What have I gotten myself into...

[Cerisee_28 0]

Okay so I don't even know where to start. But I'll start with this. I was born in the Philippines, both my parents are Filipino citizens at that time. Fast forward to 6 years later and my family moved to America. So I've lived in America for 12-13 years. Please note here my mom applied for an American citizenship and when she did that I was underage so I also became an american citizen.

Anyways fast forward again to June 2011. I went back to the Philippines for college. I didn't apply for a dual citizenship then. Which I knew I should have but didn't >.>

Now it's 2016 and I'm done with college. Wanting to actually go back to America but i need to deal with the taxes, penalties or dual citizenship. But the people at the bureau of immigration told me I had two choices.. The first choice is to pay 100k pesos plus the penalities or the second choice was to apply for a dual citizenship and I wouldnt have to pay the overstay fee of 5 years :/ (I didn't realize this was still an option because i've been here for 5-6 years already.)

Anyways my question is, is that true? If i applied for a dual citizenship I wouldn't have to pay for the overstay fee?

And the second thing is when I do apply for the dual citizenship, and I get to go back to my family in America.. I'm actually scared that I'll be detained at the airport even though i'd have both passports. (The US and Philippines passport.) Would that even happened?

Ugh. What have I gotten myself into.

I really hope someone gives me an advice on this. I really need it ahaa.

Thank you guys for reading

[Hank_ 9,174]

Okay so I don't even know where to start. But I'll start with this. I was born in the Philippines, both my parents are Filipino citizens at that time. Fast forward to 6 years later and my family moved to America. So I've lived in America for 12-13 years. Please note here my mom applied for an American citizenship and when she did that I was underage so I also became an american citizen.

Anyways fast forward again to June 2011. I went back to the Philippines for college. I didn't apply for a dual citizenship then. Which I knew I should have but didn't >.>

Now it's 2016 and I'm done with college. Wanting to actually go back to America but i need to deal with the taxes, penalties or dual citizenship. But the people at the bureau of immigration told me I had two choices.. The first choice is to pay 100k pesos plus the penalities or the second choice was to apply for a dual citizenship and I wouldnt have to pay the overstay fee of 5 years :/ (I didn't realize this was still an option because i've been here for 5-6 years already.)

Anyways my question is, is that true? If i applied for a dual citizenship I wouldn't have to pay for the overstay fee?

And the second thing is when I do apply for the dual citizenship, and I get to go back to my family in America.. I'm actually scared that I'll be detained at the airport even though i'd have both passports. (The US and Philippines passport.) Would that even happened?

Ugh. What have I gotten myself into.

I really hope someone gives me an advice on this. I really need it ahaa.

Thank you guys for reading

There is absolutely no issue traveling back to the states as a dual citizen. As a USC you must enter and exit the USA with your U.S. passport, no issue presenting both at POE, but CBP is only interested in your U.S. passport. There are many dual citizens traveling back and forth between the USA and the Phils.

As for dual citizenship, if BI told you the overstay will be forgiven once you obtain your dual citizenship then you should have no worries. Dual citizenship is next on our list while we are there this winter ... not sure of the time frame to get this accomplished in the Phils, keep me posted on that .... maraming salamat .

With just U.S. citizenship your stay is limited to 1 year (one day short of a year is best) as you can get the BB stamp in your passport

[BigDaddy28 228]

As of now your only option Igor your mom to come to your country with her certificate of naturalization and I hope you have your green card and I hope as well you have your passport you entered with to thw Philippines to show that you were in the US and underage and you were a permand nt resident. Than. Go to embassy and apply for a passport.

And please do yourself a favor apply for a certificate of citizenship so you can be dependent and dont have to rely on your moms certificate in the futur. Many people that certificate of citizenship is not important I think its crucial. You can't apply for dual citizenship. You are already a dual citizen c you just didn't go through what you are supposed to go through before you left the U.S.

[Cerisee_28 0]

There is absolutely no issue traveling back to the states as a dual citizen. As a USC you must enter and exit the USA with your U.S. passport, no issue presenting both at POE, but CBP is only interested in your U.S. passport. There are many dual citizens traveling back and forth between the USA and the Phils.

As for dual citizenship, if BI told you the overstay will be forgiven once you obtain your dual citizenship then you should have no worries. Dual citizenship is next on our list while we are there this winter ... not sure of the time frame to get this accomplished in the Phils, keep me posted on that .... maraming salamat .

With just U.S. citizenship your stay is limited to 1 year (one day short of a year is best) as you can get the BB stamp in your passport

Thank you so much for replying! Well this eased my mind up a whole lot. The usual time frame for the dual citizenship is usually 4-5 months (that is if you have all your paperworks in hand with you already). Well at least that's what they told me in person. But apparently mines going to be a bit longer seeing as all the paperwork i need (besides a letter and the affidavit and birth certificates) are with my parents in California ?

But thank you oh so very much for this! ??

