The Special Committee on Naturalization (SCN) has jurisdiction over petitions for acquisition of Philippine Citizenship by administrative proceedings in accordance with Republic Act No. 9139 (RA No. 9139), otherwise known as "The Administrative Naturalization Law of 2000."

A. Composition of the Special Committee on Naturalization

Pursuant to Section 6 of RA No. 9139, the SCN shall be composed of the following:

a. Solicitor General - SCN Chairman;
b.Secretary of Foreign Affairs or his representative - Member; and
c.National Security Adviser - Member

B. Powers of the Special Committee on Naturalization

1. Approve, deny or reject applications for naturalization;
2. Administer the oath of allegiance;
3. Issue the Certificate of Naturalization;
4. Cancel the Certificate of Naturalization; and
5. Promulgate rules and regulations for the proper implementation of RA No. 9139.

1. Receive all the papers filed with the SCN;
2. Cause the publication of matters required by law;
3. Receive processing and other administrative fees in connection with the application;
4. Records the proceeding of the SCN;
5. Keep and maintain all the books necessary for the recording of such papers and documents;
6. Communicate to the applicants matters relating to their application; and,
7. Perform such other function as may be required by the SCN.

I. Documentary Requirements

(NOTE: Please comply with and submit all requirements listed below as failure to comply with or submit any of said requirements may be a ground for denial of the petition for naturalization. If you are unable to comply with or submit any of said requirements, attach in your petition a NOTARIZED detailed explanation as to why you cannot comply with or submit said particular requirements. (Submit a copy of the ID used in the notarization.)

Warning

ANY DISRESPECTFUL, RUDE, OR UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT COMMITTED BY THE PETITIONER OR HIS/HER REPRESENTATIVE OR HIS/HER CHARACTER WITNESSES AGAINST THE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION (SCN), THE NATURALIZATION REVIEW OFFICERS (NRO), AND THE OFFICIALS AND PERSONNEL OF THE SCN SECRETARIAT SHALL BE A GROUND FOR DENIAL OF THE PETITION, BEING INDICATIVE, AMONG OTHERS, OF A PETITIONER’S LACK OF GOOD MORAL CHARACTER OR LACK OF RESPECT FOR GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES. PETITIONER SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT OF HIS/HER REPRESENTATIVE AND CHARACTER WITNESSES.

Important:

YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AND/OR COMPLY WITH ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND DOCUMENTS IN THE COURSE OF THE EVALUATION OF YOUR PETITION AND AT ANY STAGE OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS, AS DICTATED BY NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTEREST. FAILURE TO PROMPTLY SUBMIT AND/OR COMPLY WITH SAID ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND DOCUMENTS MAY BE A GROUND FOR DENIAL OF YOUR PETITION. OUTDATED DOCUMENTS ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR FAILURE TO PROMPTLY COMPLY WITH OR SUBMIT ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND DOCUMENTS WILL HAVE TO BE UPDATED BY YOU THROUGH THE SUBMISSION OF A NEW AND SIMILAR DOCUMENT.

Reminder:

IN ACCOMPLISHING THE PETITION/APPLICATION FORM FOR ADMINISTRATIVE NATURALIZATION, INDICATE ALL DATA/DETAILS REQUIRED IN SAID FORM. IMPROPER OR INCOMPLETE FILLING-UP OF SAID FORM MAY BE A GROUND FOR DENIAL OF YOUR PETITION.

Important:

SUBMIT YOUR DOCUMENTS IN AN ORDERLY MANNER. ARRANGE YOUR DOCUMENTS IN AN ORDERLY MANNER. PROVIDE A TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED. SUBMISSION OF DISORGANIZED DOCUMENTS IS NOT ALLOWED.

Warning:

EVERY DETAIL IN THE DOCUMENTS YOU SUBMIT WILL BE CAREFULLY EXAMINED. SUBMISSION OF FALSE, FAKE, FALSIFIED, AND SIMILAR DOCUMENTS MAY BE A GROUND FOR DENIAL OF YOUR PETITION, AND MAY BE A GROUND FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

Note:

STRICT COMPLIANCE (AND NOT SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE) WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS IS REQUIRED.

