US-Philippines Dual citizenship questions

[xwind 10]

Hi, I am a US citizen and my wife is a Filipino citizen (now US green card holder). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe both of our children (son is 11, daughter is a baby) are entitled to a dual-citizenship status right? Our son was born in the Philippines, and we registered his CRBA to get his US citizenship. He has two passports and is considered dual (I think?). Our daughter was born in the US, but I read that since her mom was not a US-citizen at the time of her birth, then we just have to register Report of Birth with the Philippines so that she can become dual also.

 

My questions are:

• Is there any true benefit of even having/maintaining dual citizenship? We wanted them to be both such that they could have the freedom of living in either country for as long as they want, and have no issues with immigration when travelling between the two countries.
• I keep hearing that once they reach 18, they have to choose and only have one citizenship, because I heard US doesn't recognize dual citizenship? Is that true?

 

Thanks!!!

[Hank_ 9,174]

2 hours ago, xwind said:

Hi, I am a US citizen and my wife is a Filipino citizen (now US green card holder). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe both of our children (son is 11, daughter is a baby) are entitled to a dual-citizenship status right? Our son was born in the Philippines, and we registered his CRBA to get his US citizenship. He has two passports and is considered dual (I think?).CORRECT!  Our daughter was born in the US, but I read that since her mom was (A Philippine citizen) not a US-citizen at the time of her birth, then we just have to register Report of Birth with the Philippines so that she can become dual also.   CORRECT!

 

My questions are:

• Is there any true benefit of even having/maintaining dual citizenship? We wanted them to be both such that they could have the freedom of living in either country for as long as they want, and have no issues with immigration when travelling between the two countries.  
• I keep hearing that once they reach 18, they have to choose and only have one citizenship, because I heard US doesn't recognize dual citizenship? Is that true?   NOT TRUE

 

Thanks!!!

 

As for the benefit; being able to reside in either country is the big one.  They can own land in the Philippines also.   They can also vote (when of age) or work in both countries.

[nelmagriffin 144]

Greetings!

This may help as it discusses some of your questions. NG

References: 

Can I Be A Dual Citizen Of US And Philippines? - PhilippineGetaway.com

YOU COULD ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF (philippineconsulatela.org)

[ultrasoul 51]

On 5/10/2021 at 2:03 AM, xwind said:

Hi, I am a US citizen and my wife is a Filipino citizen (now US green card holder). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe both of our children (son is 11, daughter is a baby) are entitled to a dual-citizenship status right? Our son was born in the Philippines, and we registered his CRBA to get his US citizenship. He has two passports and is considered dual (I think?). Our daughter was born in the US, but I read that since her mom was not a US-citizen at the time of her birth, then we just have to register Report of Birth with the Philippines so that she can become dual also.

 

My questions are:

• Is there any true benefit of even having/maintaining dual citizenship? We wanted them to be both such that they could have the freedom of living in either country for as long as they want, and have no issues with immigration when travelling between the two countries.
• I keep hearing that once they reach 18, they have to choose and only have one citizenship, because I heard US doesn't recognize dual citizenship? Is that true?

 

Thanks!!!

I've been in your shoes so here's a few important information for you to know from my own in depth research & personal experience of securing PHL dual citizenship for our children:

 

• As long as your wife is still a PHL citizen, any children you have together while she is still a PHL citizen automatically qualifies for PHL dual citizenship.
   
• Because your children's mother was a PHL citizen during their birth, they are allowed to legally maintain PHL citizenship in addition to their US citizenship without the need for any renunciation to their PHL citizenship at any age. This is unique to PHL and some countries.
   
• Since your daughter was born in the US and her mother was still a PHL citizen at time of child's birth, all that's needed is to fill out the registry of birth (ROB form), notarize some forms, make photocopies of required docs, include a money order and return USPS label, and mail it off to your closest PHL consulate (they used to require in person interview pre-COVID; COVID made this easier sans in person interview). All info is on the PHL consulate website- clear and straightforward (emailing/ calling consulates on inquiries is a breeze as well). This took me a couple of hours super easy that there's really no point why you would not want to secure dual citizenship for your kids.
   
• Before you can register your daughter's ROB, you need to have a PHL marriage certificate. If you were not married in the PHL, you need to register your marriage (ROM) with the consulate as well. You can prepare both the ROM and ROB documents and send them in one package to the PHL consulate nearest you. 
   
• After consulate completes the registry of birth (ROB), they will mail you back a certified copy which serves as proof of their PHL citizenship. The consulate will then transmit this recording to PSA Manila over the course of the next 2 - 4 months. Once PSA has the transmitted info, you can then order a PSA birth certificate on official security paper from the PSA website ($5 for local PHL address delivery or more for overseas delivery)
   
• Without a PHL passport, your kids can still enter PHL with their US passports. As  I said the certified registry of birth issued by the consulate, or the ordered PSA birth certificate on official security paper, serves as proof of their PHL citizenship (needed at time of PHL passport application)
   
• You do not need to apply for your children's PHL passports at the US consulates. In fact, it is better to apply for their PHL passport when they return to PHL as you will save money. If your family will be in PHL for a period > 3 weeks, you can pick up their PHL passports or have it delivered to a local PHL address. If you do not get their PHL passports on time, you can it delivered to your wife's trusted family in PHL for safekeeping
   
• US does not care about multiple citizenships- you can have 2 or 3 or 5 citizenships in addition to US citizenship. If you are a US dual/ triple/ quadruple citizen, US CPB only requires you present only your US passport upon entry back to US.
   
• When you kids eventually get their PHL passport, when entering PHL you need to present both their US and PHL passports together. They can also use their PHL passports in countries where US passports are at a disadvantage (like Bali where US passports have to pay Visa on arrival fee but PHL passports do not, or like Brazil before Bolsonaro required US passports to pay hefty visa fee whereas PHL passports had 90 day visa-free entry)
   
• When your kids turn 18, any PHL passports issued to them is valid for 10 years. This was a change in law in 2018 which makes things so much easier. Believe it or not, the US 10 year passport validity for adults is not a common thing with most countries. 
   
• When your wife naturalizes to become a US citizen, she technically loses her PHL citizenship which she can legally reacquire during an in-person interview at a PHL consulate. However, your children's PHL citizenship status IS NOT AFFECTED by your wife's US naturalization because their acquisition of PHL citizenship was at the time of their birth and cannot be taken away unless they voluntarily renounce their PHL citizenship.

Edited May 11, 2021 by ultrasoul

[Skyman 310]

Just a pedent note here. There's no such thing as a dual citizenship status issued or acknowledged by a any country. If 2 countries consider you a legal citizen (valid passports) then you are a dual citizen.  But there's no document that states you're a dual citizen and there is no applying for dual citizenship save for applying for a second citizenship.