October 27, 2004:
American Citizen Services Chat

Transcript/FAQs

The following FAQs summarize topics of general interest for those with queries for the ACS section.

Q. User asked: How long does it take to add pages into my passport?

A. American citizens may come in to the Embassy any day from 8-11 a.m. to request additional pages. Passports are released the same day between 3-4 p.m.

Q. User asked: When is the next outreach in Davao from the American Citizen Services branch of the Embassy?

A. The next Davao outreach will be in the spring of 2005. Please check the Virtual Consulate Davao Web site (www.usvirtualconsulatedavao.org.ph) for more updates.

Q. User asked: Is there any amnesty for American citizens who have failed to comply with payments to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, if the individual did not know all the while of her American citizenship? The U.S. Consul here in the Philippines amended my petition to have back my citizenship, but someone at BI told me I had to pay 350 thousand in penalties! Can you give me any advice?

A. On the amnesty question, if you were born in the Philippines and have at least one Filipino parent, you have the right to claim a Filipino passport at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and would therefore not have to pay immigration fines. You just need to present your Filipino birth certificate. Another option is to apply directly for dual citizenship at the Bureau of Immigration. Please see www.immigration.gov.ph for more details.

Q. User asked: Does the ACS branch make outreach trips, or Embassy-on-the-road sessions?

A. Yes -- we do outreaches outside of metro Manila. Our current list includes Angeles, Olongapo, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, Baguio, Laoag, Bacolod, Iloilo, Davao, and Dumaguete. Please ensure you are registered in our warden system so you get the appropriate mailings about the outreaches as they are scheduled.

Q. User asked: Is more info about the ACS outreaches available on the Embassy Web site?

A. Our outreaches are generally advertised via the warden system. If you are not registered with the Embassy, you may do so at the following link: https://travelregistration.state.gov. If your address abroad changes, simply log in to the Web site and update the information. That way, you will always receive warden updates via e-mail. Outreaches (Embassy-on-the-road) in Davao will also be posted on the Virtual Consulate Davao calendar online.

Q. User asked: Is it necessary for an American citizen to register with the Embassy? What are the benefits?

A. We encourage all Americans living in the Philippines to register with the Embassy. That way Americans can be updated on important events and notifications. In case of an emergency, the Embassy can also locate citizens easily. Please register with the U.S. Embassy in Manila online at the following link: https://travelregistration.state.gov. If your address abroad changes, simply log in to the Web site and update the information.

Q. User asked: How fast can passports be renewed after they have been sent to the Embassy by FedEx?

A. Passport renewals take about two weeks to be delivered back to you after you have given them to FedEx

Q. User asked - How do I vote as an absentee voter in national elections?

A. In order to vote in a U.S. election abroad, you must fill out a Federal Post-Card Application (FPCA), available at the American Citizen Services branch. Please check the following Web sites for more information.
usembassy.state.gov/manila/wwwha012.html or www.fvap.gov

Q. User asked: Does the U.S. Embassy retain all the original documents presented for any application, e.g. marriage contracts, birth certificates, pictures?

A. Generally, we do require original documentation for interviews, particularly when registering an American citizen for a passport and birth certificate. After photocopying them, we return the originals to the applicant. We usually retain the original Philippine birth and marriage certificates.

Q. User asked - How do I claim my social security or veterans benefits?

A. Both the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs maintain offices at the Embassy annex building in Manila. For more information on social security benefits, please see www.ssa.gov . USDVA also has a medical clinic at 2201 Roxas Blvd in Pasay City. Clinic hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information on VA, please access the following link: https://iris.va.gov/

Q. User asked - My passport has been renewed twice in San Francisco. Other than the old passport and my social security card, do you still need additional documents? My passport is due for renewal this December.

A. You need to provide two, 2X2 photos and complete an application form. You also need to present your most recent passport. The cost of renewal for an adult with an existing 10-year passport is 55 USD.

Q. User asked - How do I extend my Philippine visa? How can I become a resident? How do I obtain dual citizenship?

A. In order to extend a tourist visa in the Philippines, foreign nationals must go to a Bureau of Immigration office. The main office is located at Magallanes Drive in Intramuros, Manila. Specific inquiries about working visas, legal residency, and dual citizenship can be answered via the Bureau of Immigration Web site at www.immigration.gov.ph or via telephone at (032) 527-3248.

Q. User asked - As an expat here, do I get to enjoy a U.S. tax exemption if I pay taxes in the Philippines? What are the rules regarding taxation?

A. You should consult with a tax advisor for a correct answer on that one. The Internal Revenue Service does not maintain an office at the U.S. Embassy. For basic tax information, please see www.irs.gov. Once a year during tax season, generally in March, a representative from the IRS comes to Manila to answer tax inquiries for American citizens. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact American Citizen Services in February.

