DFA-VFS passport renewal deal renewed

THE Department of Foreign Affairs and VFS Global signed recently the first renewal of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the Outsourcing of the Non-sensitive, Non-discretionary and Noncomplex Elements of Passport Renewal. This covers areas under the jurisdiction of Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United Arab Emirates and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido J. Dulay, who signed the agreement on behalf of the DFA, said that partnering with an established outsourcing champion like VFS Global enabled the DFA to multiply its presence in the

Middle East at zero cost to the Philippine government.

The Department processed a total of 71,024 passport renewals received via VFS Global’s epassport Renewal Center (PARC) from November 2019, when the first PARC was established, to the end of December 2020.

Dulay also announced that with the renewal, the DFA can now look at widening its implementation to other countries. He said the services offered by VFS Global merely supplement and complement the range of consular services offered by Philippine Foreign Service Posts, including passport renewals.

Christopher John Dix, who represented VFS Global, noted that the demand for the company’s services has been growing. He expressed VFS Global’s continued commitment to offer first-class services to Filipino nationals renewing their passports in the UAE and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The DFA and VFS Global first signed the MOA providing for the establishment of PARCS on November 21, 2019. PARCS serve as alternative application center for Filipinos who wish to renew their Philippine passports in the UAE and in Saudi Arabia—the two countries in the Middle East with the highest concentration of Filipino workers.

Founded 20 years ago, VFS Global is an outsourcing and technology services company which offers consular services on behalf of governments and diplomatic missions worldwide.