SM Megamall Passport Renewal and Processing: Making an Online Appointment
It's welcome news that passport processing for new applications, renewal of passports and application for lost passports can be done at SM Megamall. Having this service available at a mall makes it more convenient to the public. A mall is always located at an accessible place. Public transportation is always available. Parking areas are already provided. And to top it all, the mall is usually open all days of the week, even holidays. This particular service is available Mon-Sat, including holidays. Those who do not wish to be absent from work just to get a passport can avail of this service on a Saturday or during a holiday.
How to make an online appointment
1. Go to www.megamall.passport.com.ph 2.On the left side of the screen, click "Set an appointment. The screen below shows you what will appear when you do this.
3.Fill up the blank with the captcha phrase then click "Start Individual Appointment Process". If you're applying as a family, there's another item below that you can click to start the family appointment process. After clicking "Start Individual Appointment Process", you will see the screen below. Fill up all the items below then submit.
My tip: Make sure the email you put is correct otherwise you will not be able to confirm your appointment. You need the link in the email confirmation to verify the date of your appointment and to be able toprint your application form. If you wait a long while and do not receive an email confirmation, most probably you made an error putting your email address. Just make a new appointment and the previous appointment you made will be automatically dropped.
4. After submitting your personal information, you will see the screen below. Pick your date to see what slots are available. The days available for passport appointments are as follows:
Monday to Saturday:
every 30 minutes, from 10:00 am - 11:30 am, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm.
My tip: If you wish to get your desired date and time, book one month before. The earliest you can book an appointment is a month before your desired date.
5.After you pick your date and click the slot you want, the screen below will appear to indicate that the process has been completed. Then check your email.
My tip (updated as of November 2012): If the screen above (at paragraph no. 5) does not appear, and you get an onscreen message to go to dfa.gov.ph, this means you are booking an appointment for more than 5 persons using one email address. The appointment software limits the no. of bookings per email address to 5 persons. You need to use another email address for the additional persons you plan to book.
For instance: a. For family applications: You can do a family application for 5 people maximum using one email address. The remedy is to use another email address to book the other family members.
b. For individual applications: Even if you book people separately or at different dates, as long as the appointment has been confirmed and has not been cancelled or used, you are limited to only 5 people using that same email address. The remedy is to use another email address.
6. You need to check your email within 24 hours so you can confirm your appointment by clicking the confirmation link within the email. Otherwise, your appointment will not be confirmed. The sample email is shown below:
Dear 000000000000, Your appointment has been set. Your appointment is on Sat, Oct 27, 2012 from 10:00 am to 10:30 am.Please make sure you arrive at the DFA at 10:00 am. You will be expected to arrive for your appointment at exactly 30 minutes before your schedule.Even if you arrive early, you will not be entertained until 30 minutes before your appointment.If you arrive late, you will need to secure another appointment for another day. Please be advised that appointments from 5:00PM onwards will be considered rush processing. =====================================================- IMPORTANT INFORMATION - ===================================================== Your Reference Number: 000000000000 1. Click the link below to confirm your appointment and print your application form. 2. Use Long Bond Paper when printing.3. Be sure to bring your application form with you on your appointment date.4. Please do not sign the application form. You need to sign it with the presence of a DFA officer in the processing window. -----------------------------------------------------Confirmation Link:http://megamall.passport.com.ph/email/view/ref/5e4b47dc910239c7c90a1bdcd1ceaeb124500d4a------------------------------------------------------ If you do not confirm within 24 hours by clicking -- the confirmation link, your appointment will be -- canceled. -===================================================== You will need to have a PDF reader installed in your computer such as Foxit Reader or Adobe Reader.
Please note that we've replaced your previous appointments with this one.You are not allowed to place multiple appointments in our system. 0000000000000000
7. After clicking the confirmation link, the screen below is what you will see.
This is your application form. You have to print it and bring it with you to the DFA. You see the date and time of your appointment under the heading "E-Passport Application.
My tip: If you make an error in the application form, just cancel your appointment and make a new one. At the homepage, on the left side of the screen, you can click "Cancel appointment".
8. Proceed to DFA Megamall on the date and time of your appointment. Arrive 30 minutes before. You will not be entertained until 30 minutes before your appointment. If you're late, you will need to get a new appointment. Location of DFA Megamall Consular Office: 7th Floor Megamall Building C, EDSA corner J. Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong City.
