The Philippine passport application process is governed by Republic Act No. 8239 (Philippine Passport Act of 1996), its implementing rules, and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) departmental orders and memoranda. One of the strictest requirements for first-time applicants and certain renewal cases is the presentation of an original PSA-issued civil registry document—most commonly the PSA Birth Certificate on security paper.

When PSA processing is still pending (delayed registration of birth, annotation of legitimation/adoption, correction of entries under RA 9048/RA 10172, supplementary report for marriage, or similar cases), the applicant does not become ineligible to apply for a passport. The DFA has long-recognized procedures that allow the use of alternative documents precisely to address these situations. These accommodations have been in place for decades and remain valid and routinely applied as of December 2025.

What “Pending PSA Certificate Processing” Means in Practice

This situation typically arises in the following scenarios:

Delayed (late) registration of birth – The birth was registered with the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) years after the date of birth, and the record has not yet been elevated to or printed by the PSA on security paper.
Court-ordered correction of entries (RA 10172) or change of name/gender – The court decision has been forwarded to the LCR/PSA, but the annotated PSA certificate has not yet been released.
Annotation of legitimation by subsequent marriage, presumptive legitimation, or adoption – The supporting documents (marriage certificate, affidavit of legitimation, etc.) have been submitted, but the annotated PSA birth certificate is still being processed.
Supplementary report for marriage (for women who wish to use married surname) – The marriage was recently registered or the supplementary report is still being processed by PSA.
Registration of Certificate of Live Birth accomplished abroad (Report of Birth at Philippine Embassy/Consulate) that has been forwarded to PSA but not yet released on security paper.

In all these cases, the PSA will either:

Issue a “Negative Certification” (no record found because processing is ongoing), or
Be unable to issue the annotated security paper certificate yet.

DFA Policy on Pending PSA Documents

The DFA consistently accepts applications under these circumstances provided the applicant submits the following combination of documents:

Core Alternative Document Set (universally accepted as of 2025)

Original Birth Certificate issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) or the Philippine Embassy/Consulate (for Report of Birth).
- Must be the original registered copy (not a transcript or certified photocopy only).
- For delayed registration, it will usually bear the annotation “Registered pursuant to Republic Act No. 10172” or “Late Registration.”
Original PSA Negative Certification (Certification of No Record / Negative Result of Birth).
- Explicitly requested by stating the reason: “For passport application purposes – delayed registration” or “annotation still in process.”
- Cost: approximately ₱155–₱210 depending on delivery option (as of 2025 rates).
At least three (3) supporting public documents that show the correct full name, date of birth, place of birth, and parentage of the applicant. Acceptable documents include:
- Baptismal Certificate (with parish dry seal)
- Voter’s Registration Record / Voter’s Certification with dry seal from COMELEC
- Elementary or High School Form 137 or Transcript of Records (with school dry seal and readable)
- GSIS or SSS Record / Unified Multi-Purpose ID record
- NBI Clearance (original)
- Police Clearance (original, municipal or regional)
- Barangay Certification with attached Joint Affidavit of two disinterested persons (if no other documents exist)
- Old passport (if any, even expired)
- Land title or Torrens title under applicant’s or parents’ name (rarely needed but accepted)

Additional Requirements for Specific Cases

A. Delayed Registration of Birth

LCR-issued Birth Certificate (original)
PSA Negative Certification
Minimum of three supporting documents listed above
If the delayed registration was done less than one year ago, some DFA sites may additionally require an Affidavit of Delayed Registration executed by the hospital/clinic administrator or attendant at birth (if applicable).

B. Court-Ordered Correction / Change of Name or Gender (RA 10172)

Certified True Copy of the Court Order/Decision
Certified True Copy of the Annotated LCR Birth Certificate (showing the correction)
PSA Negative Certification (or PSA Certificate with old/incorrect data if already partially processed)
Three supporting documents showing either the old or new data (consistency is evaluated by the consular officer)

C. Legitimation / Presumptive Legitimation

PSA-issued Marriage Certificate of parents (if already available) or LCR Marriage Certificate + PSA Negative (if marriage is also recently registered)
Authenticated Affidavit of Legitimation executed by parents
LCR-issued Birth Certificate showing annotation of legitimation (if already done)
PSA Negative Certification for the child’s annotated birth certificate
Supporting documents as above

D. Adoption

Certified True Copy of Court Order of Adoption
Amended Birth Certificate issued by LCR/PSA (if already available) or original pre-adoption BC + PSA Negative
DSWD Certificate of Child Available for Adoption (if applicable)

E. Married Women with Pending Supplementary Report Women may choose either:

Continue using maiden name (present PSA Birth Certificate even if unannotated), or
Use married name by presenting:
– PSA-issued Marriage Certificate (if available), or
– LCR-issued Marriage Certificate + PSA Negative Certification for the supplementary report
– Three supporting documents showing married name usage (e.g., company ID, bank certificate, etc.)

Step-by-Step Application Process When PSA Certificate Is Pending

Complete the delayed registration, correction, legitimation, or supplementary report at the Local Civil Registrar (or court, if required).
Obtain the original LCR-issued document showing the registration/annotation.
Request PSA Negative Certification online via psahelpline.ph or at any PSA CRS outlet. State clearly that it is for passport application due to pending processing.
Gather at least three supporting documents (originals + photocopies).
Book an appointment at passport.dfa.gov.ph (choose the site with the most available slots; TOPS sites such as Robinsons Las Piñas, SMC Annex, or ASEANA are generally more lenient with alternative documents).
Attend the appointment. At the verification window, inform the processor immediately: “Delayed registration po, negative certification po ang dala ko.” They are very familiar with this scenario.
Pay the passport fee (₱950 regular / ₱1,200 expedited as of 2025).
Passport is released on the usual schedule (15 working days regular Metro Manila, 20–30 days outside, or 7–10 days expedited).

Important Notes and Practical Tips (2025)

The passport issued will have full ten-year validity (or five-year for minors below 18). There is no annotation of “valid only until PSA certificate is released.”
DFA consular officers have wide discretion. Presenting clear, consistent documents dramatically reduces the chance of being asked to return.
PSA processing times in 2025:
- Delayed registration: 2–6 months average for security paper release
- RA 9048/10172 annotations: 3–8 months
- Supplementary reports: 1–3 months
You may renew the passport later using the PSA-issued certificate once released without any problem.
Children born abroad whose Report of Birth is still being processed by PSA follow the same negative certification + consularized Report of Birth procedure.
There is no legal requirement to wait for the PSA security paper. Thousands of passports are issued every month under the negative certification procedure.

Legal Basis

DFA Department Order No. 11-2020 (Consolidated Guidelines on Passport Application)
DFA Office of Consular Affairs Memorandum Circulars on Alternative Documentary Requirements
PSA Circular No. 2017-002 on issuance of Negative Certifications for passport purposes
Supreme Court Administrative Order on RA 10172 implementation explicitly stating that annotated LCR documents are valid for all legal purposes pending PSA release

In summary, pending PSA certificate processing is one of the most common situations in Philippine passport applications and is fully accommodated by long-standing DFA policy. With the correct combination of LCR document, PSA Negative Certification, and supporting evidence, applicants face no legal impediment to obtaining a passport. The procedure is routine, well-understood by DFA staff nationwide, and continues to be applied without change as of December 2025.