With an estimated 1.5 million naturalized Americans of Filipino descent living in the United States, the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. has issued an advisory reminding Filipino-Americans to be clear about their citizenship status, particularly amid heightened immigration enforcement actions across the US.
In its advisory, the embassy stressed that natural-born Filipinos who later became naturalized citizens of another country are considered to have lost their Philippine citizenship, unless they formally take steps to reacquire it.
“Under Philippine law, natural-born Filipinos who became naturalized citizens of another country are deemed to have lost their Philippine citizenship and are regarded as former Filipinos, unless they take formal steps to reacquire Philippine citizenship,” the embassy said.
The reminder comes as US immigration authorities, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have intensified arrests, checks, and deportation actions, prompting renewed concerns among immigrant communities about documentation, travel status, and legal clarity.
The embassy issued a firm warning to former Filipinos who still possess old Philippine passports: “Former Filipinos CANNOT use their old Philippine passports for travel or for other purposes, even if still valid, because they are considered foreigners and doing so would violate Philippine passport laws.”
This clarification is particularly important for Filipino-Americans who travel frequently to the Philippines or transit through international airports, where passport misuse could lead to legal or immigration complications.
Path to dual citizenship
The advisory highlighted that former natural-born Filipinos may reacquire Philippine citizenship under Republic Act No. 9225, commonly known as the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act.
“Former natural-born Filipinos who lost their Philippine citizenship by foreign naturalization may reacquire Philippine citizenship and become dual citizens,” the embassy said.
Reacquiring Philippine citizenship allows former Filipinos to obtain a Philippine passport, live indefinitely in the Philippines, own property without foreign restrictions, exercise voting rights, and enjoy other privileges of Filipino citizens, subject to existing laws.
The embassy added that minor children of those who reacquire Philippine citizenship may also derive the same status and privileges.
However, it drew a clear line for certain cases: “This is to be distinguished from cases where a person already held dual citizenship and later expressly renounced Philippine citizenship… Such cases are not covered by R.A. 9225.”
Balikbayan option remains
For former Filipinos who choose not to reacquire Philippine citizenship, the embassy emphasized that travel options remain available.
“Former Filipinos who do not wish to reacquire Philippine citizenship may still travel to the Philippines without a visa and a return ticket, and stay for up to one (1) year under the Balikbayan visa-free privilege.”
Applications to reacquire Philippine citizenship may be filed at Philippine embassies, consulates, or consular outreach missions across the United States and the Caribbean.
As immigration rules and enforcement actions in the US grow more aggressive, the embassy urged Filipino-Americans to ensure their documents and legal status accurately reflect their citizenship—both to avoid travel complications and to safeguard their rights on both sides of the Pacific.