Filipina Mom, American Dad...

[Mark&Fatima 14]

Our daughter was born in the U.S. As you can guess, my wife is a Philippine citizen while I am an American citizen. A family friend told us that our daughter automatically has duel citizenship. Is this really true? We're about to travel to the Philippines soon and we're wondering how long she'll (daughter) will be able to stay there (as my wife will be staying for months, and me, about 2 weeks).

Thank you in advance,

Fatima & Mark

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Our daughter was born in the U.S. As you can guess, my wife is a Philippine citizen while I am an American citizen. A family friend told us that our daughter automatically has duel citizenship. Is this really true? We're about to travel to the Philippines soon and we're wondering how long she'll (daughter) will be able to stay there (as my wife will be staying for months, and me, about 2 weeks).

Thank you in advance,

Fatima & Mark

Filipino Citizenship is not automatic but it is. She is a Filipino Citizen because she is born to her Filipino mother. You just need to complete the paperwork to ensure that she gets all the rights and privileges that she has because she is the daughter to her mother, then and only then is she a legal Filipino Citizen. The paperwork just needs to be completed.

You need report her birth at the Consulate that serves your area. Once she is registered then you can apply for a Filipino Passport in her name.

Now for your upcoming trip, you probably will not have time to complete this, so have her fly on her US passport and when you arrive at immigration in the Philippines, then mom, you and your daughter will ask for a balikbayan visa which gives all of you a stay of up to a year. Your US passports will be stamped accordingly. You can leave the Philippines anytime during that year with no penalties. If your only staying for a 2 weeks no problem. There are other benefits that you can take advantage of outlined in the link. Be sure to bring your marriage certificate with you when you enter the Philippines as you may be asked during your immigration processing for the balikbayan visa. Better to have it then not.

Also, you maybe able to complete registering of the birth abroad process while in the Philippines as she and your daughter will be there for an extended period of time. Here is additional information at the PSA for that process.

[Hank_ 9,174]

The balikbayan stamp is not a visa (it is a one year VISA-FREE stay), it is a privilege offered.

As for report of birth, this must be filed at the consulate having jurisdiction over the state where the birth took place (Much the same as ROM).

Reporting Births of Children of Filipino Citizens The Report of Birth is a declaration of the person furnishing information on the birth abroad of a Filipino child. It is important for Filipinos permanently residing abroad to promptly register with the Consulate the birth of a child in order for such a birth to be registered with the Office of the Civil Registrar General in Manila. When a child is born abroad to parents who are both Filipino citizens or to one (1) parent who is a Filipino citizen, i.e. one who has not been naturalized as a citizen of a foreign country, the child's birth must be immediately reported to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate which exercises jurisdiction over the place of birth. Ideally, the birth must be reported to the Consulate within twelve (12) months after its occurrence. When the parents neglect to report the birth within twelve (12), the birth may, nevertheless be recorded upon the determination of the consular officer of satisfactory evidence on the authenticity of the report. In these cases, the person who executed the report shall furnish the Consulate with an explanation surrounding the delay in reporting the birth.

http://www.philippineconsulatela.org/consular%20services/conserv-registry.htm

Edited July 23, 2015 by Hank_

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

I just got back last month from the Philippines. I flew there with my asawa, and our daughter. They stamped us with the balikbayan visa in our passports, because my wife's passport still shows her maiden name I had to furnish our marriage certificate. I flew back after 3 weeks and did not have to pay any immigration fees on the way out.