I've got my Residence Permit/ILR,do i need to get visa to go over to the Philippines?

[jeanne30]

Please help,am confused. The thing is I have already gained my ILR 4 months ago but I didn't apply for my Naturalisation yet. We're planning to go to the Philippines next year,the thing is do i still need to get visa goin' over there?

[Jenky]

I think i am right in saying that if you only have ilr and not a British citizenship ie a British passport then you have not yet lost your Filipino citizenship, so no need for natrulisation, just travel on your Filipino passport.
As you only got ilr 4 months ago you cannot yet apply for a British passport, but you are still entitled to come and go to the UK as you wish. The next step for you in time would be to apply for your British passport.
But then once you receive your British passport you would, under Filipino law, have automatically lost your Filipino citizenship requiring a trip for you to the Phil embassy in London to swear an oath of allegiance (and no doubt pay some money!!) to regain it once again.
But even then, if you do not do this, you still have a British passport and could still travel to the Phil using that. I think you only get 19 or 21 day free visa, but this can be extended to 59 days for a fee at the airport on arrival in the Phil. A procedure that is no doubt familiar to many of us Brit husbands and fiancees in this forum.

[JimOttley]

She will have the right to apply for dual citizenship in the Phils as you say Jenky. That right has been in Philippine law for a good few years now.

At this point in time she has no problem going home, even after Naturalisation in the UK she would be entitled to Balikbayan status in the Phils, this is not a visa but a special 12 month entry permit on return to the Philippines. This is granted to returning former citizens at point of entry to the Philippines and to their partners.

I (a British citizen) once got Balikbayan status because my partner and I returned to the Phils together, it was a nice surprise but I wish they had told me at the time when they stamped my passport, I only found out I had the status when I went to Intramuros to extend my visa

[Arthur Little]

My thanks to those who responded to this particular thread ... it helps answer some of the questions I had in mind myself!

[lovemaeparker]

Hi, I am also a Filipina who is naturalized as British 3 years ago and before I took my 5 weeks holiday last Dec I reacquired my Filipino Citizenship because you can't stay more than 21 days if you are no longer a Filipino citizen. It did cost around £35 and another £35 if you apply for a new Phil passport. I didn't apply for a new passport because they have advised me that it is not necessary to have the Philippine Passport because I can use my British Passport when traveling back to the Philippines. I just need to take with me my Filipino Naturalization/Dual Citizenship Certificate and also has to travel with my husband together so he can stay in Phils for up to 1 year.

In a case of ILR, you must not be out of the UK for 2 years otherwise you will loose your ILR. No a problem when you are already British. You can stay away from Britain as long as you like You can apply British Citizenship exactly 3 years from the date you arrived in the UK. This is of course if the UK Immigration Law will not change.

Hope this helps

[Terpe]

... I didn't apply for a new passport because they have advised me that it is not necessary to have the Philippine Passport because I can use my British Passport when traveling back to the Philippines. I just need to take with me my Filipino Naturalization/Dual Citizenship Certificate .....

This is just what we did this year. My wife UK passport + Phil Citizen Cert
Me, UK pasport
Absolutely no problems and 1 year Balikbayan stamp for both of us