 |
| Team Japan 2020 |
We've just arrived home from DFA, or the Department of Foreign Affairs. Val and I renewed our passports and got Cyan's first-ever because we intend to travel to Japan next year.
Mind you, it's the start of the school year, and so Cyan has no school ID yet.
If you check DFA's website, one of the "optional" requirements for a child's new passport application is his school identification.
And because Cyan has no school ID yet, I went ahead and asked the school registrar to furnish us with a Certificate Of Enrollment. Just. To. Be. Sure.
Now, application day.
I was in the booth, and the Processor denied Cyan's passport application because "he has no school ID."
I presented Cyan's enrollment certificate with the official school seal. I argued how come they're not going to process his application when one, the school ID is just optional (according to their website), and two, the Certificate of Enrollment has more bearing than a school ID. Clearly, the Processor has no child.
I was so disappointed. And my son was obviously more disappointed because he was so excited to have his own passport—the look on my son's face... my heart breaks.
And there, I continued through the application processes.
While I was waiting in line to have my photo taken, I realized one thing: I will not wait for months to get another passport application for Cyan. I will not spend another trip and waste a day because of this irregularity in DFA's procedure.
I spoke to the Complaints Officer. Thank god they pointed me to the supervisor's booth. So, I went in and politely complained about how the Processor disapproved of my son's enrollment certificate and pointed out the website's error.
If you check DFA's website, one of the "optional" requirements for a child's new passport application is his school identification.
And because Cyan has no school ID yet, I went ahead and asked the school registrar to furnish us with a Certificate Of Enrollment. Just. To. Be. Sure.
Now, application day.
I was in the booth, and the Processor denied Cyan's passport application because "he has no school ID."
I presented Cyan's enrollment certificate with the official school seal. I argued how come they're not going to process his application when one, the school ID is just optional (according to their website), and two, the Certificate of Enrollment has more bearing than a school ID. Clearly, the Processor has no child.
I was so disappointed. And my son was obviously more disappointed because he was so excited to have his own passport—the look on my son's face... my heart breaks.
And there, I continued through the application processes.
While I was waiting in line to have my photo taken, I realized one thing: I will not wait for months to get another passport application for Cyan. I will not spend another trip and waste a day because of this irregularity in DFA's procedure.
I spoke to the Complaints Officer. Thank god they pointed me to the supervisor's booth. So, I went in and politely complained about how the Processor disapproved of my son's enrollment certificate and pointed out the website's error.
In minutes, literally, she approved Cyan's passport application.
I suppose the lesson here is to think ahead. If I hadn't done what I did and had his school enrollment certificate with me, I would be leaving with nothing for Cyan.
I suppose the lesson here is to think ahead. If I hadn't done what I did and had his school enrollment certificate with me, I would be leaving with nothing for Cyan.
Write a comment