If you were born a Filipino citizen but later became a naturalized citizen of another country — the US, Canada, Australia, or elsewhere — Republic Act No. 9225, the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003, lets you reclaim your Philippine citizenship without giving up your foreign one. This is what most people mean when they talk about "dual citizenship" for Filipinos abroad. Here's exactly how the application works, step by step, including what you need and where to file.
This guide covers Step 1: Confirm You Qualify Under RA 9225 and Step 2: Identify the Correct Philippine Embassy or Consulate, with the full details below.
- RA 9225 lets natural-born Filipinos who naturalized abroad reacquire Philippine citizenship without renouncing their foreign citizenship
- You apply at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over where you currently live
- Unmarried minor children can be included as derivative beneficiaries with proof of filiation
- The core step is taking the Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines
- After approval, you can apply for a Philippine passport and other IDs using your reacquired citizenship
Step 1: Confirm You Qualify Under RA 9225
You must be a natural-born Filipino citizen who later acquired foreign citizenship through naturalization — meaning you formally became a citizen of another country, not merely a permanent resident. If you were born abroad to Filipino parents and never had Philippine citizenship formally documented, your situation may fall under a different process (such as recognition as a Filipino citizen) rather than RA 9225 reacquisition, so it helps to clarify which category applies to you before filing.
Step 2: Identify the Correct Philippine Embassy or Consulate
You file your application with the Philippine Embassy or Consulate that has jurisdiction over your current place of residence abroad — not just any embassy of your choosing. If you're currently in the Philippines, you can instead process this directly with the Bureau of Immigration.
Step 3: Gather Proof of Your Natural-Born Philippine Citizenship
- PSA Birth Certificate showing you were born a Filipino citizen
- Old Philippine passport, if you have one, even if expired
- Baptismal certificate or school records, as supplementary evidence in some cases
Step 4: Gather Proof of Your Foreign Citizenship
- Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship from your country of naturalization
- Current foreign passport
- Any Oath of Allegiance certificate issued by the foreign government upon your naturalization
Step 5: Prepare Photos and Application Forms
Each embassy or consulate has its own prescribed application form for RA 9225, along with specific passport-style photo requirements (typically 2x2). Download the form from your specific embassy or consulate's official website, since formats can vary slightly by post.
Step 6: Include Derivative Beneficiaries, If Applicable
Your unmarried children below 18 years old can be included in your application as derivative beneficiaries, meaning they can also reacquire or retain Philippine citizenship through your application, subject to documentary proof of filiation (such as their birth certificates showing you as their parent) and their own current citizenship status.
Step 7: Submit Your Application and Pay the Fee
Submit your complete application either in person or by mail, depending on what your specific embassy or consulate allows. Fees vary by post and are usually payable in the local currency of the country where you're filing — check your specific embassy's fee schedule beforehand, since it differs from post to post.
Step 8: Take the Oath of Allegiance
The defining step of RA 9225 reacquisition is taking the Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines, administered by an authorized consular officer. Importantly, this oath does not require you to renounce your allegiance to your country of naturalization — you retain both citizenships simultaneously going forward.
Step 9: Receive Your Order of Approval and Identification of Citizenship
Once your oath is administered and your documents are verified, the embassy or consulate issues an Order of Approval or Identification Certificate confirming your reacquired Philippine citizenship. With this in hand, you can now apply for a Philippine passport, register to vote as an overseas Filipino, and access other benefits reserved for Philippine citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. One of the defining features of RA 9225 is that the Oath of Allegiance you take does not require you to renounce your foreign citizenship. You retain both your Philippine citizenship and your foreign citizenship simultaneously, which is the essence of dual citizenship under this law.
You file with the Philippine Embassy or Consulate that has jurisdiction over your current place of residence in your host country. If you're physically in the Philippines at the time, you can instead process your application through the Bureau of Immigration.
Yes, your unmarried children below 18 years old can be included as derivative beneficiaries in your application, provided you submit documentary proof of filiation, such as their birth certificates showing you as a parent, along with proof of their current citizenship status.
RA 9225 applies to people who were born Filipino and later became naturalized citizens of another country. Recognition as a Filipino citizen typically applies to individuals born abroad to Filipino parents who never had their Philippine citizenship formally documented in the first place — a different, though related, process.
Processing times vary depending on the specific embassy or consulate handling your application, as well as document verification requirements, but many posts are able to complete the process, including scheduling your Oath of Allegiance, within a few weeks to a couple of months.
Yes, once you receive your Order of Approval or Identification Certificate confirming your reacquired citizenship, you can proceed to apply for a Philippine passport at the same embassy, consulate, or through DFA if you're in the Philippines. This is especially relevant for Filipino readers, since local platforms, pricing, and consumer habits often differ from other markets.
Generally no — RA 9225 is specifically designed so that reacquiring Philippine citizenship does not affect your existing foreign citizenship or passport, since no renunciation is required. However, some countries have their own laws regarding dual nationality, so it's worth checking your host country's specific rules as well.
Conclusion
RA 9225 makes reclaiming your Philippine citizenship a fairly straightforward process built around one core act: the Oath of Allegiance, taken without having to give up your current nationality. File with the correct embassy or consulate for your place of residence, gather solid proof of both your original Filipino citizenship and your foreign naturalization, and you'll be on your way to holding both passports legitimately.
