Retention and Re-Acquisition of Philippine Citizenship Under RA 9225 (Dual Citizenship)
Republic Act No. 9225, otherwise known as the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003 (more commonly known as the Dual Citizenship Law), allows natural-born citizens of the Philippines, who acquired foreign citizenship through naturalization, to reacquire or retain their Philippine citizenship.
Former natural-born Filipinos who have become naturalized citizens of another country may retain/reacquire their Philippine citizenship by taking an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines before a Philippine Consular Officer. The Philippine Oath of Allegiance does not require a person to renounce his allegiance to any other country.
Under the principle of derivative citizenship, unmarried children below eighteen (18) years of age, whether legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted, of former Filipino parents who retained/reacquired their Philippine citizenship under this law, may also be deemed Filipino citizens, if they are included in the parent’s application for retention/reacquisition of Philippine citizenship.
A child who is eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of the parents’ reacquisition of Philippine citizenship, but was born when either parent was still a Filipino citizen, is considered a natural-born Filipino and may apply for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship.
What are the benefits of retaining/reacquiring their Philippine citizenship?
Filipinos who have re-acquired their Filipino citizenship under this Act may once again enjoy full civil, economic, and political rights as Filipinos under the existing laws of the Philippines. These include:
- Right to vote in Philippine national elections
- Right to own land and property in the Philippines
- Right to engage in business or profession as a Filipino, provided that a license or permit to engage in such practice is obtained from the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC), or the Supreme Court in the case of lawyers.
- Right to travel bearing a Filipino passport
- Other rights and privileges enjoyed by Filipino citizens
What are the requirements?
Send scanned copies of the following requirements (PDF format) by EMAIL to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. cc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (EMAIL SUBJECT: Dual Citizenship Application of LAST NAME, FIRST NAME OF APPLICANT) for initial assessment. Send one email only, attaching complete copies of the filled-out form and the requirements in a single PDF file, per applicant (minor derivatives should be included in one email).
- ACCOMPLISHED DUAL CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION FORM with four (4) identical photos (2x2 with plain white background, taken within 6 months, and printed on photo paper). Applicants must wear tops with sleeves in the photos.
- Note: Make sure to write your names in item #1 based on your Birth Certificate. For married women using their spouses’ name, write your married names in item #2. Affix your signature on both pages of the application form. The application form does not need to be notarized.
- Original BIRTH CERTIFICATE issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA or formerly known as NSO). The NSO/PSA Birth Certificate must indicate/show Filipino as your nationality/citizenship. You may get a copy of your Birth Certificate through the PSA website: www.psaserbilis.com.ph
- Original MARRIAGE CONTRACT/CERTIFICATE (if applicable)
- If married in the Philippines, issued by PSA/NSO
- If married in Türkiye, issued by - issued by Turkish government authority
- For divorced/annulled/widowed applicants, whichever is applicable
- Original Divorce decree (issued by a Turkish Family court) and Marriage Certificate
- Original authenticated Recognition of Divorce (issued by a Philippine court) and Marriage Certificate
- Original annotated Marriage Contract for annulment (issued by PSA)
- Original Death Certificate of previous spouse and Marriage Certificate/Contract (issued by PSA or by Turkish authority)
- TURKISH NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE
- Philippine passport (data page)
- Turkish passport (data page)
- If the applicant is a registered alien with the Bureau of Immigration (BI), ACR and ICR/CRTV
- Nufus Record with English Translation
FOR THOSE APPLYING WITH MINOR CHILDREN FOR DERIVATIVE DUAL CITIZENSHIP. For each of the child of the applicant 17 years old and below, the applicant shall present the original and photocopy of the following documents:
- Child’s NSO/PSA Birth certificate (the NSO/PSA Birth Certificate must indicate/show Filipino as your nationality/citizenship);
- Child’s Turkish Naturalization Certificate, if available. If not available, a notarized Affidavit explaining how the minor acquired Turkish citizenship.
- Child’s Turkish passport, if available
- Child’s Philippine passport, if available;
- Child’s four (4) 2X2 COLORED ID Photos with WHITE Background without eyeglasses or colored contact lens taken within 6 months from application, and
- Turkish Naturalization Certificate of the spouse of the primary applicant (if former Filipino) OR Birth Certificate (if spouse is a Turkish citizen)
Note: Only children 17 years old and below of former natural-born Filipinos may qualify for derivative dual citizenship.
A child that is a derivative dual citizen must be distinguished from a child that is already a dual citizen by birth. A child born in Türkiye to at least one Filipino parent is a dual citizen by birth. He/she is a Turkish citizen by virtue of being born to at least one Turkish parent. Said child is at the same time a Filipino by virtue of being born to at least one parent who was still a Filipino citizen at the time of the child's birth. In such a case, all the parent or the actual petitioner needs to do is to Report the Birth [click here for requirements].
What’s next after sending the required documents by email?
Once the application is pre-approved based on the scanned requirements, the Consulate will notify the applicant by email of the date and time of the Oath-taking at the Philippine Consulate.
During the oath-taking, applicants are required to bring the original documents for verification purposes and final approval.
What happens when the applicant fails to present the original documents?
- Failure to bring the required documents may disallow the applicant to take the oath for citizenship reacquisition/retention.
- When this happens, the applicant will request for another date for the oath-taking and present the complete original documents.
How much is the processing fee?
- Dual Citizenship Processing - USD 50 per applicant
- Jurat - USD 25 per applicant
- Affidavit of Explanation - USD 25 per applicant
- Derivative Dual Citizenship Documents - USD 25 per derivative
- Certification/Certified True Copy of Dual Citizenship Documents - USD 25 per certificate or certified true copy
NOTE: The Consulate only accepts payments made in cash. It does not accept money order, credit card/debit card, or personal checks.
For further inquiries, the Consulate may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
