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Certified Philippine Passport Translation
Certified translation of the documents that establish identity and nationality in the Philippines, including the registry annotations and endorsements that carry the legal effect and that a reader unfamiliar with the system will otherwise skip.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, up to 250 words. No hidden fees.
100% USCIS acceptance
Every certified translation is guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
The middle name is the mother's maiden surname
A Philippine passport prints a middle name field, and it holds the mother's maiden surname rather than a given middle name. That is the Filipino naming convention and it is not optional or decorative.
A US system treating it as a given middle name, or dropping it, breaks the link between the passport and the birth certificate — where the same element appears. We label it for what it is.
The DFA, and the PSA certificate behind it
Passports are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the supporting document is a PSA birth certificate on security paper. Any change to the civil registry record — a change of first name under RA 9048, use of the father's surname under RA 9255, legitimation — appears as an annotation on the PSA certificate.
So where a passport and an older document differ, the annotated PSA certificate explains it. A Local Civil Registrar copy is a different document and offices frequently insist on the PSA issue.
Married women, and the surname choice
A married Filipina may keep her maiden name, use her husband's surname, or use her maiden surname with his added, and the passport reflects whichever she elected. There is no automatic change on marriage.
So a marriage certificate does not by itself explain a surname on a passport, and a passport in a maiden name is not evidence of anything about the marriage. We translate what each document says.
English, and when you need us
Philippine passports and PSA certificates are printed in English, so a translation is frequently unnecessary and we would rather you kept the money. Ask the office first.
What does need translating is a document carrying Filipino, Cebuano or another Philippine language, or an annotation that is hard to read. See our Philippine birth certificate page.
Ordering, and what the certification covers
Upload the document, choose certified translation at $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, and it comes back typically within 24 hours as a PDF formatted to mirror the original, with a signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead. Marginal annotations are translated in place, in the margin, and every seal, stamp and registry endorsement is translated with the text. See how we translate and certified versus standard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the middle name on a Philippine passport?
The mother's maiden surname. It is the Filipino convention and it links the passport to the birth certificate.
My passport and birth certificate show different surnames.
Check the PSA certificate for an annotation — RA 9048, RA 9255 or legitimation each produce one.
Does marriage change the surname automatically?
No. A Filipina may keep her maiden name or adopt her husband's, and the passport reflects her election.
Do I need a translation?
Usually not — Philippine passports and PSA certificates are in English. Ask the office first.
Ready to get started?
Upload the document and receive the certified translation, typically within 24 hours.