Over the past month or so, I have gotten several e-mails from different people all saying the same thing.
I’m getting ready to move to the Philippines. Before I move, though, what do I need to do to get my citizenship?
Well, first off, it is important to know that you do not need to be a Philippine Citizen in order to live in the Philippines. In fact, the truth is that unless you are a former Philippine Citizen, you can not become a naturalized Philippine Citizen before moving here.
In fact, what you need to do is to move to the Philippines first. You can stay here for up to 16 months on a tourist visa. If your wife is a Philippine Citizen, or a former citizen of the country then you can get a Balikbayan Visa, which will allow you to stay here for 1 year with no fees or other expenses to pay. Also, if your wife is a citizen or former citizen of the country then you can apply for a permanent resident visa and be able to stay here for the rest of your life, if you like. Learn more about all of these ways to live in the Philippines on various different visas by going to our sister site, Your Philippine Visa.
But, if you were to choose to become a Philippine Citizen, something that I have been considering myself, you need to come here and live first. You must live here for 10 years before you can apply to become a citizen, or 5 years if you have a Filipino spouse. There are other qualifications to meet as well, like language and such, but nonetheless you may not apply until you have lived here for a while.
So, if you want to live in the Philippines, come on over and do it! It’s not hard to do, and it is required before you can apply to become a naturalized Philippine Citizen.
Bob,
Do I need to have a temporary/permanent resident visa before I can file for citizenship? (In other words, does staying on a balikbayan/tourist visa for a couple of rounds count?) I am married to a Filipina.
Hi John – I am not an attorney, so I can’t say with 100% authority. However, the law does read that you must have 10 years of permanent residence in the Philippines (5 years if you have a Philippine Citizen spouse). I would interpret that you need a permanent resident visa.
Hello Bob…. Thanks for educating alot of guys.. Advice me…. I have a philippine fiance living in d philippine while I live abroad….I intend marrying her soon & hopefully live permanently in d philippine…. I want to know how & what to apply for to make staying there easy… Note I havent bin to d philippine b4….
Tanks Bob
Hi Luciano – To be honest, not much you can do right now, but it’s good to start thinking about your options. For now, just wait until you come here and get married. When you come for that purpose, you can just enter the country with a tourist visa, which will give you a 30 day stay in the country. That visa an be extended at various time points for a maximum of 16 months total stay. So, during your stay, you will get married. After the marriage is done, you are then eligible to apply for a 13a resident visa, which will give you a permanent stay in the Philippines. It is not complicated to do, just follow the procedures that will be outlined to you by the Bureau of Immigration when you apply.
Good luck to you, Luciano.
What about the requirement to have a round trip ticket and proof of next destination? How does one purchase a one way ticket? I do have a connection in the Philippines; not a “spouse”sincerely ,Michelle. I thank you for your service.
Hi Michelle – There is not requirement to buy a “round trip” ticket. Depending on the type of visa you have (which you did not mention) you might need an “ongoing ticket” which is not the same as a round trip. An ongoing ticket is a ticket that will fly you anywhere outside the Philippines (not necessarily back where you came from).
If you are eligible for a Balikbayan Visa, a resident visa, or are a Philippine Citizen or Dual Citizen, you are not required have an ongoing ticket.
If you are required to have an ongoing ticket, but intend to stay in the Philippines long term, just buy a throw away ticket. For $50 or so you can get a cheap ticket to Hong Kong, Thailand or some other nearby destination. After you have entered the Philippines just throw the ticket away and you are good to go.
Thanks alot Bob for ur quick response. I will like to know if there are any document needed b4 coming down so as to b fully prepared in processing my stay after d marriage. & are there other types of visa for my situation other than d tourist visa…..
Also is there a minimum financial requirement as a tourist & do U have any idea what it is?
Thanks again.
Hi Luciano – Check here for a list of the requirements.
