The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. advised Filipino-Americans on Friday to stay alert and avoid making irreversible decisions about their citizenship after a bill seeking to end dual citizenship in the United States was introduced in its Senate.
In its advisory dated December 5, the embassy stressed that the measure remains a proposal and is far from becoming law.
It said the bill “will go through several stages of lengthy deliberation and may or may not proceed depending on the decisions of the U.S. Congress.”
The embassy said U.S. lawmakers will need to examine the potential impact of the measure, particularly on immigrant groups that currently rely on dual or multiple citizenship arrangements.
The advisory also pointed to earlier legal discussions in the U.S. surrounding citizenship, noting that the U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized the status of individuals who hold nationality in two countries.
It cited the 1952 ruling in Kawakita v. United States, which stated that a person may exercise rights in both countries and that asserting one citizenship does not automatically renounce the other.
Philippine foreign service posts across the United States are now monitoring the proposal and encouraging Filipino Americans to do the same.
The embassy reminded the community that renouncing Philippine citizenship carries permanent consequences, calling it “an irreversible legal action.”
Filipino-Americans with questions were urged to contact the nearest Philippine consulate or the embassy for guidance.
