The Philippine Embassy in Washington has given assurance that the long-standing dual citizenship policy remains allowed in the United States.
Meanwhile, former Philippine ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr., downplayed the concerns regarding a new U.S. Senate bill that aims to outlaw dual citizenship, stating that it has “very slim” chances of ratification.
In a statement, the embassy announced it administered the oath of allegiance to the 15 Filipinos under Republic Act No. 9225 that allows dual citizenship.
“The United States continues to allow dual citizenship, and there have been no changes to this policy,” the statement read.
“Don’t let misinformation stop you from becoming a dual citizen,” it added.
This clarification came in response to reports saying the U.S. government is poised to launch a crackdown on dual citizens.
The embassy also advised those who wish to reacquire their Philippine citizenship under R.A. 9225 to apply at the Embassy, Consulates, or during consular outreach missions.
The Embassy earlier noted in a statement on December 5 last year the introduction of a new bill in the U.S. Senate to end dual citizenship in the United States.
“The bill is currently a legislative proposal and has not been enacted into law. It will go through several stages of lengthy deliberation and may or may not proceed depending on the decisions of the U.S. Congress,” the embassy said.
“U.S. lawmakers will have to carefully consider the provisions of the bill, given its possible significant impact on major immigrant groups in the country,” it added..
The Philippine embassy further noted that previous challenges to dual and multiple citizenship had not materialized. As early as 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court has stated that dual citizenship is a “status long recognized by law” and that “a person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the responsibilities of both. The mere fact he asserts the rights of one citizenship does not mean that he renounces the other” (Kawakita v US, 343 US 717).
“Our Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States are closely monitoring the bill and advise the Filipino-American community to do the same and exercise caution in renouncing their citizenship. Renunciation of Philippine citizenship is an irreversible legal action,” the embassy said.
