings in money to the country to get a good service. It is my right as well to be informed about the status of my application and not just "please check the site for the list of release...blah, blah, blah." Why does it take so long to process the passport? Why is it being sent to Manila? Is that for real or we're just being mislead?

I am sick and tired of the inefficiency of the PCG here in Dubai. I feel sorry for those who have important travels to make but are now unable to take them because of the inadequacies of the people running the PCG. I'm sorry...oh, I'm not sorry! But I think waiting for my own travel document pushing for 8 weeks now is just too much! Ridiculous! Get your act together PCG people. And I thought "we are your boss" (that's what Pnoy said in one of his SONA!) so how come we're at your mercy? Release my passport already!!!

My Passport Renewal

Photo credit: expatpinay.wordpress.com

I can't believe I have missed to renew my passport well ahead of time when I know I have so many travel  in the offing. I have been reminding myself since the first quarter of 2014 that I will renew my passport months in advance and I forgot! How can I forget something so important like this?

So now, I cannot go anywhere. I can't even travel back home to see my daughter enter college and be with her during her orientation day. It makes me deeply upset and sad for missing this important task I have repeatedly reminded myself. I guess I just got busy with many things.

I renewed my passport few days ago and according to our consulate here in Dubai, processing time will take 4 to 8 weeks tops. Are you kidding me? That is 2 months of my time wasted here in this place when I can travel back home and be with my daughter when she starts college. Arrgghh!!!

Note to self and moral of this story: ALWAYS RENEW YOUR PASSPORT SEVERAL MONTHS IN ADVANCE AND DON'T WAIT FOR LAST MINUTE. You may think you don't have plans to travel anywhere so you'll just wait few weeks before expiration to renew. Well, sorry to burst your bubbles Philippine Passport holders here in the UAE. You have to secure appointment first and what if the dates you are free is no longer available? You will have to keep checking the appointment calendar of the Philippine Consulate website here in the UAE for availability. And if you're lucky, well and good. If not, like me, I had to wait after Ramadan was over to actually get a date for appointment. Although the processing itself on the day of my appointment was rather fast. I am a bit pleasantly surprised. It took only half an hour to do all the procedure and I was done for the day. Unlike 5 years ago when it took half a day to complete the same process I have done recently. So, please, note your passport's expiry date and book your appointment in advance, as in, well in advance. I'm talking months! It doesn't matter whether you have plans to travel or not. You'll never know if you will have to though. But just in case you need to do a quick duty travel or a business trip suddenly comes up or whatever reason it is, you're well covered.

This is very uncharacteristic of me. I am always one who plans way in advance and this one I let slip. Oh man...