View Larger Map NOTE:The DFA Appointment System is also available BY PHONE via the hotline (02) 737-1000. You can call anytime from 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday to Saturday.
Before leaving for another country, I always activate my cellphone roaming services. As a prepaid subscriber, it's very easy to do it because you need not call customer service. Activation is only a text or SMS away. With Globe Telecommunications, you only need to text GROAM ON mm/dd/yyyy to 2884. They activate it on the specific date. With Smart Telecommunications, you also activate it just by texting ROAM ON to 333. They activate it immediately. But the disadvantage of Smart activating your roaming immediately is that they also disable calls to you. From the time of activation, whether or not you're abroad and using their roaming service, no one can call you. Note that this is applicable only to a prepaid subscriber. To avoid my calls being disabled, I did not activate my roaming in advance. I decided to do it at the airport while waiting for my flight. However, in my last trip, I did not have too much waiting time at the airport so inevitably I forgot to activate my Smart roaming service.
It was important for me to activate my roaming service because I informed the people I left at home that I'm just a text away so in case of emergency, I could be easily reached. With no other information as to my hotel phone no., it was very important for me to activate my roaming service.
So how did I activate the Smart roaming service while abroad? Update as of November 15, 2015!!!
Please contact the Smart Customer Service at https://www.facebook.com/SmartCommunicationby sending them a personal message about your problem activating roaming while abroad.
They reply immediately but you need to give them the ff. information:
1. your SMART number
2. roaming destination
3. handset model
4. last reload date and amount
My conversation with Smart customer service via personal message in their facebook page:
Me: Hi. How do I activate smart prepaid roaming while abroad when I have not registered to a smart web account before leaving the country? I just registered but to link my prepaid number, I need to receive a verification code. How can I receive the verification code when I don't have a roaming signal in the smart prepaid number I'm linking?
Smart: Hi. We can activate it for you, Meanne. Send us your SMART number, roaming destination, handset model and last reload date and amount.
_________________________________________________________________________________ The Smart website is not very clear on how to do it so I will take you to a step-by-step process. It also took a while for me to do it because as I said, the Smart website is not very clear on the process.
Basically, you need to be able to access the internet because you activate roaming by registering and logging on my smart.com.ph. See instructions below: 1. Go to www.smart.com.ph 2. Click at the right hand side of the page "Manage my account."
If you have previously registered before, just log in by using your mobile number or your email email address.
If you have not registered before, click the "register now" icon and create an account.
5. After you have logged in to your account, click the left hand side icon "Services" and it will show "International Roaming". 6. Click "International Roaming", then click "Activate service". What you need to be able to activate your Smart roaming service while abroad? 1. At least 100 peso load in your prepaid phone. 2. A smart phone or PC 3. An internet connection 4. An email address
There's something about airplanes that just screams germs. The enclosed space, the recycled air, the guy sitting next to you who refuses to cover his mouth when he coughs -- it's enough to make you want to de-plane and drive to your destination instead.
Thankfully, planes aren't as teeming with germs as you might think, thanks to air filters that help reduce the number of microscopic viruses and bacteria. In fact, you're more likely to catch something in the airport than on the flight, says Dr. Abinash Virk, an infectious disease expert with the Mayo Clinic(www.mayoclinic.com). Still, airplanes are by no means germ-free. Follow Dr. Virk's tips for staying healthy en route to your vacation.
Before You Board: Get Enough Sleep & Stay Hydrated
Your best bet for staying healthy on the plane? Board healthy. According to Dr. Virk, a strong immune system is the number-one defense for fighting off germs. "Get plenty of sleep before you travel -- people who are sleep-deprived get more infections than those who get adequate sleep," she says. "And stay hydrated." This will keep your respiratory tract moist, which gives you more protection against germs. Hydrating also prevents your skin from getting dry and cracked, which makes you susceptible to infections.
Wash Your Hands After Touching the Seat Cushion
While your seat might seem like a hotbed for germs -- who knows how many people have sat there before you? -- Dr. Virk says the risk of catching something from it is quite low since your clothes provide a barrier between you and the cushion. If your hands touch the fabric, simple hand hygiene (washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer) will take care of most germs you come in contact with.
