Maria Venus Raj is good to go for the 59th Miss Universe pageant after finally obtaining a passport from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on May 21.

Atty. Gigi Martinez, Raj’s lawyer, said they did not have a hard time having the passport processed.

“Just like any other applicant, we just submitted her birth certificate authenticated by the NSO (National Statistics Office) and a duly filled up application form. And then, wala na, nag-usap lang ‘yong committee. And she’s a Filipino citizen e. Citizenship was never an issue,” said Atty. Martinez on “24 Oras,” May 21.

“Based on the documents she presented, based on the interviews and the evaluation of the Citizenship Evaluation Committee, napagpasyahan na ma-issue ang passport para kay Ms. Venus Raj,” announced DFA Asst. Sec. Jose Victor Leda in a separate interview.

A valid Philippine passport was the condition posed by the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) in order to reinstate the 21-year-old Bicolana beauty of her Binibining Pilipinas-Universe title. The organization previously dethroned Venus after discovering "inconsistencies" in her birth records vis-à-vis her personal testimonies.

Raj was born in Doha, Qatar, to a Filipina mother and an Indian father. By virtue of the jus sanguinis (“right of blood”) principle stated in the Philippine Constitution, a  person acquires the citizenship of his father or mother regardless of where he was born.

An elated Raj now looks back on her trials as “blessings in disguise.”

“Hindi rin po ako magiging ganito kasaya kung wala akong pinagdaanang mga trials before,” she enthused.

The cum laude journalism graduate has already told the BPCI of the news, and she can now fully concentrate on her training for the pageant, which will take place on August 23 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Helen Nicolette Henson, who was up to replace Raj in the pageant if she didn't get her passport, congratulated the latter via Twitter.

“Venus just called, she got her passport already. Congratulations te! =) Let's all support and pray for Venus! Go Philippines! :),” she posted on May 21.

Raj got her passport -- but can she get the crown?

“Noon pa lang, pagkapanalo ko ng Binibing Pilipinas-Universe, tinatak ko na sa isip ko na mananalo ako. Kung iisipin mo, pag-iigihan mo, you will work on it, you will win. And I will win,” she declared.