Philippine missions race to process workers’ papers

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah have stepped up efforts to sort out the work and exit documents of Filipino workers before the July 3 deadline, according to the country's ambassador.
Ezzedin H. Tago said yesterday that since May 11, the embassy in Riyadh has issued 4,011 travel documents while the consulate has processed 2,420 travel documents.
From May 18 to May 29, the embassy renewed 1,311 passports and replaced 1,566 lost passports. These passports will be used by workers transferring to new sponsors.
“The embassy has done this with additional passport data capturing machines and personnel at two venues, the Elite International School and the Philippine International School in Riyadh,” Tago said.
The consulate in Jeddah, he added, has renewed over 1,500 passports and replaced over 2,000.
The Philippine envoy said that as of May 29, the embassy had retrieved and released 1,488 old surrendered passports to their holders in the Riyadh area, and sent 717 passports to the consulate in Jeddah for release to their holders.
The old passports are useful for those who do not have their original or copies of their iqamas, because the information stating their arrival date in the Kingdom is on the page opposite the visa.
Tago said the Director General for Passports requires either the iqama, iqama number, or the old passport to process final exit visas or transfer workers to other sponsors.
“Those who have no iqama copy or old passport used during entry are advised to get a Jiwazat printout from the General Directorate for Passports, which may be obtained after submitting themselves for fingerprinting,” he said.
In addition to the iqama or entry information, the travel documents are necessary for all those who are applying for final exit visas in case they do not have valid passports.
“The travel documents are free of charge, and are valid for three months for one-way travel to the Philippines. They are issued after the person presents a copy of his old passport or other proof of citizenship, and an application for a travel document,” Tago said.
“The requirements for lost passports have been streamlined, and the Philippine Embassy during the corrective period no longer requires a police report or Jiwazat printout from applicants who are doing so to correct their status,” Tago said.
He said passports are now being processed between 15 and 20 days.
He stressed that all those who are transferring to a new employer should start the process immediately. They may do so even before they apply for a new passport.