Sandra wrote in today with citizenship questions that include her grandparents and parents.
Here is Sandra’s e-mail:
My question is if I am a dual citizen of the Philippines by way of my mother. My grandparents were both born in the Philippines and migrated to Hawaii. My mother was born in Hawaii in 1929. Did that make her a dual citizen? Also, I was born in Hawaii in 1958 prior to Hawaii becoming a state. Would I possibly have dual citizenship as well?
Hello Sandra,
Although there is a slight possibility that you could become a Dual Citizen, I think that the odds are very, very small. Here is how it would work:
Sandra wonders about her citizenship
If, at the time of your mother’s birth, your grandparents contacted the Philippine Consulate or Embassy in the United States and reported the birth of your mother, then she became a Philippine Citizen. However, back in those days, I would think it was highly unlikely that such a report was made by your grandparents. Of course, at the time of your mother’s birth, Hawaii was not even a US State, which further complicates matters. Basically, what it comes down to is if your mother was a Philippine citizen at the time of your birth, it is possible that you might be able to obtain Philippine Citizenship.
So, if you can establish legally that your mother had Philippine Citizenship when she was born, then you could apply for Dual Citizenship based on the fact that your mother was a Philippine Citizen. If you cannot provide legal proof of your mother’s citizenship, I think it is very unlikely that you could gain Dual Citizenship at this late date.
Good luck to you, though, I hope it all works out.