Wipe Down the Tray Table
Passengers tend to use their tray tables throughout the flight for eating, drinking, reading, and even resting their heads -- meaning these little plastic rectangles are one of the most likely spots for germs on the plane. The crew may not always have time to thoroughly wipe down each tray between flights, so it's up to you to take precautions. Dr. Virk recommends cleaning the tray with an alcohol-based hand wipe before you use it to kill any lingering germs.
Clean Your Hands After Handling the In-flight Entertainment Clicker
If you want to be vigilant, you could always scrub the clicker with an alcohol wipe. "But do I do that?" asks Dr. Virk. "No." Instead, simply make sure you practice basic hand hygiene afterward by either washing your hands with soap and hot water or rubbing them with alcohol-based gel.
Avoid Touching Surfaces in the Airplane Bathroom
"Treat the airplane bathroom as you would any public restroom," says Dr. Virk. In other words, limit your contact with surfaces as much as possible. Use the paper toilet-seat cover (or place toilet paper over the seat), and try a non-touch technique when washing your hands: Use a paper towel to turn on the faucet, wash with soap and hot water, and use a fresh paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open the restroom door. Be extra careful on international flights, Virk says, since there's more of a chance of people coming back with viruses that our immune systems aren't used to.
Don't Worry Too Much About the Armrests
Like seat cushions, armrests pose very little threat when it comes to germs. "Unless you have a skin break, you're not going to pick up anything from here," says Dr. Virk.
Stash Items Near the Top of the Seatback Pocket
If you're like most people, one of the first things you do when you settle into your seat is toss all your essentials -- including things you come into close contact with, like your phone and headphones -- into the seat pocket. Dr. Virk's advice? "This isn't based on a study, but I tend not to put my hand all the way into the pocket because I don't know what's down there," she says. If possible, keep your items toward the top of the pocket rather than letting them slip all the way down, where they're sure to mingle with food crumbs, dirty tissues, and who knows what else.
The Philippines is known as the "Texting Capital of the World". A recent US study has shown this to be true. So, the best way to communicate with people in the Philippines is thru their cellphones, and by texting them. Texting refers to text messaging, which is a brief written message sent from your cellphone.
I discovered that even in the remote parts of the Philippines and in the poorest areas, people have cellphones. This means that if you wish to communicate with your tour guides, airport transfers (which may be a regular taxi or a tricycle transfers), tricycle tours, motorbike rentals, etc., the most reliable way to to do so is through a cellphone. Almost everyone in the Philippines has cellphones.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PHILIPPINES... ... And wish to communicate with people in the Philippines, your cheapest option will be to buy a cellphone in the Philippines, and a prepaid SIM. 1. Estimated cost:
phone:1000 pesos (cheapest brand new Nokia phone available is the Nokia 1208 available at Shopwise stores). Check out this website for price list.
sim card: 30-60 pesos
call charge: around 6.50-7.50 pesos per minute; text charge: P1.00 per minute if you are on the same network.
2. Where to get it:
a. phone: at any SM department store, Shopwise grocery, Smart wireless center (seesmart.com.ph),Globe wireless center (seeglobe.com.ph)
b. sim card and load: at groceries and department stores. Not hard to find because stalls where you can buy sim card and load are practically everywhere. Just ask any local so they can refer you to the nearest shop.
... And wish to communicate with people in other countries, you have the following options (which depends on how heavy your use will be): 1. Use a magic jack if you wish to communicate with someone in the US or Canada.
Seemagicjack.com. This is what we use to communicate with relatives in the States. But this option will limit your mobility. You need a laptop, an internet connection and a standard phone with cord. Calls from the Philippines to the US are free with magic jack. Your cost for this option will be from the purchase of magic jack and the rate of internet use.
2. Use a PLDT budget card. You need a PLDT landline phone to use this card. Cost is 1.50 pesos per minute for calls to the US. Seehttp://www.pldt.com.ph/products/consumers/prepaidcards/Pages/BudgetCard.aspx 3. Use the prepaid cellphone you purchased in the Philippines. Call rate is around US$.40 per minute.
My tip: If you're buying a cellphone and don't know which SIM card of a telecom company to buy, inquire from people residing at your proposed destination in the Philippines, which telecom company has the strongest signal in their area. The major wireless telecom companies are Smart and Globe . I personally discovered that Smart has the widest coverage. They even have a signal all throughout the remote island of Batanes, while Globe has only intermittent signals. But then, this is on a case-to-case basis. You have to ask people residing in your destination, which has the best signal.
