ELM Immigration Consultancy

[ADVISORY] IMPORTANT REMINDER ON PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP AND BALIKBAYAN PRIVILEGE

The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. wishes to remind Filipinos in the United States and the Caribbean that under Philippine law, natural-born Filipinos who became naturalized citizens of another country are deemed to have lost their Philippine citizenship and are regarded as former Filipinos, unless they take formal steps to reacquire Philippine citizenship.

Former Filipinos CANNOT use their old Philippine passports for travel or for other purposes, even if still valid, because they are considered foreigners and doing so would violate Philippine passport laws.

Under Republic Act No. 9225, former natural-born Filipinos who lost their Philippine citizenship by foreign naturalization may reacquire Philippine citizenship and become dual citizens. This allows them to get a Philippine passport, live in the Philippines indefinitely, own property without the restrictions applied to foreigners, exercise their right to vote, and enjoy the rights of Filipino citizens, subject to existing laws. Minor children of those who reacquire under R.A. 9225 may also derive Philippine citizenship and enjoy the same rights and privileges.

This is to be distinguished from cases where a person already held dual citizenship and later expressly renounced Philippine citizenship (for example, a dual Filipino-U.S. citizen who executed an affidavit of renunciation). Such cases are not covered by R.A. 9225 and therefore cannot reacquire Philippine citizenship under that law.

Former Filipinos who do not wish to reacquire Philippine citizenship may still travel to the Philippines without a visa and a return ticket, and stay for up to one (1) year under the Balikbayan visa-free privilege, subject to existing guidelines.

Former Filipinos who would like to reacquire their Philippine citizenship under R.A. 9225 may apply at the Embassy, Consulates, or at consular outreach missions. For more information, please visit philippineembassy-dc.org or contact your nearest Philippine Embassy (https://tinyurl.com/wdcpedirectory)/Consulate in the United States (https://tinyurl.com/yck559z8).

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