Regular PH ePassports to display document type code 'PP' starting this March

Regular Philippine ePassports will now display a new two-letter document code, "PP," effective March 1.

In an advisory, the Department of Foreign Affairs said that this change is to uphold international standards on travel document security and global interoperability persuant to the International Civil Aviation Organization. The group's Doc 9303 states that countries must adopt harmonized secondary document type indicators in their passport issuances.

"The adoption of the 'PP' code further strengthens the integrity and consistency of Philippin passports, ensuring their continued recognition and acceptance worldwide," the agency stated.

The code will appear on both the Visual Inspection Zone, the page for your photo and details, under "Uri/Type", and the Machine Readable Zone. Currently, Philippine passports carry the single-letter code "P."

ePassports with the "P" code issued before March 1 will remain valid until their expiration. 

DFA added that the implementation of the "PP" code does not affect any travel procedures and requirements.

This isn't the first time such a change was made. In 2010, the DFA replaced "RP" as the official abbreviation for the Philippines on passports with "PHL," in line with the International Organization for Standardization code.

Recently, the DFA reminded passport holders to refrain from putting unauthorized stamps or markings on their documents, as this would render them invalid.

The Philippine passport ranked 73rd in the 2026 Henley Passport Index. It allows Pinoy travelers access to up to 64 countries globally without a visa.