Great info bob.. hope u can help me out… I’m 36 y.o now planning to go to phlippines on srrv classic with my wife.. What will happened if we have our 1st baby born in Philippines the following year? Will the baby automatically becomes citizenship ( thru jus soli)? Thx in advance…
It depends, Joe. If your wife is a Philippine citizen, then your child will be a Philippine citizen no matter where he is born, anywhere in the world. If neither you or your wife are Philippine Citizens, then even if your child is born in the Philippines he will not be a Philippine Citizen. Hope this helps.
Well I’d like a smaller city close to a beach with a one bedroom around 500us$ a month. Any ideas ?
Hi Bob …I am already married. I will want to marry with a Filipino girl. And I want to get citizenship of Philippines. Plz you guide me.
Bob I will be moving to Cebu in the near future. I would like to start shipping or mailing a lot of my belongings to my fiancé what is the best and cheapest way and safest. thank you for your help.
Hi Bill – If you think about it you will surely realize that “Best”, “Cheapest” and “Safest” are mutually exclusive. If you ship it the best way, it won’t be cheap, but it will be safe. If you ship the cheapest way it won’t be safe or best, etc.
Hi bob, what can we do if we dnt have mney to pay the penalty for my husband,we married here in Philippines for 15 years already we want t apply filipino citizenship for him is that anything we can do or give us some advice…can the 15 years of staying in Philippines help us to do his citizenship…please give us some advice what we can do….
He will have to pay the fine. Find a way to earn the money, borrow it or whatever, but it must be paid.
Hello sir, my name is J.r and I will be visiting the Philippines for two weeks and October 2016! If I like it, I would like to come back and live for at least 6 months to a year! I have money saved up and I have been looking for apartments in the Angeles City area! Which, I have found that benefits me and that I can afford! Work,I am a barber and his license in three different states I can currently live in Florida. I could survive about 6 months to a year without a job! I’m looking to work as a barber, but I will not work for pennies. They are about to open up a air base close to Angeles City and those are the customers, I will concentrate on! What is the best visa for me to apply and accomplish my goals by staying in the Philippines for at least one year? How and where should I apply for this Visa, United States or when I get there? I have found a apartment over there furnished with all utilities for about $300 a month! (Studio) I’m tired of USA and everyone killing each other and drama everywhere and people jealous. Just need to get away for awhile! By the way, I am a African American and how will I be treated over there? Help me sir! Thanks
Hi J.r – Thanks for stopping by and for commenting.
I believe that your best step is to come here and live for a few weeks, as you intent, before you make any decisions. Most of the things you are wanting to do just won’t work, my friend, sorry!
Let’s look at some of your hopes and I will offer a dose of reality.
1. Barbers here don’t make much money. For a haircut where I go, it costs P30, about 60 Cents US money. OK, you said that you are wanting to focus on foreigners. I am an American, but I would not go pay you $20 or even $5 for a haircut, because there are literally hundreds of barbers nearby that will charge me less than $1 for the same service. You say that you won’t work for pennies.. but that is literally what the going rate is, so I don’t think you have a realistic expectation.
2. You say that they are “getting ready” to open an air base near Angeles. J.r, they have been talking about bases opening constantly for the past 20 years. It has not happened so far. A new President was just elected who is basically against US presence in the country, so I doubt that he is going to allow any new US bases. If it does happen, I believe it would be 5 years down the road. But, I don’t think it will happen at all.
3. Even if a base opens, why would those guys pay a higher price to you for a haircut when they can choose from hundreds of very cheap places? They can save big money on the haircut and spend it on beer and girls.
4. The Philippine government is not going to allow you to do haircuts here. Legally, even if you can get a visa that allows work, you cannot take a job that a Filipino can do… and there are tens of thousands of Filipinos (or more) who can cut hair.
5. I don’t believe any visa exists that will allow you to do what you want to do.
Good luck, J.r. I do wish you the best. I am not against you, just giving you a dose of reality and truth.