How to Correct False Name in Philippine Passport

How to Correct a False Name in a Philippine Passport

Philippine legal and practical guide

1) Why this matters

Your passport is a primary evidence of identity and nationality. If it carries a false or incorrect name, you risk being off-loaded at the airport, denied visas, or even investigated for identity fraud. The fix depends on where the error originated—your civil registry record or the passport itself.

2) Legal bases & core principles

  • Philippine Passport Act (R.A. 8239) and its IRR: the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issues passports and enforces the “one person, one identity” rule. The passport must mirror your PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) civil registry records.

  • R.A. 9048 (Clerical Error Law), as amended by R.A. 10172: simple/clerical corrections and change of first name/day & month of birth/sex (if patently clerical) are done administratively with the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and PSA, not by court.

  • Rules of Court:

    • Rule 103 – Change of Name (substantial change; judicial).
    • Rule 108 – Cancellation/Correction of Entries (substantial or controversial; judicial).

  • Family Code / jurisprudence:

    • Marriage/annulment/legal separation/recognition of foreign divorce (Article 26 for a Filipino married to a foreigner) affect surname use.

  • Other identity laws (selected):

    • R.A. 9255 – Use of the father’s surname by an illegitimate child (with required acknowledgments/affidavits).
    • Adoption/legitimation (e.g., domestic or inter-country adoption, rectification of simulated birth) can change the registered name/surname.

Key takeaway: DFA will follow the PSA record. Correct the civil registry first if that’s where the error lives.

3) Diagnose the problem (choose your scenario)

Scenario A — The passport matches your PSA, but the PSA is wrong

  • Example: Your passport shows “MARIA LOURDES,” your PSA birth certificate spells “MARAI LOURDES.”
  • Remedy: Fix the PSA via R.A. 9048/10172 (administrative) if clerical, or via court (Rule 103/108) if substantial. After PSA issues the annotated or amended record, apply for a passport reissuance/renewal reflecting the corrected name.

Scenario B — The PSA is correct, but the passport is wrong

  • Example: PSA: “JUAN CARLOS,” passport data page: “JUAN CARLO.”

  • Remedy with DFA: Apply for reissuance due to data error. Bring:

    • Current passport.
    • PSA SECPA Birth Certificate (and Marriage Certificate, if relevant).
    • Government-issued ID(s) consistent with PSA.
    • Affidavit of Discrepancy and supporting proof (old school records, UMID, GSIS/SSS, PRC, etc.).
    • If you have proof it was a DFA encoding/printing error (e.g., old application copy), include it.

Scenario C — You legally changed your name after your last passport

  • Marriage: You may use your husband’s surname, or keep your maiden name. Provide PSA Marriage Certificate. (Remarriage/annulment/divorce recognition rules apply.)
  • Annulment/Recognition of Foreign Divorce: Present the final court decision and PSA-annotated records reflecting the decree/recognition before DFA will change the surname.
  • Adoption/Legitimation/RA 9255 acknowledgment: Present PSA-annotated birth certificate and pertinent orders/affidavits.
  • Court-approved Change of Name: Present final judgment and PSA-annotated record.

Scenario D — Multiple identities / deliberate alias use

  • This can trigger criminal liability (falsification, perjury, Passport Act violations). Consult counsel before any filing. DFA can refuse or cancel a passport obtained through fraud.

4) Choosing the right remedy

Problem type Typical path Where to file first What DFA wants to see
Typos/clerical mistakes (letters transposed, spacing, hyphen, obvious misspelling) in PSA Administrative correction (R.A. 9048/10172) Local Civil Registrar of place of birth or where record is kept PSA-issued corrected/annotated certificate
Substantial change of name (e.g., adding/removing a surname not clerical; identity disputes) Judicial petition RTC (Rule 103/108) Final judgment + PSA annotation
DFA/passport data page error (PSA is correct) DFA reissuance due to data error DFA PSA record + IDs + Affidavit + proof of error
Name change due to marriage/annulment/divorce/adoption/legitimation Status-based change LCR/RTC/PSA, as applicable PSA-annotated record(s) + supporting orders

5) DFA application overview (after you’ve fixed the root cause)

  1. Secure an appointment (regular or courtesy lane, if qualified).

  2. Prepare documents:

    • Current e-passport (original + photocopy of data page).
    • PSA Birth Certificate (SECPA).
    • If applicable: PSA Marriage Certificate, PSA-annotated birth/marriage records, court decisions (final & executory), recognition of foreign divorce order, adoption or legitimation papers.
    • Valid government IDs reflecting the correct name.
    • Affidavit of Discrepancy/Explanation (see template below).
    • Supporting records (school, employment, SSS/GSIS, PRC, PhilHealth, voter’s, NBI, etc.).

  3. Submit biometrics & pay fees.

  4. Claim the reissued passport (check release venue and bring your claim stub/old passport if required).

Practical tip: DFA will not “override” the PSA. If your IDs disagree with PSA, expect DFA to insist on PSA alignment first.

6) Special situations to watch

  • Married women’s surname: You may (i) keep maiden name; (ii) use husband’s surname; (iii) use maiden first name + husband’s surname. If you later separate without an annulment or foreign divorce recognized by a PH court, DFA generally will not revert you to maiden name in the passport.
  • Foreign divorce: A Filipino who obtained/relies on a foreign divorce must secure judicial recognition in the Philippines before civil registry and DFA will honor the change of civil status/surname.
  • Sex entry correction: Only if the error is clerical/typographical and patently obvious from the records (R.A. 10172). This is not a legal gender change proceeding.
  • Illegitimate child using father’s surname (R.A. 9255): Ensure the required acknowledgment/affidavits are on record and PSA-annotated before seeking passport issuance/reissuance in that surname.
  • Dual citizens/reacquired PH citizenship (R.A. 9225): Present Identification Certificate/Order and ensure your PSA record matches the name you will use.
  • Naturalized Filipinos/name anglicization: Bring the Naturalization/Recognition order and PSA-updated records.