[Hank_ 9,174]

As of now your only option Igor your mom to come to your country with her certificate of naturalization and I hope you have your green card and I hope as well you have your passport you entered with to thw Philippines to show that you were in the US and underage and you were a permand nt resident. Than. Go to embassy and apply for a passport.

And please do yourself a favor apply for a certificate of citizenship so you can be dependent and dont have to rely on your moms certificate in the futur. Many people that certificate of citizenship is not important I think its crucial. You can't apply for dual citizenship. You are already a dual citizen c you just didn't go through what you are supposed to go through before you left the U.S.

OP is a USC... they don't have green cards.

This is strickly a dual citizenship question.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Thank you so much for replying! Well this eased my mind up a whole lot. The usual time frame for the dual citizenship is usually 4-5 months (that is if you have all your paperworks in hand with you already). Well at least that's what they told me in person. But apparently mines going to be a bit longer seeing as all the paperwork i need (besides a letter and the affidavit and birth certificates) are with my parents in California ?

But thank you oh so very much for this! ??

Thanks for the info, 4-5 months is too long .. darn. Looks like we will have to do it through the consulate here in the USA. Thanks again.

[Cerisee_28 0]

Thanks for the info, 4-5 months is too long .. darn. Looks like we will have to do it through the consulate here in the USA. Thanks again.

I feel like it's better to have applied for a dual citizenship in the USA anyways. Sort of regret not doing it back in 2011, before I left. It's awhole lot cheaper. Depending on the state you live in, it should be aroun 50-60 dollars. But if you did it here, that's around 15,000 pesos. So around 300 dollars. More or less. ??

[Cerisee_28 0]

As of now your only option Igor your mom to come to your country with her certificate of naturalization and I hope you have your green card and I hope as well you have your passport you entered with to thw Philippines to show that you were in the US and underage and you were a permand nt resident. Than. Go to embassy and apply for a passport.

And please do yourself a favor apply for a certificate of citizenship so you can be dependent and dont have to rely on your moms certificate in the futur. Many people that certificate of citizenship is not important I think its crucial. You can't apply for dual citizenship. You are already a dual citizen c you just didn't go through what you are supposed to go through before you left the U.S.

I'm not a dual citizen just yet. If i was BI wouldn't have advised me to apply for one. When my mom applied for the US citizen that takes my Filipino citizenship away. At least that's what they told me. So i'd have to apply for a dual citizenship/recognition of Filipino citizenship..

Please forgive me if i'm not making any sense. It's literally 1 in the morning. And I'm dealing with things instead of sleeping. ?

[BigDaddy28 228]

OP is a USC... they don't have green cards.

This is strickly a dual citizenship question.

I agree but op didn't apply for naturalization, duo he should still have his green card. That is crucial for his citizenship otherwise that could mess everything up. If he wasn't naturalized, he wasn't born in the US. His mom naturalized while he lived with her as a permanent resident under 18 that's how he became a citizen. Even in the US for the patent to apply for a passport for the child they have to send their green card with them.

Op, please tell me you have your green card.

[BigDaddy28 228]

I'm not a dual citizen just yet. If i was BI wouldn't have advised me to apply for one. When my mom applied for the US citizen that takes my Filipino citizenship away. At least that's what they told me. So i'd have to apply for a dual citizenship/recognition of Filipino citizenship..

Please forgive me if i'm not making any sense. It's literally 1 in the morning. And I'm dealing with things instead of sleeping. ?

I forgot you lose the other citizenship one you become a US citizen. Call the embassy and tell them your situation they will definitely help you.

[BigDaddy28 228]

After posting all that seen my phone changed some of my words with auto correct. Lol

[Cerisee_28 0]

I forgot you lose the other citizenship one you become a US citizen. Call the embassy and tell them your situation they will definitely help you.

I should really call the USEmbassy. To see if they have any advise. But everyone of my relatives.. Keeps bringing me to the BI. (At least the ones that drive me around Manila..) Seeing as they know people there.

Thanks for the help

[aaron2020 11,651]

I forgot you lose the other citizenship one you become a US citizen. Call the embassy and tell them your situation they will definitely help you.

What would the US Embassy do for him? Pay his fine so he can leave the PI? Help him reclaim PI citizenship?

Edited July 9, 2016 by aaron2020

[aaron2020 11,651]

I should really call the USEmbassy. To see if they have any advise. But everyone of my relatives.. Keeps bringing me to the BI. (At least the ones that drive me around Manila..) Seeing as they know people there.

Thanks for the help

Either pay the fine or get PI citizenship. There is nothing that the US Embassy can do to help you when you can do it for yourself.

[Hank_ 9,174]

I agree but op didn't apply for naturalization, duo he should still have his green card. That is crucial for his citizenship otherwise that could mess everything up. If he wasn't naturalized, he wasn't born in the US. His mom naturalized while he lived with her as a permanent resident under 18 that's how he became a citizen. Even in the US for the patent to apply for a passport for the child they have to send their green card with them.

Op, please tell me you have your green card.

OP does not have a green card, was at the age where citizen was given with the mother, ie ... OP travels on a U.S. passport