RETENTION AND RE-ACQUISITION OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP UNDER RA 9225 (DUAL

CITIZENSHIP)

Dual Citizenship

Republic Act 9225 (RA 9225) or the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003
(more popularly known as the Dual Citizenship Law) allows natural-born Filipinos who
have become naturalized citizens of another country to retain or re-acquire their Filipino
citizenship. Upon reacquiring Philippine citizenship, the citizens shall enjoy full civil and
political rights as Filipinos, subject to certain conditions.

Derivative Citizenship (Section 4. Of RA 9225)

Under the principle of derivative citizenship, unmarried children under eighteen (18)
years of age of those who reacquired Philippine citizenship are also deemed Filipino
citizens.

A child who is eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of the parents’
reacquisition of Philippine citizenship, but was born when either parent was still a Filipino
citizen, is considered a natural born Filipino and may apply for reacquisition of Philippine
citizenship.

Natural-born Filipino Citizens

Natural-born Filipino citizens are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth
without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship.
These are:

Those whose fathers or mothers are Filipino citizens at the time of their birth; and

Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship
upon reaching the age of majority.