Does my son need a Philippine Passport?

[jsnearline 2]

We recently reported our son's birth to the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco. He has dual (American/Philippine) citizenship.

Are we required to obtain a Philippine passport for him before we go back to Manila again or can he enter on his uS passport? I'm a US citizen and my wife will be three weeks from tomorrow. It would be a real pain and expense to have to fly to San Francisco to apply for a passport for him that he would only use a couple times over a five year validity period. Keeping a US passport current for him is expensive enough, but at least for that, we can just go to the local post office every five years.

Any thoughts?

[Pinay Wife 47]

Your son is not required to obtain Philippine passport to travel to the Philippines. Just like any other US citizen, he can travel to the PI without visa for an initial stay of 21 days. Being the child of a Filipino citizen, however, your son is entitled to stay a maximum of one year under the "balikbayan" program.

For more info, please read

What is the "Balikbayan Program" of the Philippines under Republic Act (RA) 6768?

[jsnearline 2]

This is what made me ask the question. It's from the San Francisco Consulate's website (I've bolded some sections for emphasis):

13 What documents shall be presented by a dual or multiple citizen upon arrival in the Philippines?

Filipinos with dual or multiple citizenships are advised to present both their Philippine and foreign passports. Arrival details shall be stamped on both.

In case only a foreign passport is presented, the traveler may still be admitted into the Philippines for an indefinite period of stay, provided he presents a valid Identification Certificate.

On the foreign passport, the immigration officer shall stamp either of the following, whichever is applicable:

“PP” – if a Philippine passport is also presented, or

“IC” – if an Identification Certificate is presented.

14 What documents shall be presented by a dual or multiple citizen upon departure from the Philippines?

Again, Filipinos with dual or multiple citizenships are advised to present both their Philippine and foreign passports in order to avoid paying the Emigration Certificate Clearance (ECC) fee. This is also to ensure that all arrival and departure records are reflected completely on both passports. Those who had presented only a foreign passport at the time of their admission into the Philippines may be cleared for departure without need of surrendering a certificate, permit or proof of payment of imposable immigration fees, provided they present, at the time of departure, a genuine and valid Philippine passport or an Identification Certificate.

On the foreign passport, the immigration officer shall stamp either of the following, whichever is applicable:

“PP” – if a Philippine passport is also presented, or

“IC” – if an Identification Certificate is presented.

If the traveler fails to present both his Philippine passport or Identification Certificate, at both arrival and departure, he shall be assessed an Emigration Certificate of Clearance (ECC) fee of P710.00 for using a foreign passport upon departure.

http://www.philippineconsulate-sf.org/dual...zenship_faq.htm

Can we obtain an Identification Certificate for our son from the Consulate and use that with his US passport?

Edited August 7, 2009 by jsnearline

[Pinay Wife 47]

In case only a foreign passport is presented, the traveler may still be admitted into the Philippines for an indefinite period of stay, provided he presents a valid Identification Certificate.

Identification Certificate or Philippine passport is required only if your son will be staying in the Philippines for an indefinite period.

Again, Filipinos with dual or multiple citizenships are advised to present both their Philippine and foreign passports in order to avoid paying the Emigration Certificate Clearance (ECC) fee. This is also to ensure that all arrival and departure records are reflected completely on both passports. Those who had presented only a foreign passport at the time of their admission into the Philippines may be cleared for departure without need of surrendering a certificate, permit or proof of payment of imposable immigration fees, provided they present, at the time of departure, a genuine and valid Philippine passport or an Identification Certificate.

x x x

If the traveler fails to present both his Philippine passport or Identification Certificate, at both arrival and departure, he shall be assessed an Emigration Certificate of Clearance (ECC) fee of P710.00 for using a foreign passport upon departure.

Note that you only present both US and Philippine passports or IC if you want to avoid being assessed the Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) fee when exiting the Philippines. Other than that, your child can travel with just his US passport. If a dual national cannot present PP or IC, he must pay ECC in order to clear immigration.

I don't foresee any problem with your son using just his US passport. He does not have to claim dual citizenship to be admitted to the Philippines. His US passport will suffice. He will be given balikbayan stamp (same as his mother) when he arrives. And when he exits, he will not be assessed ECC fee and travel tax by virtue of his balikbayan status.

I have minor relatives who are dual nationals but do not have Philippine passports. They have not had any problems with Philippine immigration when travelling with their US passports.

[jsnearline 2]

I suppose it would only be an issue if we listed him as Filipino on his landing card but he didn't have a Philippine passport to prove it. If we identify him as American, I would assume he'd be fine.

Thanks for the feedback.