Based on a recent announcement by the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consulate Affairs (DFA-OCA), "Married women who will renew their passports may now voluntarily revert to their maiden names once." This comes after the passing of the Philippine Passport Act (Republic Act. No. 11983).
What you need
Before anything, ensure that all valid identification cards and official documents reflect your maiden name.
Provide the following upon application:
- 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
- Latest-issued Philippine passport or travel document
- Any valid and existing Government-issued ID accepted for passport application, reflecting the maiden name of the passport applicant
From the DFA-OCA's announcement, married women can also revert to their maiden name by virtue of an annulment, declaration of nullity of marriage, legal separation, judicially-recognized foreign divorce, or death of a husband. For these unique cases, applicants need only provide the necessary documents to do so.
For death of spouse:
- Submission of an 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
- An original and photocopy of a PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth or PSA Report of Birth
- Latest-issued Philippine passport (if available)
For 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
- An original and photocopy of a PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth or PSA Report of Birth
- Latest-issued Philippine passport (if available)