FYI: DFA Now Requires Prepayment for Passport Applications at DFA-ASEANA

In a public advisory released by the Department of Foreign Affairs, it was announced that they will start live testing their ePayment System in its DFA-ASEANA site on Saturday, April 14, 2018. This move is seen to make passport processes faster and more convenient. It will also make the system more efficient as it is expected to prevent fixers from reserving slots and then selling them to passport applicants. This new development in the DFA's passport application system is also seen to improve show-up rates.

Below is the statement:

PUBLIC ADVISORY

Public Advisory on the Live Testing of the Passport ePayment Facility in DFA-ASEANA
13 April 2018

The Department of Foreign Affairs informs the public that it is launching the Passport ePayment facility. The public is informed that for any appointments created for DFA Aseana from Saturday, 14 April 2018 onwards all appointments will require prepayment via the epayment facility. This is in preparation for the official launch of the passport ePayment facility.

The Passport ePayment facility is expected to not only to make the passport application process faster and more convenient, but more importantly, it is expected to make the process more efficient and effective for applicants. END

This new ePayment system also means that before you could set an appointment with the DFA's Passport Application System, you would be made to pay when you enter your details in the appointment system. So be sure that you really need that passport application appointment before making one.

The official launch of the passport e-payment system is yet to be announced.