Category: Visa Documents

Filipinos in the UAE use one of two Philippine government offices, chosen by where you live.

• Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi: for Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Philippine Consulate General in Dubai: for Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

Both handle passports (since VFS closed in July 2026), NBI fingerprints, civil registry, dual citizenship and notarial work, mostly by online appointment. Worker matters such as OWWA and the OFW Pass go through the Migrant Workers Office (MWO).

Checked on 30 October 2026 against the Embassy’s and Consulate’s websites and our individual guides. Sources are at the end.

Which office serves you?

Services and where to find each guide

How to book an appointment

1. Use the office for your emirate (table above).
2. Open the online appointment system from the office’s own website. For the Embassy this is the Global Online Appointment System (GOAS).
3. Choose the service, such as passport renewal, minor’s passport or NBI fingerprinting, then pick a date.
4. Print the confirmation and any application form the system produces.
5. Arrive on time with originals and copies.

Booking is free. The Embassy warns against “fixers” who sell slots. Report anyone charging for appointments.

Emergencies and help for distressed workers

Both offices have an Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) section for Filipinos in distress, such as detention, serious illness, a death or abuse. For work problems, such as unpaid salary or a held passport, contact the Migrant Workers Office. UAE labour complaints go to MOHRE (600590000). Keep the ATN hotline from your office’s website saved in your phone.

Tips that save a second visit

• Order PSA documents early. Birth and marriage certificates from the Philippines take weeks to reach the UAE.
• Bring photocopies. Most services ask for copies as well as originals.
• Check your details on screen during passport biometrics. Errors found later need a new paid application.
• Follow the mission’s social media for holiday closures and outreach (“consular caravan”) dates in other emirates.

Questions people ask

Can I renew my Philippine passport at VFS in Dubai?

No. The VFS ePassport Renewal Centers closed on 30 June 2026. Renewals are now done at the Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai.

I live in Sharjah. Which office do I use?

The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, which serves Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

Do I need an appointment at the Philippine Consulate in Dubai?

For most services, yes, booked online. Collecting a passport in person generally doesn’t need one, but representatives may need a release appointment.

Where do I renew OWWA in the UAE?

Through the Migrant Workers Office or the OWWA online channels. Membership costs AED 92 for 2 years.

Related guides for Filipinos in the UAE

• Visa-free countries for Filipinos in the UAE
• Japan visa for Filipinos in the UAE
• South Korea visa for Filipinos in the UAE
• Balikbayan privilege for foreign spouses and children

Sources

• Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi: abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph
• Philippine Consulate General in Dubai: dubaipcg.dfa.gov.ph
• Wego: Philippine passport services in the UAE move to the embassy and consulate (2026)

Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches rules from government sources. Sifqa is independent and not affiliated with the Philippine government. Read the editorial policy.

Last checked 30 October 2026. Found an error? Email ionicwaleed@gmail.com and it will be fixed and logged.

If you are an OFW in the UAE going home on vacation, the paperwork has changed. The printed OEC is gone. Returning workers now use the OFW Pass, a free digital exit clearance in the eGovPH or DMW Mobile app, linked to your employment record. Separately, every traveller, OFWs included, registers on eTravel for each international flight to or from the Philippines.

Checked on 21 October 2026 against the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Migrant Workers Office in Dubai. Sources at the end.

Checklist at a glance

The OFW Pass

The DMW folded the Overseas Employment Certificate into a digital OFW Pass, rolled out in late 2025. For a balik-manggagawa — a worker returning to the same employer, same job and same country — it is the exit clearance. No printed OEC is needed.

Unlike the old OEC, which was single-use and valid for 60 days, the OFW Pass is linked to your employment contract and stays valid until the contract ends, according to Gulf News reporting on the DMW rollout.

