U.S CITIZEN (MINOR) STUCK IN THE PHILIPPINES

5POSTS

10 years ago

Hi, I am in desperate need of your help and I am wishing that by posting my story on this website there are people that can help me and give me advice on what I should do with my situation.

I am only 16 years old, I was born in Malabon, Philippines. My father is a Retired U.S Army, he is a Vietnam Veteran and my mother is a filipina. I am a U.S Citizen, and I just renewed my passport last month. I have graduated Highschool here in the Philippines, and after that me and my parents have discussed our terms and I accepted my aunt's gracious offer to let me stay at her place in Pennsylvania USA. I got my passport renewed, and I also bought a ticket to fly back to the USA.

On November 10th, the day I was supposed to be on my way to the U.S. the Philippine immigration put me on hold. I overstayed here in the Philippines for 8 years, and they told that they won't let me leave until I show them a Exit Cleareance and a Extension of Stay......so I missed my flight that day. I went to the Immigration and asked them on what I should do, then they told me that I had to pay PHP 250,000 for over staying. I do not have that kind of money, and by the days pass I am slowly losing hope that I won't ever be able to go back home. I told the immigration that I was born here in the Philippines but according to them I am U.S Citizen so that does not mean that I'm a filipino citizen. I really need advice on what to do, I am just a minor and I need to go back home.

Thank you,
Edith.

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mugtech ViP

4726POSTS

10 years ago

You are a US citizen who over stayed her visa by 8 years, I would not expect Philippines immigration to overlook collecting as much as they legally can for your transgressions. $6,000 US is a large amount in the Philippines , but I would hope your father plus PA family could help you meet this obligation. You could borrow it from them with a payback plan starting in 5 years, when you are 21. If you are living with your aunt, then even a fast food job should allow you to pay it off in 24 months. Where in PA does your aunt live?

Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

10 years ago

Please forgive my difficult question here, but your profile says,

Currently living in the USA, in Pennsylvania
Want to move to the Philippines

This appears to contradict your post, so perhaps you could explain the anomaly.

ABCDiamond Serial expat

873POSTS

10 years ago

Get a Philippine passport, fly to a country with no visa required to leave, then fly on to US, and never return.

It might work...

Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

10 years ago

haileythetiger wrote:
my mother is a filipina. .

Can't you claim nationality as the daughter of a national?

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option= … Itemid=833

Natural-born citizens of the Philippines are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship. These are:

[b]Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines at the time of their birth; and
Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority.
Is it possible for Filipino to hold dual citizenship or more than one citizenship at the same time?

Before the passage of R.A. 9225, dual citizenship of some Filipinos already existed as result of the operation of nationality laws. For example, a child born in the United States of America of Filipino parents is an American citizen under US law, and a Filipino citizen under Philippine law. The child's American citizenship is derived from the principle of jus soli or place of birth, while his Philippine citizenship is derived from the principle of jus sanguinis or citizenship of his parents.

The passage of R.A. 9225 makes it possible for Filipinos to hold dual citizenship through means other than by birth.

With the passage of R.A. 9225, what happens to a natural-born Filipino who becomes naturalized in another country?

A natural born Filipino who becomes a naturalized citizen of another country is deemed not to have lost his/her citizenship under the provisions of the said law.
[/b]

ABCDiamond Serial expat

873POSTS

10 years ago

Fred. The Philippines Bureau of Immigration (BI) are being very picky on people with dual nationality.

If the poster uses a Filipino passport with a visa to leave they have no problems, BUT, if they also have anther nationality, and they choose to use that to leave the Philippines, then they also deem them to have been on that citizenship all the time..

Hence, with US citizenship, the need to use a US passport, as they can't get a US visa on a Filipino passport being a US Citizen.

The BI take advantage of that, requiring an Exit Clearance Certificate and valid Visa on that passport before they can use it to leave.

Hence my unorthodox suggestion

This situation is affecting and hurting many people.

haileythetiger New member

5POSTS

10 years ago

I'm sorry I made a mistake, I am new to this kind of thing so I'm still confused of how it works. What I wrote is 100% true, and I am seeking for help in what to do in my current situation.

haileythetiger New member

5POSTS

10 years ago

My aunt lives in Bedford Pennsylvania, I called my dad just a few days ago and he told me that there's nothing he can do about it....I talked to my aunt after dad told that he couldn't help me and she told me that she just bought a house for her daughter and she can't help me right now. I am thinking about going to the U.S Embassy, I'm going to ask for their help and I also red about something in their website called a repatriation loan.

haileythetiger New member

5POSTS

10 years ago

thank you for your response sir.

maddletalk Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#10

Yes they have that, but you must have the ability to repay it, and I believe it has a max of $1000. 00, How much is your fees and penalty?

haileythetiger New member

5POSTS

10 years ago

#11

The guy from the immigration told me that I had to pay Php 250,000.
it's 25,000 pesos per year,I overstayed for 8 years so that's Php 200,000 and their are other extra charges which he said is about 50,000 pesos.

maddletalk Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#12

Wow that is over $5000.00, I feel sorry for you, go to the embassy, maybe they can help

James ViP

11272POSTS

10 years ago

#13

Edith,

Just a couple of things here that seem to have gone unnoticed...

