Retaining/Reclaiming Philippine citizenship

[jsnearline 2]

I'm curious who in this forum have applied or plan to apply for Philippine dual citizenship after becoming US citizens and what your reasons for doing it were/are. I'd also be curious if anyone has decided not to do so and why.

[Dakine 26]

I'm curious who in this forum have applied or plan to apply for Philippine dual citizenship after becoming US citizens and what your reasons for doing it were/are. I'd also be curious if anyone has decided not to do so and why.

Main reason my wife is getting dual PI/US citizenship is to own land in PI. Also in case she/we intend to retire in PI.

[adiiann 163]

I am planning to have dual citizenship for my future kids, diversion purposes.

[Mr.&Mrs.A 0]

I think it's a good idea to have dual citizenship, I know I want my fiance to do that so if we retire in PI. Question though! does she have to do anything special to maintain her PI citizenship? Does she have to return periodically to maintain it? Anyone have the answer to that?

[adventure509 0]

I too think it is a good idea for the dual citizenship. For any couple that plans on retireing or even maintaining a second home there it is a smart move. Alma and I plan on retireing there as well. And we plan on her having the dual citizenship for buying land and a homeand even some sort of bussiness. That way even after I am long gone god fobid but is a reality of life will have something to pass on to her and to keep in our family.

So we think is a great smart move unless you never plan to retire there or own any porperty there.

[edp333 9]

This topic posted on September 15th explains dual citizenship thoroughly: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=218139

Edited October 18, 2009 by edp333

[jsnearline 2]

This topic posted on September 15th explains dual citizenship thoroughly: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=218139

That post deals with the mechanics of applying for dual citizenship for Philippines once becoming a US Citizen. What I'm asking is more a philosophical question as to what reasons people would choose to puruse (or not pursue) dual citizenship.

[Dakine 26]

I think it's a good idea to have dual citizenship, I know I want my fiance to do that so if we retire in PI. Question though! does she have to do anything special to maintain her PI citizenship? Does she have to return periodically to maintain it? Anyone have the answer to that?

Just apply. Cost $50 and maintain their Philippine passport.

http://www.philippineconsulate-sf.org/dual...nship_faq.htm#9

[jsnearline 2]

From our perspective, dual citizenship seems to be more of a pain than a benefit. If my wife were to reclaim her Philippine citizenship, she would have to personally appear at the consultate to take the Oath. She would then have to go to the consulate every five years to renew her Philippine passport. We don't live anywhere near one, so that means paying airfare and hotel for our family to get there every time she needs to renew. Given that we only go back every two years, it seems like a lot of money to have to spend to maintain her status. Renewing her passport on visits to the RP doesn't seem like a viable option either since we generally can only stay for two weeks at a time (which is not enough time to get a passport renewed there).

As things stand now, she can still avail the Balikbayan law that allows visa free stay in the RP for up to a year at a time. There is also a limited amount of property she can still own there until that law.

So, how would the advantages of being dual citizen outway the drawbacks I've outlined?

Edited October 19, 2009 by jsnearline

[Dakine 26]

From our perspective, dual citizenship seems to be more of a pain than a benefit. If my wife were to reclaim her Philippine citizenship, she would have to personally appear at the consultate to take the Oath. She would then have to go to the consulate every five years to renew her Philippine passport. We don't live anywhere near one, so that means paying airfare and hotel for our family to get there every time she needs to renew. Given that we only go back every two years, it seems like a lot of money to have to spend to maintain her status. Renewing her passport on visits to the RP doesn't seem like a viable option either since we generally can only stay for two weeks at a time (which is not enough time to get a passport renewed there).

As things stand now, she can still avail the Balikbayan law that allows visa free stay in the RP for up to a year at a time. There is also a limited amount of property she can still own there until that law.

So, how would the advantages of being dual citizen outway the drawbacks I've outlined?

I recently saw where someone claimed the renewed their Philippine PP by mail. I think it was on The world of filipinas forum. Could have been here also.

I think the Philippine government will change renew in person if they think they are losing money from peeps like you guys!

[jsnearline 2]

I know they want people to renew in person to get the machine readable passports for the first time, but once that's done, they should allow someone renewing a machine readable passport to do so by mail. For us it's just not worth paying the airfare, hotel, and other travel expenses for my wife to renew a passport in person every five years that she might only use two to three times during the five year period of validity.

[Dakine 26]

I know they want people to renew in person to get the machine readable passports for the first time, but once that's done, they should allow someone renewing a machine readable passport to do so by mail. For us it's just not worth paying the airfare, hotel, and other travel expenses for my wife to renew a passport in person every five years that she might only use two to three times during the five year period of validity.

Gets down to how much having dual citizenship will benefit you. My wife wants it as we'she owns 4 house in PI. Also I want my daughter to have it in case she wants to pursue her life there in the future.

I myself don't care to retire there. TO hot and humid for me. Hawaii is fine with me.

[Jasman0717 9]

As soon as Claudeth decided to get the citizenship thingy going I will also have her reapply for Filipino citizenship once she has acquired US citizenship. I plan to buy her some land and build a business for her when I retire and as you know, you have to be a Filipino citizen to own land.

A US citizenship and passport will get you into countries that a Filipino won't or makes it more difficult to access.

Edited October 20, 2009 by Jasman0717

[jsnearline 2]

Right now, the biggest issue is having to make two trips to the consulate in San Francisco. The first trip to apply. The second to take the Oath once it's scheduled. The travel expenses alone could cost us over $1000. So, this is not an inexpensive thing to do by any means.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

interesting....I dont think my wife now will ever apply for naturalization in the US. We are planning on retiring in the PI or at least having a house there. I know as of a couple years ago you can send in the passport to san fransciso and get it renewed (my ex did this). As far as the newer passports coming out...that will be a challenge. For us though, it won't be as i dont plan on living or working in the US after I retire from the military...of course plans always change though.