The Philippines: Information on whether an Iranian national who is married to a Filipino national is eligible for Filipino nationality, and on the qualifications an applicant for Filipino nationality must have
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 June 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | PHL14509 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, The Philippines: Information on whether an Iranian national who is married to a Filipino national is eligible for Filipino nationality, and on the qualifications an applicant for Filipino nationality must have, 1 June 1993, PHL14509, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab8b7c.html [accessed 22 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
A representative of the Embassy of the Philippines in Ottawa provided the following information on the above subjects during a telephone interview on 16 June 1993. A foreign man who is married to a Filipino woman is eligible to apply for Filipino nationality if he meets all of the requirements; however, these requirements apply to all applicants, regardless of the nationality of their spouses, and are as follows:
1- Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.
2- Applicants must have resided continuously in the Philippines for 10 years. The residence requirement is five years for foreign men whose wives are Filipino nationals, persons who have held honourary positions with the Filipino government, and individuals who have established a new industry or introduced a useful invention to the Philippines.
3- Applicants must believe in the constitution of the Philippines and be of good moral character.
4- Applicants must be able to speak either English or Spanish and one of the principal Filipino languages such as Tagalog.
5- Applicants must have enroled their children of school age in a Filipino public or private school where Filipino history, government and civics are taught.
A foreign woman who is married to a Filipino national is de facto a Filipino national upon marriage providing she is not disqualified under the law. These disqualifications, which apply to all applicants regardless of gender, are as follows:
1- He or she is a national of a country at war with the Philippines at the time of filing an application for Filipino nationality.
2- He or she is a national of a country whose government does not allow Filipino nationals to become naturalized nationals of that country.
3- He or she advocates violence.
4- He or she believes in polygamy.
5- He or she has committed a crime.
6- He or she suffers from incurable diseases.
7- He or she has not tried to be integrated into Filipino society.
Bearing in mind these criteria, the representative adds that, while foreign women whose husbands are Filipinos are entitled to all of the rights to which Filipino nationals are entitled, foreign men whose wives are Filipinos are not entitled to these rights until their applications for nationality have been approved.
Additional and/or corroborating information on the above subject is currently unavailable to the DIRB.
Reference
Embassy of the Philippines, Ottawa. 16 June 1993. Telephone Interview with Representative.
