DFA: Passport thieves target HK Pinoys

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday warned Filipino tourists in Hong Kong against pickpockets amid an increase in reported theft of Philippine passports.

The DFA, through the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, urged Filipino tourists to be more vigilant in securing their belongings.

“Due to the rising incidents of lost personal belongings, including theft of Philippine passports in Hong Kong, the Philippine Consulate General is urging the public to be vigilant and take extra precautions,” the consulate said.


It added, “[The month of] October saw an increasing number of requests from Filipino tourists for the issuance of one-way travel document to the Philippines after reporting the loss of their passports due to theft.”

OFW’s queue at Central, Hong Kong to send remitanses and exchange Hong Kong Dollar to Philippine peso. File Photo

“We, likewise, advice the public to always keep a photocopy and secure their passports in a safe place,” the consulate said.


Lost passports must be immediately reported to the Hong Kong Police, it added.

The DFA earlier advised the public that pursuant to the 2018 International Civil Aviation Organization audit of the Philippines, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong “shall no longer extend the validity of passport except for the following cases, and only after an applicant has applied for the renewal of his/her passport and submission of documents in support of such cases/s: death of an immediate family member, medical emergency involving the applicant or any immediate family member and urgent work-related travel.”


“Please be guided that extension of validity of passport does not guarantee admission to a foreign country,” the DFA said.

“All Filipinos are reminded to renew their passports at least eight months before the expiry date to avoid any inconvenience,” it added.

Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that were sparked by a proposal to extradite to mainland China those who commit crimes in the former British colony had led to the withdrawal of the plan by Hong Kong authorities.


Hong Kong has officially been part of China since 1997 handover as a Special Administrative Region.

It has been a long-time favorite travel and shopping destination for many Filipinos and, in recent years, had seen an influx of Filipino workers mostly employed as domestic helpers.

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This article first appeared on The Manila Times.