How To Get A Postal ID In The Philippines

In this comprehensive guide, I am going to tell you everything you need to know about getting a new postal ID in the Philippines. I will show you the exact steps on how to avail of the ID as well as the requirements you must fulfill to ensure that you get the card as quickly as possible. The good thing about postal IDs is that you can get them in any post office in the country. It's one of the easiest and fastest to obtain identification cards in the Philippines. Since it's issued by the government, it's widely accepted as a means of identification in both public and private transactions. Most banks and other financial institutions in the country honor the ID as proof of identity for sensitive banking transactions.

Here are the steps you need to take in applying for a postal ID in the Philippines:
1. Get at least two copies of the application form. You can get them at the nearest postal office or you can download them from the PhilPost website.
2. Completely fill up the forms.
3. Gather all the requirements.
4. Submit the required documents for screening.
5. Go to the nearest PhilPost ID capture station to have your photo and fingerprints taken.
6. That's it. If you complete all of the above, all you need to do now is wait for the new ID card to be delivered to you. Delivery can take between 15 to 30 days.
7. If the card isn't delivered to you, visit the postal office where you applied to check the status of your card.

How much does a new postal ID cost?
According to the official website of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost), the price of a new Philippine postal ID is five hundred and four (504) pesos. The breakdown of the cost is as follows: 450 for the card including the delivery fee and 54 for the 12% value-added tax (VAT). According to PhilPost, this amount remains the same for all postal offices in the country. However, this doesn't seem to be true because some people are reporting that they paid more while others say that they paid less. In short, the fee for the card may either be higher or lower in your location.
How To Get The New Philippine Postal ID
How long will the ID be valid?
It will be valid for three (3) years starting from the day you received the card. This validity period applies to all Filipinos and for foreign residents who have a Special Retiree's Resident Visa or SRRV. For foreign residents who don't have an SRRV, the validity period is only one (1) year. You can see if your card is still valid or not by looking at the expiry date which is clearly imprinted on the card.

Here's the updated list of requirements when getting a postal ID in the Philippines:
1. Two (2) copies of duly-accomplished application forms.
2. Proof of identity. (See below list of documents that are accepted by PhilPost as proof of identity.)
3. Proof of address. (See below list of documents that are accepted by PhilPost as proof of address.)

List of documents that are accepted by PhilPost as proof of identity:
1. Birth certificate issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) or local civil registry
2. GSIS or SSS UMID card
3. Driver's license
4. Passport
5. BIR ID
6. Baptismal certificate
7. Certificate of birth from the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)
8. Certificate of birth from the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF)
9. Certificate of marriage from the NCIP
10. Certificate of marriage from the NCMF
11. College or post-graduate transcript of records (TOR) with readable dry seal
12. Confirmation certificate
13. Elementary or high school form 137 with readable dry seal
14. Marriage certificate in SECPA issued by NSO
15. Marriage certificate issued by LCR
16. Alumni ID
17. School ID
18. Company ID
19. Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID
20. NBI clearance bearing digitized photo
21. OWWA ID
22. Pag-ibig ID
23. PhilHealth ID
24. PRC ID
25. Police clearance
26. Seaman's book
27. Senior citizen ID
28. Voter's ID

List of documents that are accepted by PhilPost as proof of address:
1. Barangay certificate of residency
2. Certified true copy of lease
3. School billing statement
4. Utility bill
5. Credit card statement
6. Bank statement
7. Certified true copy of real estate tax receipt
8. Certified true copy of titles issued by the Land Registration Authority (LRA)

Other important notes:
1. Married women should bring with them a marriage certificate in the event that they need to validate the change in their surname from the one one shown in their birth document.
2. With regards to replacement of a lost or stolen ID, most of the steps and requirements are the same. it's still advisable that you visit where you registered and ask what steps you must take.