AUTHENTICATION AT DFA

GUIDELINES ON AUTHENTICATION

FUNCTIONS

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) performs its authentication function/services in the context of 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Given the existence of a multi-state system, aforesaid Convention stipulates that, among other things, the various kind of documents sourced from particular sovereign states (e.g. public documents, private documents, and commercial documents) shall have validity or operative effect in another sovereign state's legal jurisdiction after subjected to an agreed upon authentication procedure.

The DFA through the Authentication Division-Office of Consular Affairs may authenticate an act, deed documents etc. executed or sourced within Philippine legal jurisdiction by way of certifying said act, as follows: a) executed before a local notary public officer authorized to execute such functions, b) testified to by a public seal, c) rendered public by the authority of a competent magistrate, d) certified as being a copy of a public register. When these acts, deeds or documents have been duly authenticated by the Department, the receiving embassies or consulates or any other foreign legal entities are, in effect assured that aforesaid documents are in order or have been legalized in accordance with proper procedure. Foreign Embassies, Consulates and foreign legal entities may or may not require the authentication of documents sourced from the Philippines for use within their respective jurisdictions. However, under rules of reciprocity in international relations, sovereign states normally require authentication of foreign documents to be used.

The DFA authentication attest to the genuineness of the signature appearing on the attached certification for the purpose of identifying a specific document and giving credence to the official acts of the notary public or certifying officer thereon for use, if and when required, as instrument of evidence in foreign countries. As such, the DFA certification/authentication does not, per se, authenticate the validity/efficacy/enforceability of the basic document itself. However, the Authentication Officer is impressed with duties calling for carefulness and faithfulness whereby he must inform himself of the facts to which he intends to certify and avoid participation in illegal enterprises.

AUTHENTICATION PROCEDURES

A. PUBLIC/OFFICIALS DOCUMENTS

Public / Official Documents	Authenticating Government Agencies (in consecutive order)
1. Birth Certificate/Death Certificate Marriage Contract or Certificate Certification of No Marriage Record	a. NSO b. Malacañang c. DFA
2. Certificate of Muslim Tribal Affiliation* Certificate of Conversion to Islam	a. OMA* b. Shari'a Court, Zamboanga c. OMA d. NSO e. Malacañang* f. DFA*
3. NBI Clearance	a. NBI b. Malacañang c. DFA
4.LTO Certificate Driver’s License	a. LTO (Main Office, Quezon City) b. Malacañang c. DFA
5. Report of Rating Certificate of Registration Certification of Good Standing Professional License	a. PRC b. Malacañang c. DFA
6. Community Tax Certificate	a. City Treasurer’s Office b. Malacañang c. DFA
7. Barangay Certification	a. Barangay Chairman b. Mayor c. Malacañang d. DFA
8. Voter’s ID/Certificate	a. COMELEC Manila b. Malacañang c. DFA
9. Travel Clearance of a Filipino Minor without Accompanying Parents	a. DSWD b. Malacañang c. DFA
10. Alien Certificate of Registration Immigrant/Native-Born Residence Certificate	a. Bureau of Immigration b. Malacañang c. DFA

B. PRIVATE DOCUMENTS

1. SCHOOL RECORDS
College Diploma and Transcript of Records Special Order Certificate of Enrollment/Report of Grades Certification of Graduation	a. School b. CHED (depending on the region) c. Malacañang d. DFA
Secondary/Elementary Diploma and Form 137-A, Special Order Certification of Graduation Certificate of Enrollment/Report of Grades	a. School b. DECS (depending on the region) c. Malacañang d. DFA
Diploma on Technical and Skills Development Courses Transcript of Records Certificate of Enrollment/Report of Grades Certification of Graduation	a. School b. TESDA (depending on the region) c. Malacañang d. DFA
2. PERSONAL RECORDS
Medical Certificate AIDS-Free Certificate	a. Clinic/Hospital b. DOH-BLR c. Malacañang d. DFA
3. AFFIDAVITS
Employment Certificates Job Description Training Certificates Agreement/Contract Affidavit of Support and Guaranty Affidavit of Parental Consent / Single Status Affidavit of Loss Special Power of Attorney GOSI Forms Doctor’s Affidavit	a. Notary Public b. Regional Trial Court c. Malacañang d. DFA
Court Decision/Court Order	a. Regional Trial Court b. Malacañang c. DFA

