Yes, the Philippines does allow dual citizenship, but only for people who were born Filipino. Under Republic Act No. 9225, the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003, a natural-born Filipino who later became a citizen of another country can keep or reclaim Philippine citizenship by taking an Oath of Allegiance before an authorized Philippine official.1Senate of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 9225 – Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003 The process runs through any Philippine consulate or embassy, or the Bureau of Immigration in Manila if you are already in the country.
Who Qualifies
Eligibility is limited to natural-born Filipinos, meaning people who were Filipino citizens from birth without having to perform any act to acquire that status.2The LawPhil Project. 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines In practice, that means at least one of your parents was a Filipino citizen when you were born, wherever the birth took place. If you originally became Filipino through naturalization rather than by birth, RA 9225 does not offer you a path back.1Senate of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 9225 – Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003
The law splits qualified applicants into two categories, though the procedure is the same for both. If you naturalized abroad before RA 9225 took effect in 2003, your Philippine citizenship was considered lost under the old rules, and the law lets you re-acquire it. If you naturalized in 2003 or later, the law treats your Philippine citizenship as never having been lost, and you simply retain it.3The Philippine Embassy in Berlin. Reacquisition/Retention of Philippine Citizenship Either way, the outcome is full recognition as a citizen of both countries.
Including Your Minor Children
Unmarried children under 18, whether legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted, can be included as derivative citizens on your petition.4Philippine Consulate General – Chicago. Dual Citizenship You will need each child’s birth certificate and foreign passport in addition to your own documents. Children included this way are recognized as Filipino citizens without filing separately.5Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines. Dual Citizenship Application
How to Apply
Book an appointment at the nearest Philippine consulate or embassy, or go directly to the Bureau of Immigration in Manila. At the appointment you submit your papers, pay the fee, and, if everything is in order, take the Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines the same day.6Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles California. Dual Citizenship (RA 9225) Processing times range from same-day to several weeks depending on how busy the post is.
The core documents are consistent across posts:
- The Petition for Re-acquisition/Retention of Philippine Citizenship, available at the consulate or Bureau of Immigration.
- Your PSA birth certificate on security paper. If your birth was never registered in the Philippines, you must complete a late registration first.
- Your foreign naturalization certificate.
- Your valid foreign passport, original plus a photocopy of the data pages.
- Two recent 2×2 color photos with a white background, taken within the last six months.5Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines. Dual Citizenship Application
Discrepancies between documents, such as a misspelled name on your birth certificate, may require a notarized affidavit of explanation, which adds a small fee.
Fees are modest. As of March 2026, the Philippine Consulate General in New York charges $50 for the principal applicant and $25 per dependent child.7Philippine Consulate General New York, USA. Schedule of Fees Budget roughly $50 to $100 total once notarization and any express processing are factored in.
After the oath, you receive three documents: an Identification Certificate, an Order of Approval, and a copy of your signed Oath of Allegiance. Together they are your official proof of dual citizenship.6Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles California. Dual Citizenship (RA 9225)
What You Get Back
Once your dual citizenship is confirmed, the full civil, economic, and political rights of a Filipino citizen are restored. The ones people ask about most:
- You can buy and hold title to real property in the Philippines, which is otherwise restricted for foreign nationals.
- You can vote in Philippine national elections through the Overseas Voting program after registering with the Commission on Elections.
- You can apply for and travel on a Philippine passport.
- You can practice a regulated profession in the Philippines after obtaining a license from the Professional Regulation Commission, or from the Supreme Court if you are a lawyer. Old credentials from before you emigrated do not carry over automatically; you still need to go through PRC licensing to practice again.8Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines). Dual Citizenship (RA 9225)9Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). Primer on Philippine Dual Citizenship Act (Republic Act No. 9225)
Running for Public Office
If you want to run for elective office in the Philippines, dual status is not enough. You must make a personal, sworn renunciation of all foreign citizenship before a public officer authorized to administer oaths, and you must do this before filing your certificate of candidacy.9Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). Primer on Philippine Dual Citizenship Act (Republic Act No. 9225) Without that renunciation, your candidacy can be challenged and disqualified.
Traveling With Two Passports
Passport logistics catch a lot of new dual citizens. The rule depends on which country you are entering or leaving.
If you also hold U.S. citizenship, you must use your U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. This is a firm legal requirement.10U.S. Department of State. Dual Nationality Entering the Philippines, you do not strictly need a Philippine passport; presenting your Identification Certificate along with your foreign passport is acceptable at arrival. Leaving is a different matter. The Bureau of Immigration requires dual citizens to present a Philippine passport when exiting the Philippines.11Philippine Consulate General New York, USA. Advisory No. 30 – Dual Citizens Required to Present Philippine Passports Before Exiting the Philippines
The safest move is to apply for a Philippine passport soon after your oath ceremony, even though it is technically optional for entry.13Philippine Consulate General New York, USA. Dual Citizenship (RA 9225)
Does It Affect Your U.S. Citizenship?
No. U.S. law does not force you to choose between U.S. citizenship and another nationality, and taking the Philippine Oath of Allegiance under RA 9225 does not trigger loss of U.S. citizenship. The same holds for children: if Philippine law lets a parent apply on a minor’s behalf, nothing in U.S. law prevents a U.S. citizen parent from doing so.12U.S. Department of State. Dual Nationality
Tax and Reporting Duties You Cannot Ignore
Tax is where dual citizenship gets complicated, and it is the area where people most often stumble. You have obligations to both countries.
On the Philippine side, foreign-sourced income earned by Filipinos living abroad has been exempt from Philippine income tax since 1998 under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program of 1997.14Philippine Consulate General New York, USA. What Are the Implications on Payment of Income Taxes? Income earned inside the Philippines is fully taxable, including rental income from Philippine real estate, business profits, and professional fees. If you buy property, expect annual real property taxes from the local government where the property sits.
On the U.S. side, citizens and permanent residents are taxed on worldwide income regardless of where they live, so you must keep filing a U.S. return that reports Philippine bank interest, rental income, and business profits.15Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Citizens and Residents Abroad – Filing Requirements If you live and work in the Philippines, the foreign earned income exclusion can help. For tax year 2026, up to $132,900 of foreign earned income can be excluded from U.S. tax if you meet either the bona fide residence or physical presence test.16Internal Revenue Service. Figuring the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion The exclusion does not cover passive income such as rent or investment gains.
Reporting a Philippine Bank Account
Opening a Philippine bank account triggers U.S. reporting duties with steep penalties for failing to file. Two separate reports may apply, and one does not substitute for the other.
The FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) is required if the combined value of all your foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any point during the year. It is filed electronically with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network by April 15, with an automatic extension to October 15.17Internal Revenue Service. Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) Penalties for failing to file can reach $10,000 per violation for non-willful failures and substantially more for willful ones.
Form 8938 (FATCA) attaches to your tax return. If you live in the United States, you file it when your foreign financial assets exceed $50,000 at year-end or $75,000 at any time during the year. If you live abroad, the thresholds rise to $200,000 at year-end or $300,000 at any point. Married couples filing jointly get double these amounts.18Internal Revenue Service. Summary of FATCA Reporting for U.S. Taxpayers Many dual citizens with modest Philippine savings accounts discover they have been triggering these requirements for years without knowing.