Finance & Legal Good Lawyer for real estate agreement

Dear Pat. Thanks for that info. I am not close to collecting SS (I am 44) but a tax deduction might help! Anyhow, the main reason to get a citizenship is, as Wrye mentioned, to give her more opportunities in life.

She is noted as my daughter on her birth certificate but I would happy to get a DNA test, if necessary. I can look up the procedure on the web but if you have any pointers that makes the process easier I would love to hear from you. I don't know how to PM but maybe you can send me an email at indranilde@yahoo.com ? Or you can PM me ?

thanks again for taking the time to write!
Regards,
Neal.

 

Thanks Shotpapers (I wish people would write their real names somewhere so one didn't have to call them by such IDs ). I will look into the passport thing asap.

I would agree to your comment about lawyers especially in the Phil. In this case, though, I am still looking for one good one!

~Neal.

 

I was advised by my Attorney who deals in Land matters that the only way I could own land was if my wife passed away as I would 'inherit' it by way of marriage. She stressed that was the ONLY way I could legally own land in the Philippines...

 

Throw in my two cents on DEFINITELY getting US citizenship. We have a friend (filipina) in the subdivision married to a US guy. She has had a lot of trouble, several years worth just getting a visa for the US. i may have story wrong on some points, but get as much paperwork as possible.

 

Just wanted to point out that, even though you may be far from the age to collect US Social Security benefits, should, God forbid, something happen to you before that time, your child being a US CITIZEN would make it easier for them to collect survivor benefits, even if still in the Philippines.

 

Trouble for several years getting what kind of Visa? I am going to the States in April for a couple weeks on my own because pretty sure applying for a visitors Visa for my wife is a waste of money. However, my understanding is a permanent Visa should be virtually guaranteed and have it in 3 months or so. Kinda SUPER stupid to turn down a visitor Visa because she might overstay when she qualifies for a spouse permanent VISA. WTF would she overstay for when she can stay legal on the other Visa - if she wanted to stay?

 

Hi. It's been a while I wanted to update this thread with my experience for the benefit of all others.

First, thanks to all those who pitched in with their very useful comments. Your advice on this thread triggered me to start a citizenship application for my daughters. PS : I have two daughters with my Filipina gf (we were not married) one is 4 years old and another one was born this February (so she is like 4 months old). I got the citizenship for my first daughter done last year and for my second daughter this last week. In either case, I must say it was a total breeze. You do have to dig up your documents (some old tax returns, pictures and emails showing your relationship to the filipina, pictures, birth certificate, etc..) but all in all it was very straightforward. If you mail all the documents properly and the interview is scheduled promptly. The interview process at the US Embassy at Manila (you do need to go their in person with your Kid and Filipina spouse to make things easy) was a breeze. Basically, takes 1.5 hours max and the actual interview and stuff is only like 20 minutes. We got the Passport and Naturalization Certificate mailed to our house in Dumaguete within 6 weeks for our first daughter. I gave a lot of credit to the US Embassy for making it such a painless hassle-free no-standing-in-line-anywhere experience giving you no reason to procrastinate. Actually, this trip to this Phil was to complete the process for my second daughter and we completed the interview just last week. So, basically, I am done with fathering (two) kids and provided them a US passport and feel mighty good about being such a responsible dad

There is a second separate step after Naturalization/Citizenship to get a Social Security card which involves an in-person application at the embassy as well. I got that done for my first daughter conveniently this week when i went in for the Naturalization interview of the second daughter. Was pretty painless as well. Just one form and a picture. Expect to get the SSN card mailed in a few weeks.

And then, as other members suggested to me on this thread, I will add them as beneficiaries to my social security. I never look at SS very much since I am 46 and still bit away from retirement. But after the prodding of the members on this thread I checked and found that in case of my passing away right now, my daughters are entitled to $2100 pm each which would be a very very tidy sum in the Phil !! Ironically, it seems that they will have a more comfortable life if I am dead than alive lol.

Anyhow, folks can holler at me if they have any questions about this.

 

Small add. I was never asked to take a DNA test (sounded like work) even though I was not married to the mother as someone here had expected. The birth certificate (both issued at Silliman Hospital where they were born) with my name on it was, apparently, good enough.