Dual Citizenship: Enjoying the Best of Two Nations

There’s no place like home, do you agree? No matter where you’ve been, you will always compare your native land to the foreign country you see, work, and live in. This is especially true for Filipinos who chose to migrate and became naturalized citizens in different parts of the world. After they have seen all there is in their chosen place, you can’t help but still miss the good part of being back home in the Philippines. 

On the other hand, you still want to enjoy the benefits of your current host country. You can’t help but think, is there a way I can enjoy the best of both worlds? Good news! Yes, you can. You just know how to apply for dual citizenship.

Dual Citizen Perks You Can Enjoy in the Philippines

If you’re thinking of why a person chooses to reacquire Philippine citizenship, we’ve listed some of the civil, economic, and political benefits you can enjoy as soon as you choose to have dual citizenship under existing Philippine laws. 

1. Travel with a Philippine passport

The Philippines may not yet be one of the most powerful, but it can give you visa-free access to sixty-six destinations worldwide. Furthermore, a Philippine passport immediately can serve as an official identification certificate you can choose to present for business and legal transactions undertaken in the country.

2. Own real property in the Philippines

Because you are now a dual citizen, you can now enjoy the rights that only Filipino citizens can enjoy. Among the major perk of dual citizenship is acquiring properties anywhere available in the Philippines. Are you looking for a rest house near the beach? How about a farm near the mountains? No matter where you want to buy a property in the Philippines, you can have it legally placed under your name because you also have Filipino citizenship along with your foreign citizenship.

3. Engage and conduct business and commerce as a Filipino citizen

Alongside acquiring properties, you can now engage in creating jobs and commerce in the Philippines. You can make your dual citizenship life sustainable when you open a business. With this, you can either turn properties into vacation homes and resorts for a profitable income, or you can just enjoy island-hopping and traveling all over the Philippines. 

4. Practice one’s profession

Should you wish to participate in socio-civic activities, such as practicing your degrees from abroad to the country, you can do so provided that you secure a special permit or license issued by the Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), or the Supreme Court in the case of lawyers.

5. Exercise your right to vote for Philippine government officials

Another legal right you can practice as soon as your dual citizenship takes effect is that of the right to vote. You can even do so without returning to the country, all you have to do is to do overseas voting in the nearest Philippine Embassy near you as per the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003. Kindly note that you can only vote for the Philippine national elections, meaning only for the President, Vice President, senators, and party list. 

Who Qualifies for a Dual Citizenship?

According to the Dual Citizenship Law (R.A. 9225 otherwise known as the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003) of the Republic of the Philippines, former natural-born Filipinos who live and work abroad who became naturalized citizens of another country can reattain or reacquire Philippine citizenship through an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines before a Philippine consular officer.

As part of the principle of the derivative citizenship under RA 9225, all unmarried children under the age of eighteen (18), regardless of legitimacy, adopted or birthed, by at least a Former Filipino parent, may also be deemed Filipino citizens, as long as they are included by their parents in the application, and the requisites fulfilled and paid.

Should a person choose to acquire Philippine citizenship, they need to undergo the process of retention and re-acquisition which can be processed through the Philippine consulate general Office. However, walk-ins are not advised and thus, appointments must be made in order to avail of the said service.

Dual Citizenship Documents Needed to Acquire Filipino Citizenship

Before your actual application, it pays to have the following dual citizenship documents ready for a smooth and efficient transaction.

1. Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

As this is a separate document, you can order online a PSA-authenticated birth certificate through http://www.psaserbilis.com.ph. Your NSO/PSA Birth Certificate must indicate Filipino as your nationality in the document.

In the case of a former natural-born citizen born abroad, a copy of the Report of Birth issued by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate and, in applicable cases, an original Birth Certificate by competent foreign authorities.

2. Your latest Philippine Passport

In the event that you still have a valid Philippine passport (meaning it is not yet expired or canceled in favor of another foreign passport), then you need to have a copy of the data page of the said passport.

3. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-issued Marriage Certificate

For married women, please prepare the original document as well as a copy ready for vetting. For as long as the certificate mentions that it is within a year of said marriage being reported to the Philippine Consulate General or Embassy, otherwise, the Consulate General will use your maiden surname in your primary name (as it appears on your Birth Certificate) for your Dual Citizenship Documents.

4. Death Certificate

Document applicable for widow/widowers.

5. Divorce Decree or PSA Marriage Certificate with Annotation on Divorce

Document applicable for widow/widowers.

6. Certificate of Foreign Citizenship such as US Naturalization Certificate

The document issued by any country that granted you foreign citizenship.

7. Valid US Passport or other Foreign Passport

Your acquired foreign citizenship issued you a valid foreign passport which you must submit a copy of.

8. Applicant’s Photos

On the appointed date, bring four (4) colored 2″x 2″ photos, with plain white background. The applicant must not be wearing eyeglasses.

The Dual Citizenship Process

Once the Dual Citizenship Applicants have secured the necessary documents needed for the application, the following process can now start.

As there is more than one foreign country that accepts dual citizenship, below is a general dual citizenship process for you to have an idea of how it occurs.

1. Accomplish a Dual Citizenship Application form. This may vary depending on the foreign embassy you will submit it to. You can email it to the appointed official address but you can also submit it during your oath-taking ceremony.
2. You will be given an appointment for you to appear before a consular officer for your interview and oath-taking.
3. You need to pay dues as assigned by the Embassy or Consulate. For example, in the US, the processing fee is $50 for the principal and an additional $25 for each dependent child, while it is NOK 450 for those living in Norway and Iceland.
4. Once your documents are found satisfactory and in order, your oath-taking ceremony will take place on the same day as your appointment schedule.

Dual Citizens of the Philippines' Home

Ready to enjoy becoming a dual citizen? Whether you want to experience the Philippines full-time or part-time, it pays to have a place you can call home. It's not just a country, but an exact place where you can live and grow. Choose from any Lumina Homes available all over the Philippines. With Lumina, we always want you to feel welcome at your own home.