1. Where are your parents in all of this??? I'm sorry but you're 16 years old. Are they living in the Pilippines? Why aren't they helping you then? Sorry to be judgemental, but it sounds to me like you're running away from home.

2. You state that you're 16 years old, then you should not even be a member here on the blog since you must be 18 years of age to register with Expat-blog.

I'd suggest that if you need help in your situation you deal with your parents and not strangers on a public forum.

Cheers,
James
Expat-blog Experts Team

James ViP

11272POSTS

10 years ago

#14

haileythetiger wrote:
...and after that me and my parents have discussed our terms and I accepted my aunt's gracious offer to let me stay at her place in Pennsylvania USA.

Maybe it's just your style of writing, but sounds like an overly democratic family to me. Most parents would simply set their conditions for such a journey by a young girl.

At any rate, since you are still a minor they're the ones responsible for resolving your immigratory situation, not anyone else.

Cheers,
James
Expat-blog Experts Team

maddletalk Guest

0POSTS

10 years ago

#15

James wrote:
haileythetiger wrote:
...and after that me and my parents have discussed our terms and I accepted my aunt's gracious offer to let me stay at her place in Pennsylvania USA.

Maybe it's just your style of writing, but sounds like an overly democratic family to me. Most parents would simply set their conditions for such a journey by a young girl.

At any rate, since you are still a minor they're the ones responsible for resolving your immigratory situation, not anyone else.

Cheers,
James
Expat-blog Experts Team

James, you are way too hard and judgemental. This person is in dire need of some sort of help and reaching out to strangers is what people do when their back is against the wall. How dare you come off like your life is a bed of roses and your too high to fall. There is a God and if you don't believe that try Karma...

I've been following this post in hopes that someone would be able to share some good advice and guidance. I'm still hoping that happens. As yet there seems to be some pointing in good direction. Please if you don't have any helpful advice then do like me and tone down those thoughts.

There by the grace of God go any one of us.

James ViP

11272POSTS

10 years ago

#16

Hello sirrobcentral,

It's not about whether or not it's judgemental, but rather it's about our rules, and Terms & Conditions of Use. One must be 18 years of age in order to register as a member. By her own admission Edith is only 16-years old.

As a minor, everything about her immigratory situation is the sole responsibility of her parents, unless she has been legally emancipated by a court of law, which I doubt. Since the Philippines authorities have deemed her to be a US citizen, then she is required to do exactly what they've told her to do in order to resolve her situation, just like any other US citizen would have to.

"... we've discussed our terms..." I don't know about you, but if it were my daughter there would be no democratic discussion of terms on something so serious at travelling to another country, even to live with her aunt. There would be a statement of the CONDITIONS under which it would be permitted.

We don't even know if her parents are even aware that she's here seeking help. Would you want YOUR daughter doing that at 16 years of age?

Cheers,
James
Expat.com Experts Team

Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

10 years ago

#17

I'm going soft on this one for several reasons.
Whilst James is correct and the rules are clear, there could well be reasons her patents can't help and advice from a forum might just throw up something new.
The last is more basic.
There are some nasty people on the internet and at least we can protect her from them on this site, something other places may be less bothered about.

mugtech ViP

4726POSTS

10 years ago

#18

Agreed

ABCDiamond Serial expat

873POSTS

10 years ago

#19

I am curious where the poster says she has overstayed by 8 years. Has she actually been out of the country, or was that the date she became a US citizen.

I've discussed this problem with quite a few people ever since my interview with the head of immigration in Manila just a few weeks after the enforcement of the ECC in 2013.

He told me me that even a Philippine born baby of 6 months old, with overseas nationality, needed an ECC. The problem of also being an overstayer came in later.

There are so many people in this situation after many years, who have never even left the Philippines.

I often suggest they take a trip to Malaysia, Thailand or other non visa required country, on their Philippine passport, then return on the foreign passport and start again.

Priscilla ViP

42358POSTS

10 years ago

#20

James wrote:
Hello sirrobcentral,

It's not about whether or not it's judgemental, but rather it's about our rules, and Terms & Conditions of Use. One must be 18 years of age in order to register as a member. By her own admission Edith is only 16-years old.

As a minor, everything about her immigratory situation is the sole responsibility of her parents, unless she has been legally emancipated by a court of law, which I doubt. Since the Philippines authorities have deemed her to be a US citizen, then she is required to do exactly what they've told her to do in order to resolve her situation, just like any other US citizen would have to.

"... we've discussed our terms..." I don't know about you, but if it were my daughter there would be no democratic discussion of terms on something so serious at travelling to another country, even to live with her aunt. There would be a statement of the CONDITIONS under which it would be permitted.

We don't even know if her parents are even aware that she's here seeking help. Would you want YOUR daughter doing that at 16 years of age?

Cheers,
James
Expat.com Experts Team

Hi everybody,

James is right here and it is best that we close straightaway this topic.

Thanks

Priscilla

[ Topic closed ]