I Lost My Filipino Citizenship When I Became Spanish (Here’s How I Got it Back)

Maria,

So 2 weeks ago, I was all smiles because I finally got my Spanish passport and DNI after 5 long months of waiting. I felt like I had just hit a major life milestone!

But of course, life loves a plot twist.

After all the excitement, I was hit with a big, confusing question: What happened to my Filipino citizenship? Spoiler alert: I lost it. Yep, it was automatically revoked the moment I became a Spanish citizen. My PH passport? Null and void. Shocking, right?

Wait… I Lost My PH Citizenship?

Yup, that’s the real tea. Even though Spain doesn’t require Filipinos (and citizens from Ibero-American countries, Portugal, Equatorial Guinea, and Andorra) to renounce their original citizenship—so you can be a dual citizen—the Philippines doesn’t exactly see it that way.

I thought I was safe. Turns out, I was wrong.

RA 9225 – The Law I Had Never Heard Of

I only found out about this when someone asked in one of my videos, “Hey, didn’t you lose your Filipino citizenship?” And I was like, “Nooo, of course not.”

But then someone else chimed in and told me to check with a PH immigration lawyer. So I did the next best thing—I emailed the PH Consulate in Barcelona. Their reply? A polite boom: RA 9225, also known as the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003.

Apparently, if you’re a natural-born Filipino and you become a citizen of another country, you automatically lose your PH citizenship—unless you apply to re-acquire it under RA 9225.

They didn’t explicitly confirm that I lost it (I asked twice!), but they did send me the requirements to re-acquire it. Subtle much?

It’s Not Spain—It’s the Philippines

So just to be clear: Spain is totally cool with dual citizenship for Filipinos. It’s the Philippines that has stricter rules. As soon as I became Spanish, my Filipino citizenship was renounced automatically—in the eyes of the Philippines anyway.

Good news? I can still get it back. Bad news? Paperwork. Documents. Fees. The usual.

Why I Decided to Re-Acquire My Citizenship

Honestly, re-acquiring your PH citizenship is optional. You don’t have to do it. But I chose to because my family still lives in the Philippines and 30 days per visit (as a tourist) just won’t cut it for me. Also—why settle for one passport when I can have two?

Applying for a New PH Passport (Again)

Even though I still had a “valid” PH passport, it was technically invalid once I became Spanish. So yes, I had to apply for a new passport—either during my oath-taking or later on.

I went for the do-it-all-at-once approach to avoid submitting a second set of documents. Because who wants to repeat the paperwork game?

The Oath-Taking Day Experience

So here’s how my oath-taking went down in Barcelona:

  • 10:30 AM – Arrived at the consulate and submitted all the documents.
  • 2:00 PM – Came back for the oath-taking ceremony with another Filipina.

During the oath-taking, the Vice Consul talked to us about the benefits of being a dual citizen and asked why we wanted to re-acquire PH citizenship. And just when I thought I was done… he hit us with a pop quiz!

Questions included:

  • First paragraph of Lupang Hinirang (I blanked—yikes!)
  • Who’s the current VP of the Philippines?
  • Name three senators.
  • Who’s the mayor of Manila?

After that, we took our oath in front of the PH flag. The Vice Consul congratulated us and we were officially Filipino citizens again!

Passport, Documents & Fees

After the oath, I had my photo taken for my new passport and was handed the dual citizenship documents signed by the Vice Consul. I was told to keep these safe and show them every time I renew my PH passport.

My new passport should be ready in about 2 months (mid-August).

Total cost?

  • €60 for the oath-taking
  • €60 for the passport

Funny enough, my Spanish passport cost less and was done the same day, while the PH one cost more and takes two months. The irony is not lost on me. But hey, that’s the process.

Final Thoughts

If you’re also in the process of getting Spanish citizenship (especially if you’re from the Philippines or one of the Ibero-American countries), please, please check your home country’s laws about dual citizenship.

Spain may allow it—but your country might not.

If you have questions, feel free to send me an email.

Disclaimer: This is general information based on my understanding of RA 9225. Laws can change, and everyone’s situation is different. Please consult with a qualified lawyer or the Philippine consulate for advice specific to your case.

Expat Life