Abu Dhabi and Dubai centres will close on June 30, with passport services moving to Philippine missions.
Dubai: Filipinos in the UAE will soon need to visit the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai directly for passport services, following the closure of the VFS Philippine ePassport Renewal Centres (PaRC).
In an advisory, the Philippine Embassy and Consulate General announced that the VFS PaRC centres at the World Trade Centre in Abu Dhabi and Wafi Mall in Dubai will cease operations on June 30, 2026.
“Starting July 1, 2026, all passport applications and renewals will be exclusively processed by the embassy in Abu Dhabi or the consulate general in Dubai,” the advisory stated.
What this means for applicants
From July 1, Filipinos looking to renew passports or submit new applications will no longer be able to use VFS centres. Instead, they will need to process their requests directly through the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai.
The move represents a significant change for residents who have relied on VFS facilities as a dedicated passport renewal channel in recent years.
What happens to unclaimed passports
Applicants whose renewed passports are already ready for collection are advised to pick them up before the centres close.
Those who are unable to do so by June 30 will not need to reapply or worry about losing access to their documents.
“All unclaimed passports and those processed by VFS PaRC – Abu Dhabi or Dubai until June 30, 2026 can be collected from the embassy and consulate from July 1, 2026 onwards.”
Who to contact
No official reason has been provided for the closure of the VFS PaRC centres.
Filipino residents planning to renew their passports are advised to take note of the new arrangements and confirm appointment procedures with the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai before visiting.
For inquiries and assistance regarding consular services and other concerns, Filipinos may contact the embassy at +971 50 813 7836 or the consulate at +971 4 220 7800, or reach out via their official email addresses.
