Judicial Naturalization: Earning your Filipino Citizenship

Becoming a Filipino Citizen has its perks. Here are the must-knows when filing your petition for Filipino Citizenship.

Qualifications to become a naturalized Filipino citizen:

First: Petitioner must-be not less than twenty-one years of age on the day of the hearing of the petition;

Second: Petitioner must have resided in the Philippines for a continuous period of not less than ten years;

Third: Petitioner must be of good moral character and believes in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution, and must have conducted himself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of his residence in the Philippines in his relation with the constituted government as well as with the community in which he is living.

Fourth: Petitioner must own real estate in the Philippines worth not less than five thousand pesos, Philippine currency, or must have some know lucrative trade, profession, or lawful occupation;

Fifth: Petitioner must be able to speak and write English or Spanish and any one oi the principal Philippine languages;

Sixth: Petitioner must have enrolled his minor children of school age, in any of the public schools or private schools recognized by the Office of Private Education of the Philippines, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught or prescribed as part of the school curriculum, during the entire period of the residence in the Philippines required of him prior to the hearing of his petition for naturalization as Philippine citizen.

Special Qualifications/How to shorten 10 year requirement into 5 years:

1. Having honorably held office under the Government of the Philippines or under that of any of the provinces, cities, municipalities, or political subdivisions thereof;
2. Having established a new industry or introduced a useful invention in the Philippines;
3. Being married to a Filipino woman;
4. Having been engaged as a teacher in the Philippines in a public or recognized private school not established for ti»e exclusive instruction of children of persons of a particular nationality or race, in any of the branches of education or industry for a period of not less than two years;
5. Having teen born in the Philippines.

Disqualifications:

a. Persons opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments;
b. Persons defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault, or assassination for the success and predominance of their ideas;
c. Polygamists or believers in the practice of polygamy; .
d. Persons convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude;
e. Persons suffering from mental alienation or incurable contagious diseases;
f. Persons who, during the period of their residence in the Philippines, have not mingled socially with the Filipinos, or who have not evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions, and ideals of the Filipinos;
g. Citizens, or subjects of nations with whom the United States and the Philippines are at war, during the period of such war;
h. Citizens or subjects of a foreign country other than the united States, whose laws do not grant Filipinos the right to become naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

PROCESS:

1. DECLARATION OF INTENTION
> 1 year prior to filing of petition
> To be filed at the Office of the Solicitor General
> Such declaration shall set forth the name, age, occupation, personal description, place of birth, last foreign residence and allegiance, the date of arrival, the name of the vessel or aircraft, if any, in which he came to the Philippines, and the place of residence in the Philippines at the time of making the declaration.
> No declaration-shall be valid until lawful entry for permanent residence has been established and a certificate showing the date, place, and manner of his arrival has been issued.
> The declarant must also state that he has enrolled his minor children, if any, in any of the public schools or private schools recognized ¦by the Office of Private Education of the Philippines, where Philippine history, government, and civics are taught or prescribed as part of “the school curriculum, during “the entire period of the residence in the Philippines required of him prior to the hearing of his petition for naturalization as Philippine citizen. Each declarant must furnish two photographs of himself.

2. PETITION
> To be filed at the court

1. A petition in triplicate;
2. Two photographs of the petitioner;
3. The petition which shall set forth:
a. The petitioner’s name and surname;
b. Their present and former places of residence;
c. Their occupation;
d. Their place and date of his birth;
e. Whether single or married and the father of children, the name, age, birthplace and residence of the wife and of each of the children;
f. The approximate date of his or her arrival in the Philippines, the name of the port of debarkation, and, if he remembers it, the name of the ship on which he came;
g. A declaration that he has the qualifications required by this Act, specifying the same, and that he is not disqualified for naturalization under the provisions of this Act; and
h. That the petitioner will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of the petition up to the time of his admission to Philippine citizenship.

4. The petition must be signed by the applicant in his own handwriting and be supported by the affidavit of at least two credible persons, stating that:
a. They are citizens of the Philippines;
b. Personally know the petitioner to be a resident of the Philippines for the period of time required by this Act and a person of good repute and morally irreproachable; and
c. Said petitioner has in their opinion all the qualifications necessary to become a citizen of the Philippines and is not in any way disqualified under the provisions of this Act.

5. The petition shall also set forth the names and post-office addresses of such witnesses as the petitioner may desire to introduce at the hearing of the case. The certificate of arrival, and the declaration of intention must be made part of the petition.

6. Notice requirements
7. Presentation of Evidence
8. Petition must prove that you have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications

Source: COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 473, JUNE 17, 1939