Travelling to the Philippines as a dual citizen

[Stevephoto 230]

Mabuhay Everyone!

Sorry if this has been asked before. I couldn’t find anything in the archives. Joan and I are going to the Philippines in June. This will be her first time returning as a dual US-Filipino citizen. We booked the flight using her US passport. Are there any special things we need to do? Does she present both passports at each step (TSA, security and the gate in the US, immigration in the Philippines, security and immigration leaving the Philippines and immigration when we return to the US?) I reached out to Philippine Airlines, but they could not answer my question. Salamat!

[randomstairs 303]

If Philippines requires her to enter with their passport then she should simply present it at their immigration checkpoint. It doesn't matter which passport she used to reserve the ticket. Otherwise it's recommended by the Department of State to use the US passport, so that you can receive proper help if need be. 

[IWander 589]

1 hour ago, Stevephoto said:

Mabuhay Everyone!

Sorry if this has been asked before. I couldn’t find anything in the archives. Joan and I are going to the Philippines in June. This will be her first time returning as a dual US-Filipino citizen. We booked the flight using her US passport. Are there any special things we need to do? Does she present both passports at each step (TSA, security and the gate in the US, immigration in the Philippines, security and immigration leaving the Philippines and immigration when we return to the US?) I reached out to Philippine Airlines, but they could not answer my question. Salamat!

 

She will present both upon departure when coming home 

Edited May 21, 2023 by IWander

[EatBulaga 315]

31 minutes ago, Stevephoto said:

Mabuhay Everyone!

Sorry if this has been asked before. I couldn’t find anything in the archives. Joan and I are going to the Philippines in June. This will be her first time returning as a dual US-Filipino citizen. We booked the flight using her US passport. Are there any special things we need to do? Does she present both passports at each step (TSA, security and the gate in the US, immigration in the Philippines, security and immigration leaving the Philippines and immigration when we return to the US?) I reached out to Philippine Airlines, but they could not answer my question. Salamat!

I've been reading posts about other travelers with dual passports, including US-Philippines.

Oddly enough, it is the airlines that give the most hassles.

I've come to the conclusion that it is best to give the airlines both passports information on booking.

 

Airlines are financially responsible for any travelers who can not be cleared to travel to the destination, and suck up the cost returning the traveler to the departure country.

US or Philippines don't care if you have passport from the other country as long as you have valid entry.

And it is often the gate agent or the boarding agent who makes the decision to allow a traveler to board or not.

So the more information you provide the airlines before the flight, the more information that the gate agent can pull up to avoid any confusion.

 

One post that reported a problem was that they booked with a US passport ONLY, but entered the Philippines with the Philippines passport.

So when it was time to depart the Philippines, the airline flagged that the traveler's US passport had an irregularity and would not allow the traveler to board even though the Philippines immigration was cleared.

The airline referred the traveler to contact the US embassy to clear the US passport irregularity, but the US embassy had no record of the US passport entry since the entry was with the Philippines passport.

I think it took a missed flight to clarify everything, but it could be a hassle that could be avoided if you provide the airlines with both passports when getting boarding passes, or if the airline portal allows it to upload all visa or relevant traveling documents information before travel.

[randomstairs 303]

2 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

I've been reading posts about other travelers with dual passports, including US-Philippines.

Oddly enough, it is the airlines that give the most hassles.

I've come to the conclusion that it is best to give the airlines both passports information on booking.

 

Airlines are financially responsible for any travelers who can not be cleared to travel to the destination, and suck up the cost returning the traveler to the departure country.

US or Philippines don't care if you have passport from the other country as long as you have valid entry.

And it is often the gate agent or the boarding agent who makes the decision to allow a traveler to board or not.

So the more information you provide the airlines before the flight, the more information that the gate agent can pull up to avoid any confusion.

 

One post that reported a problem was that they booked with a US passport ONLY, but entered the Philippines with the Philippines passport.

So when it was time to depart the Philippines, the airline flagged that the traveler's US passport had an irregularity and would not allow the traveler to board even though the Philippines immigration was cleared.

The airline referred the traveler to contact the US embassy to clear the US passport irregularity, but the US embassy had no record of the US passport entry since the entry was with the Philippines passport.

I think it took a missed flight to clarify everything, but it could be a hassle that could be avoided if you provide the airlines with both passports when getting boarding passes, or if the airline portal allows it to upload all visa or relevant traveling documents information before travel.

Why not just use the US passport alone, if Philippines is okay with it? 

[EatBulaga 315]

17 minutes ago, randomstairs said:

Why not just use the US passport alone, if Philippines is okay with it? 

Yes. If you travel with US passport only-entry to Philippines and exit Philippines with US passport would have cleared that situation. 

But that eliminates the advantage of the dual passport, which include unlimited stay without visa, etc.

 

For the problem case, because the airline only had the US passport info since the flight was booked with US passport ONLY, but the entry was with the Philippines passport.

If the US passport did not show Philippines entry and US embassy does not have a record of the US passport entry, the airline assumes a US passport irregularity to maybe even a fake passport which the US may not accept on entry.

And in which case, the airline assumes the cost to fly the traveler back to the departure country.

So to avoid such cases, it is probably best to include both passports to all the connecting airlines for your international travel.

Edited May 21, 2023 by EatBulaga

[Chancy 6,241]

1 hour ago, Stevephoto said:

Does she present both passports at each step (TSA, security and the gate in the US, immigration in the Philippines, security and immigration leaving the Philippines and immigration when we return to the US?)

 

Present both passports to the BI officer at the PH airport.  Just the US passport everywhere else, like for airline check-in and security checks.

 

[Stevephoto 230]

Salamat as always everyone! You "Da Bestest!"

[Just Paul 4,595]

Mary Just went for her birthday trip and entered via Manila.  Booked tickets using her US Passport and flew Philippine Airlines. She has dual passports.   Landed Manila Terminal 1 and was sent to the foreign passport area. Leaving showed both passports.  Entered Honolulu using her US passport.

[flicks1998 1,044]

20 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

Present both passports to the BI officer at the PH airport.  Just the US passport everywhere else, like for airline check-in and security checks.

 

Just follow this advice.  Keep it simple and no reason to over complicate the process.  There are many dual citizens enter and exiting the Philippines each day.

 

12 hours ago, Paul & Mary said:

Mary Just went for her birthday trip and entered via Manila.  Booked tickets using her US Passport and flew Philippine Airlines. She has dual passports.   Landed Manila Terminal 1 and was sent to the foreign passport area. Leaving showed both passports.  Entered Honolulu using her US passport.

I would assume her stay was for 30 days or less?  If it wasnt, if entering on a US passport, then an extension would have had to be done for any days over 30 days and its essentially wasting money and time.  Over the years I have acquired 5 nationalities.  If Im entering a country that I am a citizen of, I always enter with that countries passport........  Chancy put it in the simplest terms on what should be done.