A Certificate of Status is a document issued by the immigration authorities of a country which confirms the status of a person as a permanent resident. The Philippine Consulate requires a Certificate of Status from Filipino-born Australian permanent residents who are applying for a Philippine passport as documentary proof that they have not yet acquired Australian citizenship.

The Philippine Consulate accepts two types of Certificate of Status issued by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), either is usable for the purpose of renewing the Philippine passport:

• Certificate of Evidence of Resident Status (CERS). The CERS is an official certificate which confirms a person has been granted Australian permanent residency and is not yet an Australian citizen. Information about the CERS and how it is obtained is provided at the DIAC website www.immi.gov.au, under the section > Visas, Immigration and Refugees > Migrants > Certificate of Status > Certificate of Evidence of Resident Status (CERS)

• Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO). VEVO is DIAC’s online facility for Australian visa holders to check their current visa details. VEVO enables visa holders to confirm their visa details without a visa label being placed in their passport. A visa holder can access his or her visa details and print a Result of Entitlement Check, which confirms the person’s status at the date of query. Information about the VEVO and how visa details can be checked is provided at the DIAC website www.immi.gov.au, under the section > Online Services > Check Work or Visa Entitlements (VEVO) > VEVO for Visa Holders