Loving the Philippines doesn't mean I wouldn't be interested in going to other places like the US. We have a lot of relatives in the US and having a US tourist visa definitely makes things easier for those who like exploring and traveling to different places and discovering different cultures. For instance, when you apply for a Schengen visa for travel to Europe, they ask for a photocopy of your valid US visa at the interview. Although it's not officially listed as one of the requirements, they do ask for it during the interview. I interpret this to mean that having a US visa bears some weight with the consul of other countries and will persuade them to grant you their visa. Admittedly, the most difficult visa to get is the US visa.
Although we are focusing right now on discovering the Philippines, a great part of my kids' education focuses on cultural tolerance. By exposing them to other cultures, they learn to accept that people who have different beliefs and practices are not necessarily wrong in those beliefs. The beliefs and practices they develop are borne of experiences in their daily life in an effort to survive the daily struggles of their own unique situation and environment. As usual with Filipinos, if we have funds for travel, we usually travel first to other countries. So we traveled first to other countries. But later appreciated the Philippines more for its unique natural beauty, which remains its competitive edge in the tourism industry.
I'm sure a lot of you are already eager to know my experience getting a US tourist visa so let's get on with the story.
I renewed my 10 year visa in 2007 so my experience in 2007 is no longer valid. The rest of my family, which includes my husband and 4 kids, had visas expiring November 2010, so I'll share with you their experience renewing their visa last week. Although my tips pertain to renewing a tourist visa, I'm sure the information below will help those attempting to get a US tourist visa for the very first time. At the end of the post, I will give tips for first-time applicants to give them greater chance of getting one. So do read on till the end of my post.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
I will talk about the process in chronological order so you would know how to prioritize the tasks. With the new system in place, which requires everyone to electronically fill out the application form, you cannot do things simultaneously. It needs to be done one-by-one, and in the following order:
2 months before the intended date of interview:
1. Have your photo taken, saved in CD and printed in 2 x 2 print.
This is the first thing you should do because you cannot electronically submit the application form and get a confirmation number without uploading your digital photo. Visapoint (the website where you get an online appointment schedule) requires that you upload the photo before you can submit your application form. After you submit your application form, you get a confirmation number. You need to have a confirmation number before you can see the appointment availability at visapoint.
2. Fill up the DS 160 form electronically.
Do not fear filling up this form because you can edit the contents and edit your confirmation number until 2 days before the interview date. By filling up the form, you immediately get a confirmation number. When you have a confirmation number, you can get an appointment through visapoint.
3. Log in at visa point, purchase a pin and fill up the form.
4. Get the appointment date.
The dates open at visapoint are only until 2 months from the date you get inside visapoint. Do no think that the embassy is fully booked beyond 2 months. They simply don't open the booking facility beyond 2 months from the time you log on to visapoint.
In our case, we made sure we were able to log on at visapoint 2 months before our intended date of interview just to make sure we get the desired date. The kids don't have classes on sem break so we planned to renew the visa at that time to make it easier to arrange our schedules.
From our experience, Thursdays are usually the slowest time in any government agency. So we got a Thursday slot. We also got the 1st slot, the 730 am slot, because it usually has the shortest wait time. Logically, if you have the 1st slot in any line, your wait time is shortest. My husband and 4 kids got the 730 am slot and they finished the interview at 10am. I got the 1030am slot in 2007 when I renewed my visa and I finished 3pm.
1 week before the date of interview:
Review the application form.
Just to make sure that I filled up my kids' form correctly and accurately, I reviewed the contents of the application form and resubmitted it and got a more recent confirmation number. You need not do this. But being my obsessive self, I had to do this to make sure everything is perfect. Remember, you can change the confirmation number through visapoint until 2 days before your interview.
2 days before the date of interview:
I paid the visa fee just 2 days before the interview. Why 2 days before? The embassy website suggests that you pay 2 days before the interview to avoid large fluctuation in currency exchange. You will not be accepted for interview if the amount you pay in peso is insufficient. You pay your visa fee in peso and not in US dollars. In US dollars, the rate is fixed. But if you pay in peso, you are subject to currency fluctuation. Since the US embassy website, suggests you pay 2 days before, they cannot argue that you didn't pay the sufficient amount because you only did what they suggested.
THE DAY OF THE INTERVIEW
1. Do not be late.
They require that you to be at the embassy an hour before the interview.
2. Do not bring electronic devices like cellphones.
There's no place within the embassy to deposit it. You will risk depositing it with strangers outside the embassy for a fee. Being the resourceful Filipinos that we are, there are a lot of people doing business outside the embassy as depository for cellphones and electronic devices. They hold on to your cellphone, give you a claim stub, and pay them a fee. Of course, it's risky since these people are strangers.
DO'S AND DONT'S AT THE INTERVIEW
No matter what the US embassy website says, I still think that with the new process installed by the US embassy, a lot of people have been pre-qualified already, meaning, when you arrive at the interview, those who are renewing their visa and has not violated the terms of their visa, already has a very big change of renewing their visa.
Why do I say that? What's different about the new system?
1. You cannot edit your application information and submit a new confirmation number 2 days before the interview.
Two days before your interview, you can no longer change the confirmation number of your application form at visapoint. Therefore, the application form with the confirmation number submitted with visapoint is the final application form that the consul will refer to at the interview. Therefore, 2 days before the interview, they are already privy to all your personal information and could already judge whether or not you qualify for a visa. In 2007, when I renewed my visa, all the information in my application form is only submitted on the day of the interview. Today, they have that information already 2 days before the interview.
2. In the electronic application form, they ask whether you were given a visa before and what the visa number is.
To a certain extent, those requesting for renewal already has an edge, unless you're one of those who violated the terms of your previous visa.
If you're up for renewal without any violation of the terms of your previous visa, unless you bungle your interview, you will most probably get a new visa.
What to say and not to say at the interview:
1. Be truthful and be concise about your answer.
This means to just answer the question asked of you briefly, without elaborating. By elaborating, there's greater chance of error or contradicting yourself. Also, the consul usually takes around 3 minutes to interview each applicant so he/she has no time to listen to elaboration. By elaborating, there's also greater chance of annoying the consul.
2. When asked the purpose of your trip, be sure to state a purpose that is within the scope of your visa.
Basically you should know what purpose is within the scope of your visa. For instance, if you're requesting for a tourist visa, do not tell the consul that you are going to the States to go on tour and marry your fiance. They will immediately deny your application, because the true purpose of your visit to the States is to marry your fiance. What you should have applied for is a fiance visa and not a tourist visa.
3. Be honest about who filled up or encoded data in your application form. It will not affect whether or not you are granted a visa if you declared in your application form that someone else filled it up for you.
There is a portion in the application form that asks who filled up the form or encoded the data. You should be truthful on this respect. It will not be taken against you if you admit that someone else filled up the form for you. What is important is that you read the contents and agreed to it. Those who had someone else fill up the form, and did not state who filled up the form, and at the interview admitted that they did not fill up the form, were asked to return the embassy after filling up another form declaring another person filled up the form for them. Imagine the hassle and the expense of doing so.
IF VISA IS GIVEN
You receive your passport with visa by courier 2 days after your interview.
MY TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME APPLICANTS:
The visa application form focuses on the 5-year period prior to the application for a US tourist visa. During the 5 years prior to your first time visa application, you must have the following history:
1. Work history
You must have worked for at least 5 years with enough income to support traveling to another country for leisure purposes. It will be an added advantage if you stayed with one employer for that length of time. It will strengthen proof that you will return to the Philippines after visiting the States.
2. Travel history
You must actually have traveled to a foreign country several times in the past 5 years and have returned to the Philippines afterwards. It will be proof that you actually can afford to travel to another country, have traveled to a foreign country and returned to the Philippines, and that you have a habit of traveling to a foreign country for leisure. I actually have overheard a consul deny the visa to someone who has not traveled to another country prior to applying for a US tourist visa and then suggest to the applicant that he travel 1st to a regional destination like Hong Kong before embarking on a long journey to the States.
In this context, I would also suggest that you travel to a "friendly" and "neutral" country like Hong Kong and Singapore 1st. Obviously, if you travel to Pakistan, or Yemen, where a lot of terrorist groups are present, it will send flags to the consul and you would most likely be denied a visa. Common foreign travel destinations for Filipinos are Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.
I'm a mom with four kids and we love to travel. Since my husband and I usually travel with our kids, I discovered many things that are helpful in making the trip more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone. I'd like to share with you all that I have learned so you can enjoy traveling with your kids as much as I enjoy traveling with mine.
