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Thread: Passport Renewal Problems in Philippines (Spain & Philippines Dual Citizen)

  1. #1
    Junior Member
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    Oct 2018
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    Default Passport Renewal Problems in Philippines (Spain & Philippines Dual Citizen)

    Greetings,

    I am currently a Citizen of both Spain and the Philippines, residing permanently in the latter for the past 24 years. I was born here in the Philippines but was given my Spanish Citizenship by blood from my mother's side.

    Recently, I have run into a problem here in the Philippines regarding the renewal of my Philippine Passport. I was stopped from renewing my Philippine passport as they requested a specific document called an Identification Certificate since i declared I have a Foreign Passport (Spain) in my renewal application form. I have looked up the requirements of this Identification Certificate and it requires I recite a petition and Oath of Allegiance. In the petition, It has lines and statements saying i once renounced or lost my Philippine Citizenship before and would like to reapply for it. I feel this does not apply for me. My Mother and Sister both declared they had a Spanish Passport during their renewal and have since acquired their renewed Philippine passports uninterrupted. I believe i have been singled out by the passport staff by misinformation or malice seeking further cash by enduring a longer more expensive process.

    It is my understanding I never lost my Philippine Citizenship both when i was given my Spanish Passport at an early age and stated my intentions to keep my Spanish Citizenship when i reached of legal age here at the Spanish Consulate in Manila. I currently have a Spanish passport that will expire in 2020. I also believe Spain allows Philippine Citizens to not denounce their citizenship. As far as i can remember, I never once denounced my Philippine Citizenship. I have always been able to renew my Philippine Passport regularly under the supervision of my Parents. However, now that i am above legal age, my parents are not allowed to accompany me and the passport staff on duty may have been more inclined to not believe me trying to prove i never renounced my Philippine Citizenship. I showed the staff my Philippine Birth Certificate and and Previous Philippine passports but they were quite frustrated with me and heavily insisted on the Identification Certificate costing almost $300 along with a several month waiting period and court hearing.

    The renewal process here in the Philippines is by appointment through an Online system and it is quite difficult to obtain appointment slots. My initial appointment has expired and thus I will be given a new chance to change information and reapply again. I am planning to not declare I have a foreign passport in order to avoid being interrupted or singled out by Passport staff. What kind of trouble can i run into by not declaring I have a Spanish Passport?

    I'm worried that at the Manila International Airport immigration, where i always present my Spanish and Philippine passports to show i'm not overstaying in the Philippines when travelling to another country, an immigration officer may see all my information on their computer screen and see that i declared i do not have a foreign passport yet i presented two passports in the booth. Is this something they will see on their computer screens? My parents tell me they don't really check that info and are just making sure i am not overstaying here in the Philippines.

    I don't plan on renouncing my Philippine citizenship and certainly not my Spanish citizenship. I'll still show my two passports at the airport. I want to know how risky it is to declare i do not posses a foreign passport while renewing here in the Philippines? I also would like to know if i ever lost my Philippine Citizenship like the Passport Staff believe and told me when i tried to renew. I don't want to get singled out again so i am going to not declare i have a Spanish passport during my Philippine passport renewal.

  2. #2

    Default

    Hello John Camara

    I am very sorry to hear you are having such trouble there in the Philippines.

    As far as Spain is concerned, you have two passports and two nationalities, as dual nationality is recognized for Philippine citizens in Spain. You can only lose the Spanish nationality if you willingly renounce to it.

    However, I am unable to guess what may have led to your situation in the Philippines, as we are not familiar with their laws and regulations. I understand the most sensible move is to make an enquiry at the Spanish embassy in Manila.

    Regards,
    Patricia Martin
    Immigration Consultant at Lawbird | Contact Me
    Check My Profile

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