What is Dual Citizenship and who are eligible to apply for it?

Republic Act 9225 or the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003 (more popularly known as the Dual Citizenship Law) enables natural-born Filipinos who have become naturalized citizens of another country to reacquire their Philippine citizenship by taking an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines. Upon reacquiring their Philippine citizenship, they shall enjoy full civil and political rights as Filipinos, subject to certain conditions.

Under the principle of derivative citizenship, unmarried children below eighteen (18) years of age, whether legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted, of those who reacquired their Philippine citizenship under this law shall also be deemed Filipino citizens.

A child who is 18 years of age or older at the time of the parent’s reacquisition of Philippine citizenship, but was born when either parent was still a Filipino citizen, shall be considered to have been a natural born Filipino and may apply for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship on his/her own behalf.