The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) has issued a public reminder to Chinese nationals, clarifying the legal requirements for naturalization and the serious consequences of fraudulent practices.
The group underscored that both China and the Philippines do not permit dual citizenship for individuals who acquire their citizenship through naturalization.
Once a naturalization application is approved, the person should formally renounce their original nationality.
Citing Republic Act No. 9225 (Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act), FFCCCII said foreigners whose naturalization applications are approved should take simultaneous action to cancel their Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR-I Card) with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and surrender their original country’s passport.
The group also issued a strong caution against the use of illegally obtained birth certificates, warning that some Chinese individuals, despite being previously registered as foreigners with the BI, have fraudulently acquired birth certificates claiming to have Filipino parents.
The advisory noted that BI officers could cross-reference fingerprint records to uncover such illegal acts, which can lead to immediate arrest and deportation.
The FFCCCII said all foreigners seeking to become Philippine citizens should strictly follow the legal procedures outlined in Republic Act No. 9139 (Administrative Naturalization Law of 2000), which involves a proper court process.
The organization said that upon the approval of a naturalization application, the individual should give up their original country’s passport, as the privilege of holding dual citizenship is exclusively for natural-born Filipinos.