Q. User asked: I am a Filipino, 28 years old, working here in Saudi Arabia for the past three years. I have a Filipina girlfriend who has lived in the United States for 7 years and I plan to immigrate to the U.S. after our marriage next year. She was married before to a U.S. citizen but divorced him two years ago. Her church wedding was in the Philippines, but the divorce was officially granted by a U.S. court. I need to know if her Philippine marriage will be considered null and void, after they were legally divorced in the U.S.

A. You should consult with the Philippine judicial system for a determination for her case, though generally divorces granted abroad to Filipino citizens (who are not Fil-Am) are not recognized by the Philippine government. Therefore, you probably will not be able to get a marriage license in the Philippines, although the United States legally recognizes the divorce. If she is a U.S. legal permanent resident or an American citizen already, she can petition for you via the immigrant visa process.

Q. User asked: - I currently reside in the Philippines, am married to a Filipina, and we expect our first child. What documents are needed to claim my child as an American citizen?

A. The child of an American citizen living in the Philippines may register for a Consular Report of Birth abroad (CRBA) and U.S. passport at the American Citizen Services branch. There are many requirements for the application, including a personal appearance before a consular office of the child and both parents (if the child is under age 14). Parents must also obtain a copy of the child’s birth certificate on NSO security paper. If only one of the parents is American, he/she must meet physical presence requirements in the U.S. For more information, please see: usembassy.state.gov/manila/wwwha003.html.

Q. User asked: Are all Consular Reports of Birth Abroad approved?

A. Not all CRBA applications are approved. CRBAs are approved if they meet the transmission, filiation, and legitimation requirements.

Q. User asked: What are the requirements to prove filiation, legitimation and transmission in our case in which the child was born out of wedlock?

A. On filiation, you need to present evidence of a relationship, such as pictures and photos. On the issue of legitimation, since your child was born out of wedlock, you have no requirements. In order to transit citizenship, an American citizen parent must show their physical presence in the U.S. from 1 to 10 years, depending on the year the child was born and which law covers that period.

Q. User asked: I am an American citizen and have resided in Metro Manila for many years now. I am divorced and my ex-wife now lives in New York. I have lived with my common-law wife for the past 20 years and we have a l7-year-old son. I want to marry my common-law-wife. What are the requirements for me to do this? Our son is already an American citizen and was issued an American passport. My wife and son and I would like to move to the United States and settle there permanently, but we cannot, because my common-law-wife is a Filipino citizen and has no U.S. visa. What is the fastest way to get a visa for my wife so we can all move to the U.S.?

A. In order to bring your fiancé (or if you get married, your wife) to the United States, you must file a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Once the petition is approved, your fiancée or spouse will come in to the Embassy for an interview. The whole process can take anywhere from 9-12 months. Please see the following link for more details: usembassy.state.gov/manila/wwwh3204.html

Q. User asked: The U.S. Embassy sent us forms to document our two daughters (ages 9 and 10) as American citizens, including: the consular report of birth abroad application, U.S. passport application, affidavit of parentage and physical presence, and an Embassy registration form. Their father is an American citizen, but we are not married. After we complete all the forms and send them via FedEx to the Embassy, how long must we wait before we are called for an interview appointment? What are the questions that the consul will ask us? Will the two children be interviewed also?

A. A citizenship examiner will call you when the Embassy receives the documents and usually grants an appointment within two weeks. Another option is to come to the Embassy any time between 8 and 11 am; you will be seen that day, but you might have to wait for several hours. The American Citizen Services branch also conducts outreaches throughout the Philippines. If you are in Davao, please see the engagement calendar on the Web site for the next consular visit there. The children must also be present for the interview. The consul will try to determine if the children have a claim to U.S. citizenship and thus a U.S. passport. A consul will ask you to present evidence of filiation, legitimation, and transmission.

Q. User asked - If a non-American visitor gives birth in the U.S., would their child be considered a U.S. citizen?

A. Anyone born on U.S. soil is an American citizen (with a few minor exceptions including the children of diplomats). Non-American parents should bear in mind their responsibility to pay for all associated medical expenses.

Q. User asked - This is in reference to my daughter, a 12-year-old graduating elementary student who holds a U.S. passport since birth. She has visited the United States once but has stayed here in the Philippines to study. Since she now shows interest in attending high school in the United States, I would like to inquire if I could be granted a non-immigrant visa to accompany my daughter in her travel to the United States. Her Las Vegas-based grandparents have offered their support and also their home for her to live.

A.There is no guarantee of a U.S. non-immigrant visa (NIV) for parents even if their child is an American citizen. Like all NIV applicants, you must demonstrate strong ties to the Philippines to qualify for a visa. In order to apply for a non-immigrant visa you should make an appointment via our call center for a personal interview. Please see the following link for more details: http://usembassy.state.gov/manila/wwwh3024.html

Q. I cannot find the link on the Embassy Web site to update my personal details and contact information. (I already receive warden e-mails.)

A. You can update or change your registration and contact information at the following link: https://travelregistration.state.gov