Are there advantages or not?

[Methersgate]

41 minutes ago, robert k said:

Minor children, if any, and of school age...I believe are the operative quotes.

If you can't make two friends of good public standing in 5 years, I would believe there would be something wrong with you. I see no reason to invite anyone who would evince against you and how are they going to know? I doubt there will be a public proclamation.

The real estate clause is good. I like that it says real estate and not "land"..."or have some known lucrative trade, profession or lawful occupation." So one doesn't actually need to own real estate. The law did not state that you must practice said trade in the Philippines, did it?

The tough part for me would be learning a new language as I barely speak americanized english and it's my native tongue. I have been told that my few phrases in Tagalog are pretty good but I discount all flattery by 9/10ths.

 

I don't know how the law has been interpreted by the courts. 

I do know someone who is in the process of doing this, as well as having known others, now dead, who achieved it. Needless to say, his first move was to join the local Rotary.

A measure of caution is indicated as with all dealings with East Asian bureaucracy outside Hong Kong and Singapore...

... my 21 year old son, born in Manila to a Filipina mother and who carried a Filipino passport for much of his childhood, recently attempted to reclaim his Filipino citizenship at the Embassy here in London. Needless to say he presented the wrong documents, and the official whom he saw insisted on conversing only in Tagalog - which he does not speak beyond a few phrases.

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by Methersgate

[robert k]

4 minutes ago, Methersgate said:

I don't know how the law has been interpreted by the courts. 

I do know someone who is in the process of doing this, as well as having known others, now dead, who achieved it. Needless to say, his first move was to join the local Rotary.

A measure of caution is indicated as with all dealings with East Asian bureaucracy outside Hong Kong and Singapore...

I quite agree that dealing with bureaucracy is not wonderful, anywhere. For me it's more of an intellectual exercise. I have heard so many people say they were going to become citizens then flip flop and say it's impossible, which for some people means it's not effortless.

If one is not willing to go to some effort and endure the grind to become a citizen of whatever country, they probably wouldn't make good citizens anyway.

I certainly respect naturalized citizens in the US who did it the hard way.

[Methersgate]

There certainly are advantages if you are running a business.

A friend who did havce dual citizenship kept his Filipino passport in his wallet and he had occasion to to take it out and show it to people who assumed that he was a foreigner, most days...

Since there is no military service requirement, the only disadvantage to a Brit (I cannot speak for other nations, but ours permits dual citizenship) is that you would not be entitled to Consular help if you were in trouble. But how helpful is the Consul anyway?

[JJReyes]

7 hours ago, DonJuanMatus said:

It's my understanding theI  only way to avoid IRS income tax is if you don't reside in the US for more then 30 days.  Maybe it's 33 days, but that's splitting hairs.

I have not heard about this rule. It could be a new one. The 180 + 1 making any person a US tax resident is cumulative. You can make many short trips to the United States provided the total days does not exceed 180 + 1 in any calendar year. 

[JJReyes]

9 hours ago, Gratefuled said:

Oh, but condos are allowed. The foreigner can own a condo but not the property the condo sits on. A condo is different than a house on a lot. 

This is correct because in the Philippines, the definition of property is land, not the structure on top. The condominium developer or association after its completion must make sure that foreign ownership does not exceed a certain percentage. Therefore, as a group, the Pilipino majority "control" ownership of the land.