• Authenticated copy of Birth Certificate of petitioner [issued by PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority)];
  
• Certified true copy of petitioner's Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) or I-Card Certificate [issued by BI (Bureau of Immigration)];
  
• Certified true copy of petitioner's Native-Born Certificate of Residence (NBCR), if available (issued also by BI);
  
• Authenticated copy of petitioner's Marriage Certificate, if petitioner is married (issued by PSA);
  
• Authenticated copy of Death Certificate of his/her spouse if petitioner is widowed, or of his/her parent/s if petitioner is a student or candidate for a government licensure exam;
  
• Certified true copy of Court Decree/Judgment annulling/nullifying of petitioner’s marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact;
  
• Authenticated Birth Certificate/s of petitioner's child/children (issued by PSA);
  
• Certified true copy of NBCR/s of petitioner's child/children (issued also by BI);
  
• Duly notarized Affidavit of Financial Capacity of the petitioner, or Affidavit of Support from the person financially supporting petitioner, if petitioner is either a student, a new graduate, spouse or senior citizen without income, or a candidate for a government licensure exam, who has no own income. In addition, submit: (1)* Bank Certifications (two are required: [1] said bank certifications must indicate the present balance and [2] average daily balance for the past six months); (2)* Certificate of Employment if employed or Proof of Registration of Company if doing business [if doing business, please submit also the latest GIS (General Information Sheet) which was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the financial statements of the company, which was submitted to the BIR/appropriate government agency]; (3)* Proof of Ownership of Real Property/ies such as condominium, etc.; and if owner of motor vehicle, proof of ownership of the same (4) Proof of Ownership of other property/ies, such as shares of stock, insurance, etc.

Note: If petitioner is relying on support from another person, the said person must also submit the above-mentioned documents.

Note: If petitioner is already a graduate but unemployed, submit a notarized affidavit of what petitioner is currently preoccupied with.


• Latest Income Tax Returns (ITR) and Tax Documents [must show the receiving stamp of the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue)] for the past three (3) years of the petitioner or of the person supporting him/her, with Proof of Payment of said taxes (such as official receipts, alphalist, etc.)

Note: If petitioner is employed in a family-owned company, the company’s ITR and the company’s Proof of Payment of Taxes must also be submitted, aside from the submission of petitioner’s own ITR and tax documents and Proof of Payment of taxes.

Note: The company’s latest GIS (General Information Sheet), which was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the financial statements of the company, which was submitted to the BIR/appropriate government agency, must also be submitted.


• Duly notarized Affidavits of at least two (2) credible and disinterested witnesses who must be Filipino citizens (preferably natural-born citizens of the Philippines), of good repute in their community, and have no criminal record (Note: submit National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance of character witnesses; also submit a copy of the ID which the character witness used in the notarization of the affidavit) [Note: character witness must attest in the affidavit: (a) that he/she has known petitioner for at least 10 years or more (must also indicate how he/she got acquainted with the petitioner); (b) the good moral character of the petitioner (and how he/she mingles with Filipinos and the society); (c) that in his/her own opinion, petitioner has all the qualifications necessary to become a citizen of the Philippines and none of the disqualifications provided for by law];


• Medical Certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation, or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent, and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any incurable contagious disease [please attach the following to the certificate: (1) Neuro-Psychiatric Evaluation Report (from a duly-licensed psychiatrist (who is a medical doctor), not a psychologist); (2) Laboratory Test Results for Drugs Test and HIV Test; and, (3) other laboratory test/s (Note: all laboratory tests must also conducted from a government hospital)];

Note: Petitioners for naturalization are required to have their medical examination/diagnostic procedures conducted in a government hospital or facility, and not merely hospitals or facilities which are accredited by the government. The mere fact that the government hospital or facility is not near the residence or place of work of petitioner is not a valid reason for petitioner not to have said medical examination or diagnostic procedure conducted in a government hospital or facility.

Note: It must be clear in the medical certificate and the diagnostic/laboratory test results that the subject of said medical examination or diagnostic/laboratory test is the petitioner.


• Certified true copy with school seal of the Diploma and Transcript of Records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended to and/or graduated from in the Philippines (Elementary, High School and College);

Note: If petitioner is still a student, please submit a Certification from the school where he/she is currently attending, stating his/her year level, that he/she is currently enrolled therein, and please attach proof of petitioner’s enrollment therein and submit a certification as to the amount of tuition fee and other required school fees paid (such as official receipt/s, certificate of matriculation, etc.)

