Dubai, December 21: The Philippine Consulate has clarified to the Filipino expatriates in Dubai and the Northern Emirates that they can travel with their old non-Machine Readable green passports issued before April 1, 2010, till the date of expiry mentioned on them.
The clarification was issued in answer to queries from members of the Filipino community whose old green passports are valid beyond April 1, 2010.
Vice-Consul Edwin Mendoza told Khaleej Times that the old green passports will still be acceptable abroad for travel until their expiry date despite the introduction of the new brown Machine-Readable Passports issued in compliance with the Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
He said that lCAO has mandated all ICAO member countries, including the Philippines, to issue at least Machine-Readable Passports (MRPs) by April 1, 2010. Vice-Consul Mendoza also said that applicants for the MRPs are reminded to renew their passports at least six months before the date of intended travel.
–Agencies