“For a woman who wishes to revert to the use of her maiden name, [she will need] a duly authenticated birth certificate by the PSA: Provided, That she can only revert to her maiden name once and all her other existing identification cards and pertinent documents shall likewise reflect her maiden name,” states Section 5 (f) of the Republic Act 11983, otherwise known as the New Philippine Passport Act or New Passport Law.
According to Communication Secretary Cheloy Garafil in his statement, the New Philippine Passport Act repeals RA 8239, or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, to develop a new generation of Philippine passports at par with international standards. One of the key provisions of the Act involves the usage of a woman’s maiden name in her passport.
Per the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA), applicants should submit the following documents to apply for the reversion to maiden name:
- An original and photocopy of a PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth or PSA Report of Birth;
- An original and photocopy of a PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage or PSA Report of Marriage;
- Notarized Affidavit of Explanation that includes a request for the reversion of maiden name in the Philippine passport or travel document and stating that the applicant has not hitherto availed of the reversion; and
- Latest-issued Philippine passport or travel document; and
- Any valid and existing Government-issued ID accepted for passport application, reflecting the maiden name of the passport applicant.
Women can revert to their maiden name by virtue of an annulment, declaration of nullity of marriage, legal separation, judicially recognized foreign divorce, or the death of a husband. They should pass the following additional documents, depending on the category:
By Virtue of the Death of a Spouse:
- Original and photocopy of a PSA-issued Certificate of Death (COD) or Report of Death (ROD) of spouse, or apostilled, or authenticated Foreign Death Certificate with English Translation, if applicable.
By Virtue of Annulment, Declaration of Nullity of Marriage, Judicially recognized Foreign Divorce, Judicially recognized Divorce under PD No. 1083, and Legal Separation:
- Submission of an original and photocopy of a PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage (COM) or PSA Report of Marriage (ROM) with annotation reflecting the nullity or dissolution of marriage, judicial recognition of foreign divorce, court decree of legal separation.
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered as legal advice. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, the blog does not create an attorney-client relationship. For legal concerns or specific legal guidance, please consult a qualified lawyer.
To read more STLAF legal tidbits, visit www.sadsadtamesislaw.com/bits-of-law.
For comments, suggestions, and inquiries, email legal@sadsadtamesislaw.com.
Author/s: Patricia Mae L. Minimo
About the author: Patricia Mae L. Minimo is the STLAF's Legal Writer-Researcher. She is a Communication graduate from the University of the Philippines – Baguio with a major in Journalism and a minor in Speech Communication.