C. COMMERCIAL & EXPORT DOCUMENTS

Certificate of Origin Commercial Invoice Packing List/Recap Sheet Bill of Lading/Air Way Bill Shipping Agent’s Certificate Quarantine Clearance Certificate Weight Certification/Weight List Manufacturer’s Certificate Beneficiary Certificate Commodity Clearance Insurance Certification Others

For Certificates of Origin issued by the Bureau of Customs: a. Bureau of Customs b. Malacañang c. DFA Otherwise, and for all other documents: a. PCCI b. DFA

D. FOREIGN DOCUMENTS

a. Consul of Philippine Embassy/Consulate or of concerned Foreign Embassy in the Philippines b. DFA

DIRECTORY OF OFFICES

DFA Authentication Division, Office of Consular Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs South wing Lobby, 2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila Tel. No. 834-4000 Authentication fee: P100.00 Processing period: Five (5) working days	DECS-NCR Department of Education, Culture and Sports-National Capital Region Misamis St., Bago Bantay, Quezon City Tel. No. 921-5630 Authentication fee: P30.00 Processing period: Five (5) working days
Malacañang Authentication Unit, Legal Office, Office of the President, Malacañang 1610 J.P. Laurel St., Watson Building, Malacañang , San Miguel, Manila Tel. No. 733-36-03 Authentication fee: P50.00 Processing period: One (1) working day	DOH-BLR Bureau of Licensing and Regulation, Department of Health San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila / Tel. No. 711-6982 Authentication fee: P10.00 Processing period: Two (2) working days
CHED-NCR Commission on Higher Education-National Capital Region 6th floor, Pacific Corporate Center, 131 West Avenue, Quezon City Tel. No. 373-5551 to 53 Authentication fee: P40.00 Processing period: Five (5) working days	DSWD-NCR Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region San Rafael St., Legarda, Manila Tel. No. 734-8637 No fee for Travel Clearance Processing period: Five (5) working days
COMELEC Commission on Elections Intramuros, Manila 527-9362	LTO Land Transportation Office East Avenue, Quezon City Tel. No. 926-7081 Authentication fee: P30.00 Processing period: Three (3) to four (4) working days
NSO National Statistics Office Filing: East Avenue, Quezon City (in front of Social Security System (SSS) building) Tel. No. 927-8672 NSO Hotline Plus (Teleserv):737-1111 Releasing: Vibal Building, EDSA cor. Times St., West Triangle, Quezon City Authentication fee/Processing Period: P25.00 for birth, marriage and death certificates/Average of Seven (7) days P25.00 for Certificates of Conversion to Islam P80 for Certification of No Marriage Record/Average of Fifteen (15) days	PCCI Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry 14th Floor, Multinational Bank Corporation Center 6805 Ayala Avenue, Makati City Tel.No. 843-3374 / 843-3176 Certification/Authentication fee: < $10,000 bracket: -P250 for non-members -P100 for members $10,000 to $20,000 bracket: -P300 for non-members -P125 for members Released on the same day
NBI National Bureau of Investigation Taft Ave., Ermita, Manila Tel. No. 551-0249 Authentication fee: P100.00 Processing period: Three (3) to four (4) working days	OMA Office of Muslim Affairs Ablaza Bldg., 117 E. Rodriguez Ave., 1102 Quezon City Tel. No. 742-2711 to 16 Authentication fee: P10.00 for documentary stamp P10.00 for lamination Processing period:Fifteen (15) working days
PRC Professional Regulations Commission P. Paredes, Sampaloc, Manila Tel. No. 735-4671 to 74 Authentication fee: P50.00 No fixed processing time	RTC Regional Trial Court having jurisdiction over the area where Notary Public holds office/where affidavit was notarized (e.g. RTC of Manila, RTC of Pasay etc.)
TESDA-NCR Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-NCR TESDA Complex, East Service Road, South Superhighway, Taguig, M. Mla. Tel. No. 815-3343 Authentication fee: P30.00 No fixed processing time

NOTICE:

All applications should be made in person by the applicant except under certain circumstances (e.g. documents filed by his/her immediate kin).

Application not paid within 24 hours shall be disposed of.

WARNING

Any spurious, fake, or tampered documents submitted for authentication are subject to outright seizure upon proper determination by the DFA Authentication Officer. Holder of said documents, as well as fixers are liable to prosecution.