7) Evidence strategy (what convinces DFA)

  • Primary: PSA-issued SECPA certificates (Birth, Marriage, CENOMAR only when asked), annotated copies reflecting corrections or court decrees.
  • Secondary/corroborative: Government IDs, SSS/GSIS/PRC, school transcripts/diplomas, baptismal certificate, employment records, NBI clearance, PhilHealth, voter’s record, bank documents.
  • Affidavits: Use to explain discrepancies, but affidavits don’t trump PSA. They support, not replace, official records.

8) Risks, penalties, and red flags

  • False statements or fraudulent documents can lead to denial/cancellation, administrative sanctions, and criminal liability (e.g., falsification, perjury; violations under the Passport Act).
  • Multiple active passports under different names, or concealing prior identities, can result in watchlisting or prosecution.
  • Non-alignment among PSA, court orders, and IDs is the #1 cause of delay. Fix PSA first.

9) Timelines & costs (what to expect)

  • Administrative corrections (R.A. 9048/10172): Weeks to months, depending on LCR/PSA backlogs and whether publication/notice is required.
  • Court petitions (Rule 103/108; recognition of foreign divorce): Several months or longer, subject to court docket and publication/reports.
  • DFA reissuance: Standard processing times vary by site and workload.

Fees and timelines change; bring extra copies and budget for publication (if court), LCR/PSA fees, and DFA processing.

10) Step-by-step playbooks

A. If the PSA is wrong

  1. Gather proof of your “true” name (IDs, school, baptismal, employment).
  2. File R.A. 9048/10172 petition at the LCR (or file a court petition if substantial change).
  3. After approval, secure PSA-annotated certificate.
  4. Apply for passport reissuance with the corrected details.

B. If the passport is wrong but PSA is correct

  1. Prepare PSA Birth (and PSA Marriage, if any), IDs, and Affidavit of Discrepancy.
  2. Book a DFA appointment and file for reissuance due to data error.
  3. Submit biometrics; track and claim the corrected passport.

C. If your name changed by status or court order

  1. Ensure the PSA record is already annotated with the decree/recognition.
  2. Bring the annotated PSA and supporting final orders.
  3. Apply for passport reissuance reflecting the new legal name.

11) Document checklists

Always bring originals + photocopies.

  • ✅ PSA Birth Certificate (SECPA)
  • ✅ Government ID(s) consistent with target name
  • ✅ If married/previously married: PSA Marriage Certificate; court decree/recognition order + PSA annotations as applicable
  • ✅ If adoption/legitimation/RA 9255: orders/affidavits + PSA annotations
  • ✅ Affidavit(s) of Discrepancy/Explanation
  • ✅ Old passport(s) and application proof if you have them
  • ✅ Supporting records (school/employment/SSS/PRC/NBI)

12) Template: Affidavit of Discrepancy

AFFIDAVIT OF DISCREPANCY I, [Full Name], Filipino, of legal age, with address at [Address], after being duly sworn, state:

  1. That my correct legal name as per PSA Birth Certificate is [Correct Name].
  2. That my Philippine passport no. [Number] issued on [Date] erroneously reflects my name as [Wrong Name].
  3. That the discrepancy arose because [brief explanation: clerical/encoding error, etc.].
  4. That I am executing this Affidavit to attest to the foregoing facts and to request correction/reissuance of my passport to reflect my correct legal name. Affiant: [Signature over printed name] Jurat (to be notarized)

(If the root error is in PSA, adapt the affidavit for the LCR/PSA petition and attach the required documentary proofs and clearances.)

13) FAQs

Q: Can DFA correct my name if my PSA is still wrong? A: No. Fix PSA first (administrative or judicial), then go to DFA.

Q: I used my husband’s surname before; can I go back to my maiden name without a court order? A: Generally no if you are still married. If you have an annulment or a foreign divorce recognized by a PH court, and PSA annotation, DFA will reflect your maiden name.

Q: The error is just one letter—can’t DFA just “fix it”? A: DFA needs documentary basis. If PSA is correct, DFA may reissue due to data error. If PSA is wrong, do an LCR/PSA correction first.

Q: Can I travel while the correction is pending? A: If your ticket/visa/IDs don’t match the passport, expect issues. Align all travel documents to the same name shown on your valid passport until reissued.

Q: What if I previously held a passport in a different name? A: Disclose it. Nondisclosure may be treated as misrepresentation.

14) Practical tips from the trenches

  • Bring multiple IDs and extra photocopies.
  • Ensure your signature is consistent across records.
  • If you changed names multiple times, prepare a timeline with documents (birth → marriage/adoption → annulment/divorce recognition → current).
  • Keep receipts and tracking stubs; photocopy your old data page before surrendering.
  • For court-based changes, wait for finality and PSA annotation—DFA relies on those.

Bottom line

  1. Find the source of the false name.
  2. Correct the civil registry first if needed (PSA/LCR or court).
  3. Reapply with DFA using PSA-based documents for a reissued passport that now matches your one true legal identity.

If your situation involves contested identities, prior aliases, or potential criminal exposure, consult a Philippine lawyer for tailored advice and risk management before filing.

Disclaimer: This content is not legal advice and may involve AI assistance. Information may be inaccurate.

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