I Did It!

[meylou]

Today, I became a dual citizen.  I am officially a Fil-AM (their term, not mine).  We flew to Honolulu this morning to do the oath taking at the Phil. Consulate and sign the papers and ta-daaaa, I am again a Filipino citizen.  Imagine, I was asked what the Phil. national anthem is and my answer was "Bayang Magiliw."  Wrong!!!!  It's "Lupang Hinirang."  Darn! 

I also applied for a voter's ID so I can exercise my right to vote.  I vote in the US - always - so I should do the same for the Phils.
I didn't apply for a Philippine passport.  Not sure yet if I really need it.  I was told I don't really need it, by the person taking Phil. passport applications.  So this is something I will have to think about.

I was also handed an Immigrant Visa Application Form (13G) for my husband since he is a spouse of a former Filipino citizen.
We had a lengthy conversation with the Visa officer at the Consulate since we had a lot of questions.

My main purpose for wanting to be a dual citizen was simply for my husband.  When we retire there permanently, and in case something happens to me (knock on wood), he won't have to leave the Phils. for visa runs since he's not going to be eligible for BB privilege any longer. This'll be our next step.
 

Thanks to this forum for all the information and the tips.  So you see, I have been taking notes and paying attention to issues I've been reading here.   

[FMSINC]

Great News Now the Best thing you will now be able to sell your vote for 500 pisos come election time

Tom / Roxas City

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

First off congrats! Your husband can still get the BB stamp as long you are with him reentering the Philippines!
If your husband is not a Filipino, the 13a visa applys to him, the 13g visa are for former Filipino citizens who are not yet dual citizens or do not want to be a Filipino citizen again for some reason.

[meylou]

Great News Now the Best thing you will now be able to sell your vote for 500 picos come election time

Tom / Roxas City

Hi Tom,

My vote will be worth more than that!  :-)  Kidding!  I'll make sure my first vote counts for something, at least.
Thanks. 

[meylou]

First off congrats! Your husband can still get the BB stamp as long you are with him reentering the Philippines!
If your husband is not a Filipino, the 13a visa applys to him, the 13g visa are for former Filipino citizens who are not yet dual citizens or do not want to be a Filipino citizen again for some reason.

Art (Mr. Pogi).

I'm pretty sure the Visa officer made a mistake for handing me a 13G form and I wasn't convinced with her explanations either.  When we're ready, we will apply for 13A instead.
Thanks again. 

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Mr. Pogi eh, maybe old an old fogy yeah! Anyway, when you reach age 60, you can apply for a Senior Citizen 20% Discount Card, because I assume the minimum P60,000 a year income limit has been exempted, but still in question! Anyway, all the dual citizen senior citizens I know has their discount card and on top of that their Phil Health Medical Health Ins!   

[shortman]

Congrat's...you thought it, and you became it..........

[Lee2]

Congratulations!!!

BTW Art is pogi and my first impression of him when my wife and I met him was that he looks like a high up govt official. I doubt anyone would mess with Art if they saw him in the street and did not know him.

[Art, just a re(tired) Fil-Am]

Oh really now?  I was at the SM dept store one day, had my shades on and one of the sales lady came up to me asked me if I was an actor in Philippine movie industry? I think she was just hamming me up and wanted me to buy something expensive! I did anyway though, bought something expensive, a P20,000 TV stand made of real solid wood for my new 55" LED TV!
Ops! See how Lee can make me stray off the main topic!  

[Lei]

Congrats!

Julie

[Gray Wolf]

Way to go Meylou!  If you have time, get the 13a for your husband before you leave for the PH.  Unless it has changed, again, unnoticed, he can get his full 13a visa with no probationary period.  It saves a bit of money and lots of time. 

Congrats to both of you!!   

[paulgee]

Congrats Meylou, dual ciizenship is the best way.

If I could interpose a relevant citizenship question on this thread:

My wife became a British citizen last year, and has not taken the oath yet to become a dual citizen.
Last time we visited the Philippines, 18 months ago, I got a balikbayan stamp as we were staying for 3 months.