How to get it

1. Download the eGovPH app (or the DMW Mobile App).
2. Register with your email and mobile number, and complete identity verification.
3. In eGovPH, go to the NGA tab, choose DMW, then Balik Manggagawa, then Travel Pass.
4. Complete your profile: passport, UAE residence visa or Emirates ID, and employer details. Check that your employer and jobsite are correct.
5. Wait for DMW verification — allow several working days.
6. Screenshot the QR code so you can show it at the airport without internet.

Changed employer in the UAE?

If your employer or job changed since your last deployment record, your details in the system will not match. Have your new employment contract verified by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Dubai or Abu Dhabi before you travel, so the DMW record can be updated. Do this well before your flight.

eTravel

eTravel is the Philippines’ free digital arrival and departure card. Everyone travelling internationally to or from the Philippines registers — Filipinos, foreigners, OFWs.

• Register on the official eTravel website or in the eGovPH app.
• Do it within 72 hours before your flight.
• Register separately for your flight home and your flight back to the UAE. Each registration covers one trip.
• It is free. Ignore websites that charge for eTravel.

Travel tax and terminal fees

OFWs are exempt from the Philippine travel tax and the airport terminal fee when they leave to return to work. Your OFW Pass QR code is the proof airport and airline staff use to apply these exemptions. If your ticket already includes travel tax, ask for a refund through TIEZA.

Family members travelling with you are not automatically exempt. A foreign spouse or child entering under the balikbayan privilege may qualify for a travel tax exemption if the stay is one year or less. See our balikbayan guide.

On the UAE side

• Residence visa: make sure it is valid on the day you fly back. If it will expire during your vacation, renew before you leave.
• Six-month rule: UAE residents who stay outside the UAE for more than six months in a row can have their residence cancelled, unless an exemption applies. A normal vacation is far below this.
• Passport: renewing in the Philippines during your vacation? Your UAE residence is linked to your passport number — update your passport details with the UAE authorities after you return.

Questions people ask

Do I still need an OEC to go home from Dubai?

No printed OEC. Returning OFWs with the same employer use the free digital OFW Pass in the eGovPH or DMW app.

Is the OFW Pass valid for every vacation?

It is tied to your current employment contract, not to one trip. If you change employer, update your record first.

Do OFWs need eTravel?

Yes. Everyone registers on eTravel within 72 hours of each international flight, both ways. It is free.

Related guides

• OWWA membership in the UAE
• Philippine passport renewal in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
• Balikbayan privilege for foreign spouses and children

Sources

• Department of Migrant Workers / MWO Osaka — Roll-out of OFW Pass system (22 October 2025): dmw.gov.ph
• Gulf News — “No more OEC: UAE Filipinos now need an OFW Travel Pass” (26 November 2025) and “OFW pass and eTravel: everything you need to know” (22 February 2026)
• Migrant Workers Office Dubai — OWWA membership: mwodubai.org
• TIEZA — Travel tax exemption: tieza.gov.ph

Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.

Last checked 21 October 2026. Found an error? Email ionicwaleed@gmail.com — it gets fixed and logged.

Philippine passport renewal in the UAE moved on 1 July 2026. The two VFS-run ePassport Renewal Centers at the World Trade Center in Abu Dhabi and Wafi Mall in Dubai closed on 30 June 2026. Renewals are now handled directly by the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai. You book online, pay AED 240 on the day, and collect your new passport after about 5 to 8 weeks.

Checked on 21 October 2026 against the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Sources at the end.

At a glance

When to renew

The Embassy advises booking one year before your passport expires. Appointments fill up months ahead, and many countries refuse entry if your passport has less than six months left. Your UAE residence visa is also tied to your passport, so don’t let it run close to expiry.

Booking an appointment

1. Go to the Embassy’s Global Online Appointment System (GOAS) at abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph/goas, or the Consulate’s equivalent link for Dubai residents.
2. Choose adult ePassport renewal and a date.
3. Print the completed application form.

Booking is free. New slots are released during working hours, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, Sunday to Thursday, per the Embassy. Report anyone selling appointment slots — the Embassy calls them fixers.

