Dual Citizenship question

it is easier to live a wealthy life, particularly if you are not the bread winner.

A friend's wife told me(they both lived in Southern California, USA) that she had lived poor and lived wealthy, and found it easy to live a wealthy life. I think that would apply to any place in the world. As they say it easier to adapt to a higher standard of living than a lower standard of living. As a young Filipina living in a foreign country and not having to be the bread winner, I am sure it is more attractive to the ones that are most interested in the financial aspects of a relationship to live somewhere else other than the Philippines and send the money home to the family.

 

Could I turn the question around and ask what is required of a foreigner to gain Filipino Citizenship?
I believe one has to take residence in the Phils for 5 years if married to a filipino citizen or 10 years if not but apart from that I'm not sure. Also, once granted, could it be revoked? I've been happily married to my filipina wife for over a quarter of a century and considering retiring in the Phils.

 

I am not sure what is required to become a citizen, I don't know of any benefits to becoming a citizen. Maybe you would be able to vote but my understanding is that you must be a natural born citizen to own property there. I can buy a condo and put $10k in an account for a permanent visa, but I would like to own a home.

 

Obviously I can only guess to the reasons why you would want to become a Filipino citizen, but I would be very careful as one might lose entitlements (state pensions etc.) from the home country, especially if that home country does not recognise dual citizenship.

Vicmico

 

The reason is two fold: I would not want, when in older age, having to spend hours applying for visa extensions, travel abroad to get a balikbayan visa or apply for a costly retiree visa and also I would not want to lose any money invested buying a home or else after being deported. OK, here I need to clarify: I do not intend to break the law (not intentionally anyway), show lack of respect to the locals, be involved in any illicit business or engage in any low life activities but I've got the impression that anyone jealous, with a petty dispute or simply interested to take over, could file a totally fabricated complaint and one is out, never to come back and out of pocket. I could not fail to notice how feelings can quickly boil over, an example being the case of this Dutch guy photographed apparently shouting at a crying policeman and already a petition was almost started to get him expelled from the country without knowing the full facts, simply because a foreigner apparently behaved in an aggressive manner towards a pinoy. I read later that the dutch guy was venting his anger because some other demostrators, filipino citizens by the way, were being beaten up by other policemen..... Next question would be... if gotten the Filipino Citizenship, could it be revoked if a complaint was to be filed?
The UK allows dual citizenship so no problem there, pension loss should not be an issue.

 

Who may qualify as Philippine citizen by naturalization under the Revised Naturalization Act?

Under Section 2 of the Revised Naturalization Law the applicant must possess the following qualifications:

He must not be less than twenty-one years of age on the day of the hearing of the petition;
He must have resided in the Philippines for a continuous period of not less than ten years;
He must be of good moral character and believes in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution, and must have conducted himself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of his residence in the Philippines in his relation with the constituted government as well as with the community in which he is living;
He must own real estate in the Philippines worth not less than five thousand pesos, Philippine currency, or must have some known lucrative trade, profession, or lawful occupation;
He must be able to speak or write English or Spanish or anyone of the principal languages;
He must have enrolled his minor children of school age in any of the public or private schools recognized by the Bureau of Public Schools of the Philippines where Philippine history, government and civics are taught or prescribed as part of the school curriculum, during the entire period of the residence in the Philippines required of him prior to the hearing of the petition for naturalization as Philippine citizen;



Who are not qualified to apply for naturalization of the Revised Naturalization Law?

Under Section of 4 of the Revised Naturalization Law, the following persons cannot qualify for Philippine citizenship:

Persons opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments;
Persons defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault, or assassination for the success and predominance of their ideas;
Polygamists or believers in the practice of polygamy;
Persons convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude;
Persons suffering from mental alienation or incurable contagious diseases;
Persons who during the period of their stay in the Philippines, have not mingled socially with the Filipinos, or who have not evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions, and ideals of the Filipinos;
Citizens or subjects of nations with whom the Philippines is at war
Citizens or subjects of a foreign country other than the United States, whose laws do not grant Filipinos the right to become naturalized citizens or subject thereof;


The Bureau of Immigration, Philippines Official Website - Philippine Citizenship

Larry

 

The US Supreme court has ruled that taking an oath to another country in and of itself cannot effect US citizenship. The only way to get out of US citizenship is to apply at a US embassy abroad, and pay the fee of $450. As with everything, the process may take months. New legislation/procedures went into effect about 2 years ago in response to the number of US citizens renouncing citizenship to get out of paying taxes, which increased ten fold in 5 years.