Have any of you become citizens of PH?

[fillipino_wannabe]

If you were born a Filipino citizen (one of your parents is Filipino) then you can be a dual citizen. If not then you can't, wouldn't recommend lieing to the Philippines immigration about it, that's got 3 months sleeping with rats in a detention center written all over it

[Mike J]

Let's try to put some actual facts into play in this discussion about dual citizenship.  

Question - Does the Philippines REQUIRE you to renounce citizenship from your previous country?

Answer - NO, they do not not.

Here is the oath to become a Philippine citizen:  I, (name), solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and obey the laws and legal orders promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Philippines; and I hereby declare that I recognize and accept the supreme authority of the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto; and that I imposed this obligation upon myself voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of evasion. So help me God.[2]

Notice there is not mention of renouncing your prior citizenship.  Compare that to the oath for USA citizenship:  

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

Read again the FAQ from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration from my previous post, and also the basis (via link) in Jack's post "Worth a read": 

Filipino by naturalization which is the judicial act of adopting a foreigner and clothing him with the privileges of a native-born citizen. It implies the renunciation of a former nationality and the fact of entrance into a similar relation towards a new body politic (2Am.Jur.561,par.188). (my red highlights)

It does not read "requires", it says "implied".

Question - How do you renounce your previous citizenship? 

Answer - It varies but depends on the country.  This post is long enough already but I checked on USA, Australia, and England since those were the respective countries of posters with a concern about losing their citizenship.  In every case the action must be taken by the individual on a voluntary basis with their respective country officials or agencies.  You do not lose it by gaining citizenship in another country, nor is there any mention of having it taken away if you become a citizen of another country.

Assume for the sake of argument that you take the oath and become a Philippine citizen.  Someone at the BIR says give me your USA (or whatever country) passport.  So you give it up.  I would contact my embassy, explain how I became a Philippine citizen, and they took my passport.  "As I DID NOT renounce my USA (or home country) citizenship, I need a new passport.

So if you still have a concern . . . 

Google "how to become a naturalized Philippine citizen"

Google " how to renounce citizenship USA, England, Australia, etc)

And if you still have concerns, contact your embassy.  Don't rely on a post like this one.  Because I am not expert at anything!  

[Mike J]

My wife had a comment.  What about taxes?

https://www.bir.gov.ph/index.php/international-tax-matters/taxation-of-foreign-source-income.html

B.  What is the taxation on income derived from sources outside the Philippines?

A resident citizen is taxable on all income derived from worldwide sources and it is not unlikely that the foreign-source income may also be subject to taxation in the country from which it was derived. To minimize the possibility of double taxation, the taxpayer may avail of the benefits provided under the applicable and effective tax treaty, which may either be in the form of tax exemption or a preferential tax rate. The amount of income taxes paid during the taxable year to any foreign country may be used as credits against Philippine income taxes.

To avail of this benefit, the resident taxpayer must submit a Certificate of Residency (COR) to the tax authority of the foreign jurisdiction to prove that he is a resident of the tax treaty partner of the said foreign country.

 

[scott h]

18 minutes ago, Mike J said:

What about taxes?

with out looking it up, but according to my tax lady in the states, due to bilateral agreements, any income I derive in the Phil is not taxable by unkle sam and any income from the states is not taxable here...….like I said I didn't look it up...……..but I have not been thrown in jail or audited YET either 

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

Let's try to put some actual facts into play in this discussion about dual citizenship.  

Question - Does the Philippines REQUIRE you to renounce citizenship from your previous country?

Answer - NO, they do not not.

Well the law says you must make this pledge:
 

Quote

"I, ______________________________________, solemnly swear that I renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and particularly to the ____________________. of which at this time I am a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution of the Philippines and that I will obey the laws, legal orders and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Commonwealth of the Philippines; [and I hereby declare that I recognize and accept the supreme authority of the United States of America in the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto; and that I impose this obligation upon myself voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.

"So help me God."

 

Click here is the link to the law.

So yes, the Philippines requires you to renounce, but do they enforce it if you change your mind and "un-renounce"?  Would anyone take your newly aquired Philippine Citizenship away if you "un-renounced"?

I doubt that they would do that.

[Mike J]

58 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Well the law says you must make this pledge:
 

Click here is the link to the law.

So yes, the Philippines requires you to renounce, but do they enforce it if you change your mind and "un-renounce"?  Would anyone take your newly aquired Philippine Citizenship away if you "un-renounced"?

I doubt that they would do that.

Dave, that is the old pledge.  The new one superseded the one you quote.   

Edited October 16, 2019 by Mike J
Spelling

[Gary D]

11 hours ago, hk blues said:

 

Confusing...

Nothing confusing about it. In 2003 a law was passed to allow former filipino citizens to re-aquire their filipino citizenship and become dual citizens.

[Jack Peterson]

2 minutes ago, Gary D said:

Nothing confusing about it. In 2003 a law was passed to allow former filipino citizens to re-aquire their filipino citizenship and become dual citizens.

Yes Gary that is for the Filipino not for us (the Foreigner)

[Gary D]

14 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

Yes Gary that is for the Filipino not for us (the Foreigner)

Yes I know, I was answering HK who was commenting about my wife re-acquiring her filipino citizenship.

[Jack Peterson]

Just now, Gary D said:

Yes I know, I was answering HK who was commenting about my wife re-acquiring her filipino citizenship.

Maybe better to avoid confusion Gary if you were to Link the Message you are answering But my Statement will serve for those that think we can get something that is not Recognised here in the PI ie, Dual Nationality for Foreign Born Foreigners ( as in Non native Filipinos by Birth or Blood ties