Balikbayan Question

[SkyMan 23,725]

 

Quote

 

(a) The term "balikbayan" shall mean a Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year, a Filipino overseas worker, or a former Filipino citizen and his family, as this term is defined hereunder, who had been naturalized in a foreign country and comes or returns to the Philippines;

 

Let's examine the above grammatically with some edits to clarify:

 

 

(a) The term "balikbayan" shall mean

 

1. a Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least one (1) year,
2. a Filipino overseas worker, OR
3. a former Filipino citizen and his family, as this term is defined hereunder, who had been naturalized in a foreign country and comes or returns to the Philippines;

So, a Filipino who goes on vacation out of the RP for a year or more can get BB.  An OFW regardless of time out of the country can get BB.  And a Filipino who naturalizes in another country can get BB regardless of time out of the country.

 

There is nothing here that says that if a Filipino, naturalized in another country, regains their RP citz, they lose their BB privilege.  I think most of the above rule is in place regarding the BB privileges of importing of customs free goods and such.

 

Technically by this, if you take your Filipina to your country less than a year and she doesn't naturalize you are not eligible for BB privs.  But I think they commonly give them anyway.  At least as far as the BB stamp.

[Monsoon 28,942]

Now how in the world could that possibly happen.  Since you can only be a Filipino if you were born of Filipino Blood.  You do not get Filipino citizenship because you were born here.  Just wondering how?   Osmosis? 

 

Not wanting to add fuel to the idiot fire, but the standard at the BI is "was your mother a Filipino at the time of your birth?" .... So, technically speaking, it could happen. I know a lot of Filipinos who were Filipino citizens and had children abroad and are no longer Filipino citizens.... Just sayin...