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How to get filipino citizenship if i am married to a filipina

Discussion in 'General Chit Chat' started by cheng, Jun 28, 2021.

  1. cheng
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    cheng Member

    My husband is a british citizen and he wants to live in the philippines for good.. How can he apply for filipino citizen? Is he eligible?
  2. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    He does not need to and it would be unwise to do so.

    Why would he not just apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, he's not going to have significantly more rights as a Filipino citizen than he would under a Permanent Resident Visa.

    Permanent Resident Visa (immigration.gov.ph)

    While it is not actually possible to irrevocably renounce British Citizenship it would still introduce a lot of issues for him in that he would surrender his UK passport so would be restricted on where he could and could not travel in future, he would lose access to the NHS, claiming his UK State Pension would probably be a bit harder, he would still qualify for it but I would bet the bureaucracy would be awful.
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  3. Aromulus
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    Aromulus The Don Staff Member


    For me it would not be an advisable course of action.

    As Oss mentioned, he can move permanently, to his heart content, but the rest is not the way to go. Too much to loose and nothing to gain.
  4. cheng
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    cheng Member

    So permenant residency would be a better option.
  5. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Way better, can open a bank account will get an ACR card will be able to have services like PLDT and Meralco in his name, will have a special queue at immigration to get through customs, just not allowed to own land but he can own a condo or if you buy a place in your name he will have lifetime rights to live there.

    And he retains all of his rights in the UK plus if he had to return to the UK for health reasons he would be able to resume his cover under the NHS, he would have his UK passport which gets him into lots more countries than you are allowed to enter, to me it is a no brainer.

    I intend to live out my final years in the Philippines but I would never attempt to cut off my return for me because I am not married to my children's mother I would either have to go the constant renewal route or maybe the SRRV route (special retirement visa) but that requires a substantial deposit of 10,000 USD to be made indefinitely in an approved Philippine bank.
  6. cheng
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    cheng Member

    We already bought a house but its only under my name but in a mortgage contract his name is there.. Would it be better for us to buy condominium outright in our both names?
  7. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    No a house is better, buying a condo is a 50 year lease you never truly own it and it gets harder and harder to sell and less valuable as it gets closer to the end of the lease.

    If you already have a house just make sure you don't get fed up with him and throw him out in his old age ;) :D
    • Funny Funny x 1
  8. cheng
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    cheng Member

    Lol i wont i love him, but if he wants to be a permanent resident he can own a condo under his name? We are thinking to buy a condo so we can also put his name to prove that he has right to stay
  9. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    You don't need to do that to get Permanent residency the fact he is married to you is enough , read through my link in my first reply.

    Regards buying condos most foreign people who buy them buy as an investment to be rented out or at least that is what they should be doing, the rental income over 50 years should be a lot more than the repayments on any loans taken out to buy the property and will definitely be a lot more than the capital invested if the property is bought outright, to me a condo would be just an investment to provide income.
  10. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

    The 13a permanent resident visa is the way to go, no need to spend money buying a condo.
  11. cheng
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    cheng Member

    So after getting 13a visa is there any validity? How long is he allowed to stay?
  12. cheng
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    cheng Member

    Can we call philippine embassy to apply for 13a?
  13. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Permanently, he can stay permanently.

    13A is the Permanent Resident Visa.

    Permanent Resident Visa (immigration.gov.ph)

    The first year is probationary after that it can be made permanent.

    I'm not sure if you can or could in the past apply for this in via the Philippine Embassy in London, I think you might need to go the 9A (normal visitor visa) and convert to a 13A in the country.

    These links should be helpful.

    Visa (dfa.gov.ph)

    Conversion to Non-Quota Immigrant Visa by Marriage (immigration.gov.ph)

    Your husband qualifies for a 9A at the current time because he is your husband, just now everyone has to apply for a 9A whereas in the past you could just arrive and receive a visa waiver, you need the 9A just to get to the country the conversion to a 13A is a process that you would do after arriving in the Philippines.
  14. cheng
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    cheng Member

    Thank u so much, So we can just apply for 9a visa but how long is the validity of 9a visa? Can we convert it right away when we get to philippines? Thank u so much for ur reply, really appreciated
  15. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    You need to read everything in those links Cheng, the 9A is an ordinary visitor visa it's valid for 59 days I think, but is easily extended, other members have gone down the 13A route and might be able to help you in more detail.
  16. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

    Here is a good link for you to read,https://immigration.gov.ph/visa-req...rsion-to-non-quota-immigrant-visa-by-marriage you your husband will need to visit your local BI offices the list is here https://immigration.gov.ph/index.php/information/directory-of-transactions From reading an application that someone made on another website some time ago, lots of paperwork needed and Peso ;), but its a pretty straight forward process once you have gathered the documents needed, I found on my visits to the Philippines that the smaller BI offices are much more helpful than the big city BI's, Palawan especially so and were very informal followed by CDO who were very helpful, Davao were very strict including not wearing shorts so i had to buy from a nearby store lol, and i also paid for an ACR card at Davao which i never received.. at CDO i paid for an ACR and got it there and then, mind i will have to make back payments for the ACR next time im in Phills..

    Cheng surely your husband is entitled to Balikbayan privilege. https://immigration.gov.ph/faqs/visa-inquiry/balikbayan-privilege so many things to read :D.
  17. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Balikbayan privilege is suspended during the pandemic.

    Your first link is the same one I posted in reply #13 :) the third one :)
  18. Mattecube
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    Mattecube face the sunshine so shadows fall behind you Trusted Member

    @oss I think they reintroduced the Balikbayan Privelage in May 2021
    • Agree Agree x 1
  19. cheng
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    cheng Member


    Thank u
  20. cheng
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    cheng Member

    Hi so when we get to philippines we can go to BI then can apply for 13a visa? How much does it cost?

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