For Filipinos who have applied for naturalization in Taiwan, the renunciation of Philippine citizenship is one of the requirements. But what if they want to reacquire their Philippine citizenship? Is this possible, and how?
The answer is yes, Filipinos who have been naturalized as Taiwanese nationals may reacquire their Philippine citizenship while retaining their foreign citizenship. This is made possible through Republic Act No. 9225 or the “Dual Citizenship Law.” In Taiwan, they can apply for this at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO).
Guide to Applying for Reacquisition or Retention of Philippine Citizenship
R.A. No. 9225 allows Filipinos who have been naturalized as Taiwanese nationals to reacquire their Philippine citizenship while retaining their foreign citizenship at the same time.
Specifically, the law applies to natural-born Filipinos who are at least 18 years old at the time of application. Likewise, unmarried children who are below 18 years old — including legitimate, adopted, or illegitimate children — can be included in their parents’ application for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship.
After reacquiring Philippine citizenship, applicants are entitled to full civil, political, and economic rights as Filipinos.
Documentary Requirements
The following documents must be prepared when applying for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship:
- Duly accomplished R.A. 9225 Data Sheet;
- Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Nationality — 1 original, 4 photocopies;
- Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Birth Certificate — 1 original, 5 photocopies;
- PSA Marriage Certificate (if applicable) — 1 original, 5 photocopies;
- 5 photocopies of last/cancelled Philippine Passport (data page);
- 5 photocopies of R.O.C. Passport (data page);
- 2 colored front view photos (2×2) with royal/light blue background and a clear view of applicant’s face taken within the last 3 months before the date of application;
- 1 photocopy of English Version of Household Registration Transcript with full remarks;
- 1 photocopy of Oath of Renunciation; and
- 1 photocopy of any Philippine government-issued ID such as Driver’s License, SSS/UMID, PhilHealth Card, Postal ID, etc. with contact information (for passport reference).
NOTES:
- The Certificate of Naturalization must be an English Version (and not just a translation). Applicants may request for this at the Household Registration Office. Moreover, ALL copies must be notarized by the Local District Court and authenticated by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
- If the PSA Birth Certificate is not clear or legible, applicants are advised to get a Record/Certification of Birth from the Local Civil Registrar at their place of birth.
- Before having a photo taken for the application, applicants must remove their eyeglasses, contact lenses, headgear, etc.
Fees
The processing fee varies for every applicant, depending on their circumstances. Nevertheless, based on the MECO official website, the Notarial Services Fee for Petition for Reacquisition is TWD 2,050 each for adult applicants, and TWD 1,025 for each dependent. In addition, there’s an Expedite Fee of TWD 200 for those who want to fast-track their application.
Filling Up R.A. 9225 Data Sheet
The R.A. 9225 Data Sheet is one of the requirements when applying for reacquisition of Philippine Citizenship. This is a one-page document that every applicant needs to fill up with their personal information and contact details.
In the first part of the data sheet, the applicant must provide his/her full name, gender, date of birth, place of birth, father’s full name and citizenship, mother’s full name and citizenship, civil status, name of spouse, and date of marriage.
In the second part of the document, the applicant needs to provide his/her contact number, old/canceled Philippine passport number and issuance date, current citizenship, current Taiwan passport number and issuance date, and other details.
Finally, the latter part of the document is for entering the names, gender, and date of birth of the applicant’s children who were born after acquiring Taiwan citizenship.
Screenshot from meco.org.tw
Procedure
Once all the necessary documents have been prepared, the applicant can proceed to booking an appointment with MECO, before submitting their applicant, taking the Oath of Allegiance, and getting his/her Identification Certificate.
Booking of Appointment
For a quick and hassle-free processing, applicants are advised to book an appointment by logging into the MECO Appointment System and setting their preferred date and time.
Submission of Application
On the scheduled date and time, the applicant goes to MECO and submits all the required documents.
Taking the Oath of Allegiance
This is the main part of the process; taking the Oath of Allegiance confers Philippine citizenship to the applicant. The oath includes the following statement:
“I, (name), solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and obey the laws and local orders promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Philippines, and I hereby declare that I recognize and accept the supreme authority of the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto, and that I impose this obligation upon myself voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.”
Issuance of Identification Certificate
At this stage, MECO forwards the applicant’s petition, oath, order of approval, and other supporting documents to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Manila. Afterwards, the BI issues an Identification Certificate and forwards it to MECO, where the applicant can claim it.
Benefits of Reacquiring Philippine Citizenship
As soon as the applicant has reacquired his/her Philippine citizenship, he/she will once again have full civil, political, and economic rights under Philippine laws. These include:
- The right to travel with a Philippine passport;
- The right to own real property in the Philippines;
- The right to engage in business and commerce as a Filipino;
- The right to vote in Philippine national elections via overseas voting; and
- The right to practice one’s profession, provided that a license is acquired from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) or the Supreme Court (in the case of lawyers).
Contact Information: MECO Taipei
Queries about the reacquisition of Philippine citizenship may be addressed to MECO, whose contact details are as follows:
Address: 2F, Chang Hong New Era Building, 55 & 57 Zhouzi St., Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan
Telephone: +886 2 2658 8825
Website: https://www.meco.org.tw/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MECO.official/
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Aside from facilitating Filipinos’ renunciation as well as reacquisition of Philippine citizenship, MECO provides other services such as passport services, visa services, and assistance to nationals. It also provides general notarial and authentication services; check out this guide to learn more about it!