Passport Application Requirement For Single Parents

Yesterday, I went to inquire about renewing my passport and my daughters and I was stumped knowing some degrading requirements needed for new passport applications because of the new system.

I think it was good that the travel agency staff I was talking to had listening disability as she informed me something I never knew before, that for a new passport application for a minor (age 0-17) of a child of a single parent or unwed mother would need to secure a Certificate of Illegitimacy from the National Statistics Office aside from acquiring a Certificate of No Marriage for the parent, Birth Certificate and Baptismal Certificate for the child.

This requirement is very discriminatory and should be removed from passport applications as nobody wanted to be branded as illegitimate.  Aside from the fact that what good does this document serve the government but an additional fee and trauma to the parent and child for having such a label with certificate given to him.

I hope this was just a fluke that the government overlooked and soon as in hopefully now they will remove this requirement for passport applications as it is very degrading and discriminatory.

In case the government ignores this then I suggest to all single parents or unwed mothers to get a passport for their child while they are below 8 so they would not have to secure a certificate of illegitimacy for their passport application and renewal in the future.