Travelling to the Philippines

Guidelines for Dual Citizens Travelling to the Philippines

2006-12-18

The Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) released last December 2004 new guidelines for Filipinos with dual or multiple citizenships entering or leaving the Philippines.

The BI guidelines prescribe that either a genuine and a valid Philippine passport and/or an original Identification Certificate issued by the Bureau will be considered as substantial proof of Philippine citizenship.

* Arrival and Stay

1. Filipinos with dual or multiple citizenship shall present, upon arrival in any port of entry in the Philippines, either a Philippine or a foreign passport.

2. Filipinos with dual or multiple citizenship who presents a foreign passport, may be admitted for an indefinite period of stay, being a Filipino, provided, he/she also possesses and shows a genuine and valid Philippine passport and/or Identification Certificate.

* Departure

1. Filipinos with dual or multiple citizenship, who presented a foreign passport at the time of their admission into the Philippines may be cleared for departure without need of surrendering a certificate, permit or proof of payment of imposable immigration fees, provided, he/she also shows a genuine and valid Philippine passport and/or Identification Certificate. However, if the Filipino does not have a Philippine passport, an Emigration Certificate of Clearance (ECC) fee of Php710.00 shall be charged for using a foreign passport upon departure.

* In the arrival, stay and departure of Filipinos with Dual or Multiple Citizenship where the Filipino presents a Philippine passport and a foreign passport, the arrival or departure stamp shall be stamped on both passports.

Filipinos who have acquired dual or multiple citizenships are therefore encouraged to obtain Philippine passports in their country of origin or from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila or secure an Identification Certificate from the Bureau of Immigration in Manila.

The DFA address in Manila is at 2330 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, Philippines while the Bureau of Immigration is at Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila.

The Philippine Consulate General at 160 Eglinton Ave East, 7th Floor with Tel. No. 416-9227181 can also be contacted for further information on the matter.

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