Apply for U.S citizenship or not ?

[John&Juvy 36]

Just a quistion in my head for couple months now. I have couple friends here in the U.S that already a U.S citizen, and they keep asking me if when I'm going to apply for my citizenship. I keep telling them I dont know and It's not in my mind to give up my filipino citizenship, but they thought It's an Idiotic descision of me lol. All my family is in the Philippines and 100% for sure they have no plan to come live here in the U.S lol. I'm only here in the U.S because of my husband and coz of his work. But as of what he promise me we will move in Philippines as soon as he retire in 11 years and have enough savings to build a small business there for us... well atleast that's the plan lol.

Also now that we are having a baby, It only makes me more think to just keep my filipino citizenship so our baby can also partially filipino citizen. I dont know if that is right though LOL.

So I'm just curious if what is really the benefits of being a U.S citizen if you are already legally living here ?

Edited September 14, 2011 by John&Juvy

[Markieboy 104]

Just a quistion in my head for couple months now. I have couple friends here in the U.S that already a U.S citizen, and they keep asking me if when I'm going to apply for my citizenship. I keep telling them I dont know and It's not in my mind to give up my filipino citizenship, but they thought It's an Idiotic descision of me lol. All my family is in the Philippines and 100% for sure they have no plan to come live here in the U.S lol. I'm only here in the U.S because of my husband and coz of his work. But as of what he promise me we will move in Philippines as soon as he retire in 11 years and have enough savings to build a small business there for us... well atleast that's the plan lol.

Also now that we are having a baby, It only makes me more think to just keep my filipino citizenship so our baby can also partially filipino citizen. I dont know if that is right though LOL.

So I'm just curious if what is really the benefits of being a U.S citizen if you are already legally living here ?

You can reacquire your Philippine citizenship. Your child can be a dual citizen, as well.

Please refer to Philippine Consulate New York for Citizen Retention and Re-acquisition.

Edited September 14, 2011 by Markieboy

[arynmichael 3]

One of my friends just recently got her U.S. citizenship and she said the main two reasons she did it was that she can now vote and work in the government. There are probably many more reasons but I don't see the point in giving up your citizenship if you don't want to. Why not just stay a permenant resident?

Edited September 14, 2011 by arynmichael

[jkelly07 120]

you came this far,you should apply for citizenship,once you have it no harm,good to traval, vote, get goverment work, benifits,you never know you may want to return one day, if you keep your permanent resident you need to come back to the us in one year or the green card is abandon,

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Good reasons:

What if you ever want to return to the US after you've retired to the Philippines? Maybe your child(ren) have built a life here and will remain. Your Greencard has residency requirement whereas Citizenship doesn't

Or if your husband falls ill and requires treatment in the US, as a Citizen you can just get on the plane with him no worries about getting anything approved.

How about international travel? US Citizenship gets you into some countries the Philippine Citizen with US LPR doesn't.

In general, plans change and you never know what unexpected things may happen by naturalizing you've given yourself a lot of options that otherwise don't exist.

Naturalize & reacquire your Philippine Citizenship then you'll have the bet of both worlds.

[Theresa0828 65]

Good reasons:

What if you ever want to return to the US after you've retired to the Philippines? Maybe your child(ren) have built a life here and will remain. Your Greencard has residency requirement whereas Citizenship doesn't

Or if your husband falls ill and requires treatment in the US, as a Citizen you can just get on the plane with him no worries about getting anything approved.

How about international travel? US Citizenship gets you into some countries the Philippine Citizen with US LPR doesn't.

In general, plans change and you never know what unexpected things may happen by naturalizing you've given yourself a lot of options that otherwise don't exist.

Naturalize & reacquire your Philippine Citizenship then you'll have the bet of both worlds.

Very well said. :thumbs:

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Becoming a citizen of another country is a very personal decision. You should give it some thought and weigh the advantages with the disadvantages. Don't make such a move because of what other people urge you to do.

Let me start with the advantages a U.S. citizen has compared to a Green Card holder, and you then create the list of disadvantages.

Advantages:

1) Ability to vote

2) Ability to come and go as you please

3) Freed from the fangs of USCIS

4) No more $450 Green Cards.

5) No more requirement to carry identification

6)

7)

8)

9)

Disadvantages:

1) Jury Duty

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

[John&Juvy 36]

Good reasons:

What if you ever want to return to the US after you've retired to the Philippines? Maybe your child(ren) have built a life here and will remain. Your Greencard has residency requirement whereas Citizenship doesn't

Or if your husband falls ill and requires treatment in the US, as a Citizen you can just get on the plane with him no worries about getting anything approved.

How about international travel? US Citizenship gets you into some countries the Philippine Citizen with US LPR doesn't.