What to bring

• Confirmed appointment.
• Printed, completed application form.
• Current ePassport and a photocopy of the data page.
• AED 240 for the fee.
• If your name has changed: original PSA documents, such as a PSA marriage certificate (for a married woman using her husband’s surname), an annotated birth certificate, or a spouse’s death certificate.

On the day

1. Get a priority number at the information counter.
2. A processor checks your form and documents.
3. Pay at the cashier.
4. Give your biometrics.
5. Check your details on screen carefully. The Embassy says errors found after this step can only be fixed through another paid renewal.

Collecting your new passport

• Check the e-Passport Release list on the mission’s website before you go.
• Bring your old passport (it will be cancelled) and your receipt.
• Only you may collect, except that either parent can collect a minor’s passport, and an immediate family member can collect with an authorisation letter and a copy of their valid ID.
• Passports not claimed within six months are sent back to the DFA in Manila.

After you collect it: your UAE residence visa is linked to your old passport number. Update your new passport details with the UAE immigration authority (ICP, or GDRFA for Dubai) and your employer.

Lost or damaged passport

• Fee: AED 600.
• A UAE police report (with English translation if needed) and a notarised affidavit of loss.
• If you have a copy of the lost passport, the Embassy says a PSA birth certificate and valid ID are not required. Without a copy, a PSA birth certificate is needed and you are processed as a new applicant.

Questions people ask

Can I still renew my Philippine passport at VFS Wafi Mall?

No. The VFS ePassport Renewal Centers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi closed on 30 June 2026. Renewals are now at the Consulate General in Dubai or the Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

How much is Philippine passport renewal in the UAE?

AED 240 for a standard adult renewal, and AED 600 for a lost or frequently lost passport.

How long does renewal take?

About 5 to 8 weeks. Check the e-Passport Release list before going to collect.

Related guides

• OFW vacation from the UAE
• NBI clearance from the UAE
• Visa-free countries for Filipinos in the UAE

Sources

• Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi — Passport renewal: abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph
• Philippine Consulate General in Dubai — Passport procedures: dubaipcg.dfa.gov.ph
• Wego — Philippine passport services in the UAE move to Embassy and Consulate (25 June 2026), reporting the missions’ advisory

Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.

Last checked 21 October 2026. Found an error? Email ionicwaleed@gmail.com — it gets fixed and logged.

Filipinos abroad often need an NBI clearance — the Philippines’ certificate that you have no criminal record — for immigration to Canada or Australia, a new job, or a UAE family visa. You cannot walk into an NBI office from Dubai, so the process has three parts: get your fingerprints on NBI Form No. 5 here, sign a Special Power of Attorney for someone in the Philippines, and have that person file it with the NBI.

Checked on 21 October 2026 against the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai. Sources at the end.

At a glance

Two ways to get your fingerprints taken

Option 1: at the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai

Book a slot on the Consulate’s notarial appointment portal. Bring:

• Completed NBI Form No. 5 (available at the Consulate reception).
• Two copies of a completed Special Power of Attorney naming your representative in the Philippines.
• One 2×2 ID photo with a white background, attached to the form.
• Three copies of your passport identification page.

A Consulate processor takes your fingerprints. You must sign in person in front of a consular officer.

Option 2: at a UAE police station

You can have UAE police or CID take your fingerprints on NBI Form No. 5. The form must carry the office seal and the officer’s signature. Attach a 2×2 photo. You still need the Special Power of Attorney for your representative, notarised at the Consulate.

Step by step

1. Choose your representative in the Philippines — a family member or friend who can visit the NBI.
2. Book an appointment at the Consulate (notarial services).
3. Get fingerprinted on NBI Form No. 5 and sign the SPA in front of the consular officer.
4. Send the originals by courier to your representative: the fingerprint card, the SPA and passport copies.
5. Your representative files it at the NBI Clearance Center and pays the fee there.
6. Receive the clearance by courier. If you need it for another country, ask your representative to have it apostilled by the DFA before sending it.

