Dual Citizenship

PETITION FOR RETENTION / RE-ACQUISITION OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP UNDER RA9225

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Accomplished Petition Form - must be written or typed and printed in BLACK INK.
  • PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth or PSA-issued Report of Birth – one (1) original and one (1) photocopy;
  • Foreign Certificate of Citizenship – one (1) original and one (1) photocopy;
  • Recent Philippine Passport – one (1) photocopy (original to be presented during the oath-taking ceremony);
  • Recent Foreign Passport – one (1) photocopy (original to be presented during the oath-taking ceremony);
  • Photos – two (2) passport sized (3.5cm x 4.5cm), white background, taken within the last 6 months (applicant must not wear eyeglasses); and
  • Other documents that may be deemed necessary by the evaluating officer.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MARRIED FEMALE APPLICANTS

  1. PSA-issued Marriage Certificate - one (1) photocopy only, if married in the Philippines);
  2. Report of Marriage – one (1) photocopy only, issued by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate where the marriage was reported; or
  3. Marriage Certificate – one (1) photocopy only, if married overseas.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MINOR CHILDREN TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PETITION AS DEPENDENTS OF PARENT

  1. PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth, PSA-issued Report of Birth or foreign Birth Certificate – original and one (1) photocopy;
  2. Foreign Certificate of Citizenship (if applicable) – one (1) photocopy;
  3. Passport – one (1) photocopy; and
  4. Photos - two (2) passport sized with white background.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Philippine Dual Citizenship Application

Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility
You may apply if you:

  1. Were a natural-born Filipino, and
  2. Became a citizen of another country (e.g., New Zealand, Cook Islands or Niue) through grant or naturalization. Dual citizenship is granted under Republic Act No. 9225 (Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003).

Step 2: Prepare Your Supporting Documents

  1. Prepare clear, complete and one copy each with original copies
  2. Print the two-page Petition Form on two separate sheets of A4 sized paper. Double-sided (duplex/back-to-back) printing is not permitted.
  3. Additional documents may be required depending on your personal circumstances (e.g., name change, marriage, inclusion of minor children).

Inclusion of Minor Children (If Applicable)
If you have unmarried children below 18 years old at the time of your retention/reacquisition, you may include them in your petition. These children may include:

  1. Natural born Filipino citizens who subsequently acquired foreign citizenship; or
  2. Children born to parents who were foreign citizens or former Filipino citizens who had already acquired foreign citizenship by naturalization or grant at the time of the child’s birth.
They will also be recognized as Filipino citizens upon approval.

Step 3: File Your Application

  • Via Courier if you are nowhere near the Embassy:

    • Dual Citizenship Unit
    Embassy of the Philippines
    50 Hobson Street, Thorndon
    Wellington 6011

  • In-Person

    • Schedule your Application for Dual Citizenship (RA 9225) for an appointment here under OTHER SERVICES: https://philippineembassynewzealand.setmore.com/

    Walk-in applications are generally not accepted unless specifically announced by the Embassy.

Step 4: Payment

  • Payment Notice will be emailed for those applications filed via courier
  • EFTPOS or cash payment for those filing in-person

Step 4: Waiting Time for the Processing and Approval

  • Up to six (6) weeks

Step 5: Take the Oath of Allegiance
Once your application is approved, we shall email the schedule for you to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines before a consular officer of the Embassy either in Wellington or during the Embassy’s Consular Mobile Outreach Mission.
Your Philippine citizenship is officially reacquired upon taking the oath.

Step 6: Receive Your Identification Certificate
After taking the oath, you will be issued an Identification Certificate (IC), an Order of approval and a copy of the Oath of Allegiance as documentary proof of retention or reacquisition of Philippine citizenship.
Keep this document secure. It will be required for future transactions, including passport applications.

Step 7: Apply for a Philippine Passport (Optional)
After receiving your Identification Certificate, you may apply for a Philippine passport.
A separate passport appointment and fee will apply.

Important Reminders

  • Applicants are requested to dress appropriately when they are invited for the oath-taking ceremony.
  • All documents must be complete and consistent.
  • Processing times may vary depending on document completeness and Embassy scheduling.
  • All submitted original documentary requirements will be returned after the oath-taking ceremony. If you wish to receive them early, you will need to provide a Signature Required type of A4 sized Courier Bag with your delivery details.
  • In case of discrepancy in the name currently used with the name indicated in the Philippine Birth Certificate, applicants must execute an Affidavit of discrepancy stating the circumstances. Get the Affidavit (Single) under the Affidavit / SPA / Authentication / Notarials here: https://philembassy.org.nz/download.
  • In case the old Philippine passport is nowhere to be found, execute an Affidavit of Loss. Download the affidavit here: https://philembassy.org.nz/download
  • In case the original Certificate of Live Birth or Report of Birth is not available or may have been lost already, you may obtain it again either personally, through an authorized representative in the Philippines or online (https://www.psaserbilis.com.ph/ or https://psahelpline.ph) from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), formerly NSO. Online requests may be delivered anywhere in the Philippines or abroad including New Zealand.