In general, plans change and you never know what unexpected things may happen by naturalizing you've given yourself a lot of options that otherwise don't exist.

Naturalize & reacquire your Philippine Citizenship then you'll have the bet of both worlds.

Urrgghhh Thanks for pointing that out. Couple of things there need to consider about in the future lol. Guess I'll do and give up anything for my child and my husband . But for right now, this is not something I make my self crazy about and need to do it right away... who knows maybe in next 10 years LOL. Still not looking forward to it if I dont really need it in the future for my hubby and our daughter.

[Markieboy 104]

Urrgghhh Thanks for pointing that out. Couple of things there need to consider about in the future lol. Guess I'll do and give up anything for my child and my husband . But for right now, this is not something I make my self crazy about and need to do it right away... who knows maybe in next 10 years LOL. Still not looking forward to it if I dont really need it in the future for my hubby and our daughter.

I don't see what the fuss is about. You won't "give up anything" for you child and husband. You can actually have BOTH U.S. and Philippine citizenship. I don't understand why you're "not looking forward to it." You should really be ecstatic that Philippine law allows citizen to retain their former citizenship.

Remember that it is very difficult to see, today, your future years down the road. It is a more wise decision to have more options available, than to limit it to one.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[John&Juvy 36]

I don't see what the fuss is about. You won't "give up anything" for you child and husband. You can actually have BOTH U.S. and Philippine citizenship. I don't understand why you're "not looking forward to it." You should really be ecstatic that Philippine law allows citizen to retain their former citizenship.

Remember that it is very difficult to see, today, your future years down the road. It is a more wise decision to have more options available, than to limit it to one.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I didn't know about that. Thought dual citizenship is not existed. Thanks for the info. I'll check the link that you posted.

[john_and_marlene 162]

You cannot collect U.S. social security if you reside in the Philippines unless you are a USC.

There are advantages of being a USC regarding inheritance and probate laws in the event your spouse dies.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

I don't see what the fuss is about. You won't "give up anything" for you child and husband. You can actually have BOTH U.S. and Philippine citizenship. I don't understand why you're "not looking forward to it." You should really be ecstatic that Philippine law allows citizen to retain their former citizenship.

Remember that it is very difficult to see, today, your future years down the road. It is a more wise decision to have more options available, than to limit it to one.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Not sure about the validity of your statement. A PI citizen who naturalizes is choosing US citizenship by volunteering for it, and agreeing to give up the foreign citizenship, right? So say she does that. Then how will she get her Filipino citizenship back? By voluntarily applying for it, correct? And the US State department says:

A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

I am all for being able to retain dual citizenship, and I know the PI allows it. I want it for my asawa, to make it easier to travel to and from the PI (which is much more restrictive than the US), and the advantage of no more greencard renewals will be nice too. It seems a confusing topic, especially after reading the above, when I found this:

DUAL NATIONALITY

Dual nationality can occur as the result of a variety of circumstances. The automatic acquisition or retention of a foreign nationality, acquired, for example, by birth in a foreign country or through an alien parent, does not affect U.S. citizenship. It is prudent, however, to check with authorities of the other country to see if dual nationality is permissible under local law. Dual nationality can also occur when a person is naturalized in a foreign state without intending to relinquish U.S. nationality and is thereafter found not to have lost U.S. citizenship: the individual consequently may possess dual nationality. While recognizing the existence of dual nationality and permitting Americans to have other nationalities, the U.S. Government also recognizes the problems which it may cause. Claims of other countries upon dual-national U.S. citizens often place them in situations where their obligations to one country are in conflict with the laws of the other. In addition, their dual nationality may hamper efforts to provide U.S. diplomatic and consular protection to them when they are abroad.

References:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_778.html

[Tahoma 2,292]

You can reacquire your Philippine citizenship. Your child can be a dual citizen, as well.

Please refer to Philippine Consulate New York for Citizen Retention and Re-acquisition.

You can actually have BOTH U.S. and Philippine citizenship.

^^^ Spot on.

A Filipino who becomes a U.S. citizen is allowed dual citizenship, or they can reacquire their Filipino citizenship down the road. Just fill out the proper form, provide the paperwork, and write the check.

(K-1ers...don't forget to report your marriage to the proper Philippines Consulate. You will need to do this if you want to amend or to renew your Filipino passport.)

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

Don't think a Filipina who became a U.S. citizen, lost her Filipino citizenship automatically when doing so, and then immediately applies to get it back has the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

Edited September 15, 2011 by Just Bob

[A and T 82]

A USA passport is much better than a philippines passport because you can travel anywhere almost without a visa upfront. Thats about the only good thing I see