Luzon consular offices to remain suspended until April 30 —DFA

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said that operations of its consular offices in Luzon will remain suspended until April 30 due to the extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

According to the DFA, the suspension also covers its Office of Consular Affairs in ASEANA Business Park in Parañaque.

Some of its consular offices in the Visayas and Mindanao will, meanwhile, be operating with a skeleton workforce.

However, these offices will provide service only to those with urgent needs, such as overseas Filipino workers and those with medical emergencies, until further notice.

The DFA also announced that there will be no Saturday operations in the consular offices in the Visayas and Mindanao.

H\Meanwhile, passport applicants with confirmed appointments from March 9 to April 30 will be accommodated at the nearest office or where the applicants made the appointment.

This will begin starting May 4 until July 31,  Mondays to Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the DFA.

Individuals applying for Authentication, Visa, and Civil Registration services will also be accommodated starting May 4.

The DFA reiterated that passport applicants affected by the Luzon-wide quarantine or the quarantine measures of their local governments do not need to reschedule or cancel their appointments.

These individuals may also visit another consular office instead of where they made their appointment as long as they call their office of choice to schedule the visit. — Joahna Lei Casilao/BM, GMA News