How can a British person buy property in the Philippines?

Question

My mother was born in the Philippines and moved to England and became a British citizen with a british passport 20 years ago. My English father, me and my mother are planning to all move to the Philippines next year and buy a house however we hear that you can only buy a house if you are a Philippine resident/nationality which my mother no longer is. What would be the best way to get about this and be able for us to buy a house? We all want to keep our nationality as British so we can enter England as often as we want. Could we become a joint English/Filipino citizen?

Answer 1

You and your mother can acquire/avail of the dual citizenship. Philippine laws regarding citizenship is based on the jus sanguinis principle

Jus sanguinis (Latin for "right of blood") is a right by which nationality or citizenship can be recognized to any individual born to a parent who is a national or citizen of that state. It contrasts with jus soli (Latin for "right of soil").

Then once you've gained back your filipino citizenship you can now purchase land in the Philippine and have your father get a fiipino citizenship so you live happily ever after.

Or, you can now purchase a land but the title will bear a name of your close relative in the Philippines. Or you can do this first then apply for citizenship so later in the tite of the property can be transfered to your famiy's name.

Answer 2

Under the Philippine Civil Law, foreigners cannot buy lands in the Philippines.  Thus, you must apply for a dual citizenship in order to avail of this privilege.

Answer 3

The post above mine is wrong.

(Please understand something.  There's no title insurance in the Philippines.  Foreigners (like your mother and father) take a large risk when purchasing property.  There are many scams and you could easily find yourself in court defending your land claim.)

You say your mother was a natural born Filipino.  Purchases by former natural-born Filipinos citizens are subject to the limitations prescribed by Law (Batas Pambansa 185 and R.A. 8179)

ACQUISITION BY FORMER NATURAL BORN FILIPINO CITIZEN

1. Mode of acquision is not limited to voluntary deeds (such as sale or donation) but includes involuntary deeds (such as tax sale, foreclosure sale, or execution sale).

2. Maximum area that may be allowed is as follows:

a.. For residential purpose - 1,000 square meters of urban land or one (1) hectare of rural land (BP 185)

b.. For business or other purpose - 5,000 square meters of urban land or three hectares of rural land.

"Business or other purpose" refers to the use of the land primarily, directly and actually in the conduct of business or commercial activities in the broad areas of agriculture, industry and services, including the lease of land, but excluding the buying or selling thereof."

3. In case of married couple, one or both of them may avail of the privilege, provided that the total acquisition shall not exceed the maximum area allowed.

4. A transferee of residential land under BP 185 may still avail of the privilege granted under RA 8179.

5. A transferee who already owns urban or rural land for residential purpose, may acquire additional urban or rural land for residential purpose which, when added to that already owned by him shall not exceed the maximum area allowed by law.

The same priviledge applies to a transferee who already owns urban or rural land for business purposes.

6. A transferee may not acquire more than two urban or two rural lands which should be located in different cities or municipalities.

7. A transferee who has already acquired urban land for residential purpose shall be disqualified to acquire rural land for residential purpose and vice versa. The same rule applies to a transferee of land for business purpose.

Answer 4

Both you and your Mom are Filipinos still. Check out this link:**

RA 9225, which took effect on 17 September 2003, declares that former natural-born Filipino citizens who acquired foreign citizenship through naturalisation are deemed NOT to have lost their Philippine citizenship under conditions provided in the Act.

There former Filipinos can re-acquire/retain their Philippine citizenship by taking the oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines.