Philippine consular fees and requirements
Fees are set by the Department of Foreign Affairs but collected locally, and the published figures are not always consistent between posts — the Los Angeles dual citizenship page lists the principal petitioner at both US$60 and US$50 in the same document. What follows are the figures the posts publish, given as ranges where they disagree. Confirm with your post before paying.
What each service costs
| Service | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Consular notarisation (per document) | US$25 | Plus US$10 for expedited release, same or next day. |
| Dual citizenship — principal petitioner | US$50–60 | The Los Angeles page lists both figures in the same document. Confirm with your post. |
| Dual citizenship — derivative (minor child) | US$25–35 | Per child included in the petition. |
| Affidavit of explanation or of one and the same person | US$25–35 | Notarised as a separate document. |
| Certified true copy of dual citizenship documents | US$25 | Per certificate. |
| Report of Birth | US$25 | Plus US$10 for expedited release. Separate money orders for each. |
| Report of Marriage | US$25 | Same expedite rule as the Report of Birth. |
| Philippine passport | set by the DFA | Ask your post: the fee is collected locally and posts differ on how it is paid. |
How to pay
Most posts take money orders or cashier's cheques made out to the post, not personal cheques. Cash and card are the exception, not the rule — Los Angeles restored card payments, but do not assume it. Anything handled by mail also needs a self-addressed, prepaid USPS Priority envelope with tracking.
Posts that handle civil registry by mail ask for the processing fee and the expedite fee on two different money orders, not one combined payment. Getting this wrong is enough to have the whole package returned.
The requirements that come up in almost every procedure
- A PSA certificate on security paper, in original. A local civil registrar copy, a scan or a printout is not the same thing.
- Original documents plus photocopies, often several sets. Posts generally have no photocopier on site.
- Valid photo identification, with a photocopy attached to each document being notarised.
- 2×2 colour photographs, white background, taken within the last three months, digitally unaltered, no eyeglasses and no coloured contact lenses.
- A self-addressed prepaid USPS Priority envelope with tracking, for anything returned by post.
- Personal appearance for anything involving your biometrics or your signature.
Three things that stop applications at the counter
- A name that does not match. Your passport name follows your PSA document, and a consulate cannot use a non-PSA document to change it. The fix is an Affidavit of One and the Same Person with proof of how the variation arose.
- Dress and appearance. Office-appropriate attire is required for biometrics, and earrings and coloured contact lenses are not allowed.
- Asking for something the post cannot do. Since 15 May 2019 consulates no longer authenticate US public documents, and they have never issued PSA certificates or NBI clearances.
Each procedure has its own checklist in the procedures section, and each post its own booking system — see how to book an appointment.
philippineconsulates.us is an independent information guide to the Philippine consulates in the United States. We are not the Philippine Consulate General, the Philippine Embassy or any government agency. We do not book, sell or manage appointments: every post runs its own system. We check the details regularly, but they can change without notice — always confirm with the post before you travel.