Common uses in the UAE

• Immigration abroad: Canada, Australia and New Zealand ask for police certificates from every country you have lived in, including the Philippines. See UAE police clearance for immigration for the UAE side.
• Jobs: some UAE employers and licensing bodies, especially in health and education, ask for a home-country police certificate.
• Apostille: documents used outside the Philippines usually need a DFA apostille. Check what the receiving country or employer asks for.

Mistakes to avoid

• Paying a fixer for a “fast” clearance. The Consulate warns that fake or tampered documents are seized and holders can be prosecuted.
• Smudged fingerprints. A rejected card means starting again.
• Forgetting that NBI clearances are valid for a limited time. Time your application to the deadline of the visa or job you need it for.

Questions people ask

Can I get an NBI clearance online from Dubai?

Not fully. Applicants abroad need fingerprints on NBI Form No. 5 and a representative in the Philippines to file it.

Can Dubai Police take my fingerprints for the NBI?

Yes. The Consulate accepts NBI Form No. 5 completed by UAE police or CID, if it carries the office seal and the officer’s signature.

Do I need an appointment at the Consulate?

Yes. NBI-related services are by appointment through the Consulate’s notarial appointment portal.

Related guides

• UAE police clearance certificate for immigration
• Canada PR from the UAE
• Philippine passport renewal in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Sources

• Philippine Consulate General in Dubai — NBI clearance: dubaipcg.dfa.gov.ph
• National Bureau of Investigation: nbi.gov.ph

Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.

Last checked 21 October 2026. Found an error? Email ionicwaleed@gmail.com — it gets fixed and logged.

OWWA — the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration — is the Philippine government’s welfare fund for OFWs. Membership gives access to death and disability benefits, medical assistance, scholarships for your children, livelihood loans and repatriation help. In Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) Dubai charges AED 92, and membership lasts two years — even if you change employer during that time.

Checked on 21 October 2026 against the Migrant Workers Office in Dubai. Sources at the end.

At a glance

What you need

First-time or newly hired members

• OFW Information Sheet (download from the MWO Dubai website).
• Passport and Emirates ID (original or copy).
• Employment contract verified by the MWO.
• Certificate of employment with company seal (issued within the last month), latest payslip, or latest salary certificate.

Renewal with the same employer

• OFW Information Sheet.
• Passport and Emirates ID.
• Certificate of employment with company seal (within the last month) or latest payslip.

How to join or renew

1. Check your status in the OWWA mobile app.
2. Prepare the documents above.
3. Pay AED 92 at MWO Dubai (Dubai and Northern Emirates), or at the MWO in Abu Dhabi if you live there, or use the app’s payment channels.
4. Check that it shows as active in the app. MWO Dubai notes that bank and e-wallet payments can take 1–3 banking days to appear.

Membership takes effect when the contribution is paid. If your membership expired more than 90 days ago, MWO Dubai directs you to the nearest Overseas Welfare Office or Regional Welfare Office.

What active members can use

Each programme has its own eligibility rules and amounts. Ask OWWA Dubai or check the OWWA website before you apply.

Questions people ask

How much is OWWA membership in Dubai?

AED 92 at MWO Dubai, for two years.

Does my OWWA membership end if I change employer?

No. MWO Dubai says membership is valid for two years regardless of contract length or change of employer.

When can I renew?

Up to 90 days before your membership expires.

Related guides

• OFW vacation from the UAE: OFW Pass, eTravel and travel tax
• Philippine passport renewal in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Sources

• Migrant Workers Office Dubai — OWWA membership application: mwodubai.org
• Overseas Workers Welfare Administration: owwa.gov.ph

Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.

Last checked 21 October 2026. Found an error? Email ionicwaleed@gmail.com — it gets fixed and logged.