This year she will travel on her British passport and, although we are only staying a month, I was wondering whether someone in my situation would be eligible for a balikbayan stamp if they needed one for a longer stay, as my wife is  now British. Just a thought!

Any comments gratefully received.

[meylou]

Thank you very, very much everyone.  Yesterday was a very stressful and exciting day for me. Our flight out of Kauai was at 5:30 AM.

After the oath swearing in ceremony, my husband and I proceeded to the tiny consular office and it was full of people. I was getting hot and I was sweating. Lucky for us, the gentleman  who was accepting and processing applications for passports, voters' registrations, etc. etc. ushered us inside the staff room and made us wait inside where it was a lot cooler.  He was really very accommodating.  Could it be because we stood out from the rest of the crowd?  Well, number one, my husband stood out literally (at 6'4") above everybody who were there.  Number two, we were dressed appropriately, we didn't wear jeans or t-shirts. My husband wore long pants and a Hawaiian shirt and me, I wore a maxi dress and my shoulders were covered.  We were very respectful.  He introduced us personally to the lady who was processing visas.  She was very accommodating as well.  Unfortunately, she wasn't well versed in English and I think she got flustered so I asked my questions in Tagalish and translated her answers to my husband in English.  She handed us 13(G) requirements and an application form.  She gave us her personal phone line extension and said to call her.

Ever so grateful, I proceeded to get my picture and biometrics taken for my voter's ID card.  We were both very happy and exhausted by the end of the day.  We had lunch at the airport (no time for restaurant) because we had to catch our flight back home and besides, traffic was awful in Honolulu.  It reminded me of the 101 freeway in California.

Thank you, Jack.  I think I will do just that --- apply for 13(A) before we leave the island.  I was told that processing could take 6 weeks.  I would not want to go the route of the probationary then permanent stages for the 13(A).   

[meylou]

Congrats Meylou, dual ciizenship is the best way.

If I could interpose a relevant citizenship question on this thread:

My wife became a British citizen last year, and has not taken the oath yet to become a dual citizen.
Last time we visited the Philippines, 18 months ago, I got a balikbayan stamp as we were staying for 3 months.

This year she will travel on her British passport and, although we are only staying a month, I was wondering whether someone in my situation would be eligible for a balikbayan stamp if they needed one for a longer stay, as my wife is  now British. Just a thought!

Any comments gratefully received.

Paul,

My husband and I have been to the Philippines 3 times already, the last of our trip was in 2012.  I looked at our passports (before responding just now) and each time we both got the BB stamps. Interestingly, after a week's stay in Makati, we flew to Hong Kong then to Macau for a 3-day stay.  On our return to MIA, while I was being processed by the immigration officer, I looked back and smiled at my husband, who was still in line. The officer asked me if he's my husband and he then signaled him to come over.  He looked at his passport and mine and stamped both. By the way, mine was a U.S. passport and his was a Canadian passport. 

Since we're only staying in the Philippines for 3 weeks, I was not concerned about how long the visa was for.  Lo and behold our passports both had the BB stamps again. We were never asked for onward tickets either.  His only question was "is he your husband?" 

When you arrive and in line for immigration, let your wife go first and tell your wife to ask the officer if it's okay for both of you to be together.  Tell her to tell the officer that you are her husband. 
Looking back now, I did this during our 2011 trip to the Phils. that's why he also got the BB stamp.

I hope this helps you and good luck.  Cheers!

[Gray Wolf]

When you arrive and in line for immigration, let your wife go first and tell your wife to ask the officer if it's okay for both of you to be together.  Tell her to tell the officer that you are her husband. 

That is probably the suggested way, but on every trip we've taken, we both walk up to the immigration desk together, smile, say something like "it's so good to be back home!" and present both passports.  The officers check to see what we received previously, usually ask Gloria something in Tagalog and then our passports get stamped.  I'm assuming they ask her if she knows the big guy beside her.