Note: if petitioner has no own income and is relying on another person for support, the person financially supporting petitioner must submit certifications as to the amount of tuition and other required school fees paid by said person for the education of his/her other dependents (example: the tuition and other required school fees of the children of the person financially supporting petitioner).


• Certified true copy with school seal of the Diploma, Transcript of Records, or Certification (if applicable) from the school/s attended by, currently enrolled in, and/or graduated from by petitioner's child/children [the school/s must either be public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DEPED (Department of Education), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality];

Note: please submit a Certification from the school where said child/children is/are currently attending, stating his/her year level, that he/she is currently enrolled therein, and please attach proof of said child/children’s enrollment therein and submit a certification as to the amount of tuition fee and other required school fees paid (such as official receipt/s, certificate of matriculation, etc.) for said child/children’s enrollment in said school.


• Clearances: NBI Clearance; Barangay Clearance of the barangay where petitioner is currently residing (It should be a barangay clearance, not a residence certification.); Police Clearance from the Police Station/Police Office having jurisdiction of the place where petitioner is currently residing; RTC Clearance (Regional Trial Court), from the RTC which has jurisdiction over the place where petitioner is currently residing; MeTC/MTCC/MTC/MCTC Clearance (Metropolitan Trial Court/Municipal Trial Court in Cities/Municipal Trial Court/Municipal Circuit Trial Court, as the case may be) from the MeTC/MTCC/MTC/MCTC which has jurisdiction over the place where petitioner is currently residing); and Office of the Prosecutor Clearance, from the Office of the Prosecutor of the place where petitioner is currently residing.

Note: All clearances must be current and must not be expired.

II. Fees

(1) Cash Only
(2) Two Manager’s Checks (issued by a bank within Metro Manila) in separate equal amounts of Php 19,500.00 each for a total amount of Php 39,000.00
(3) Two Manager’s Checks (issued by a Bank within Metro Manila) in separate equal amounts of Php50,000.00 each for a total amount of Php100, 000.00

Other Fees

1. Publication Fees


• to be paid directly to the assigned (by raffle) accredited newspaper publishing company
• petition is published once a week for 3 consecutive weeks
• publication is mandatory


2. Other Fees, in acquiring the documentary requirements listed above from other government agencies

III. Administrative Naturalization Process

Step 1 : Acquiring and Filling-up of Petition/Application Form (with list of requirements).

Step 2 : Pre-evaluation of the petition and the documentary requirements.

Step 3 : Filing of the Petition for Naturalization (Note: Petitioner [applicant] must be present during the filing as his/her picture will be taken).

Step 4 : Assignment (by raffle) of the petition to the NRO (Naturalization Review Officer) who is an Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) lawyer.

Step 5 : Evaluation proper by the NRO.

Step 6 : Submission by the petitioner of additional requirements/documents, if required by the NRO/ Special Committee on Naturalization (SCN Committee).

Step 7 : Evaluation by the NRO of the additional requirements/documents submitted by petitioner.

Step 8 : Submission by the petitioner of additional requirements/documents, if required by the NRO/ Special Committee on Naturalization (SCN Committee), if the additional requirements/documents which had just been submitted are still insufficient/not compliant with the additional documents required to be submitted.

Step 9 : After all requirements/documents have been strictly complied with and submitted by petitioner, the dispatching/transmittal of the copies of the petition to other government agencies for posting, background and record checking of the petitioner would follow. The petition is also raffled and assigned to an accredited newspaper publishing company for publication (Note: It is the petitioner who will directly coordinate with the newspaper company).

Step 10 : Waiting time for the said government agencies to submit their reports regarding the petition, including the Affidavit of Publication of the newspaper company.

Step 11 : Evaluation by the NRO of the reports received from various government agencies about the petitioner.

Step 12 : Submission by the petitioner of additional requirements/documents, if required by the NRO/ SCN Committee.

Step 13 : After all the reports have been collated, the petitioner is scheduled for a written exam and interview, including his/her character witnesses (Note: The character witnesses will be interviewed by the NRO and may be required to answer a questionnaire about petitioner).

Step 14 : Submission by the petitioner of additional requirements/documents, if required by the NRO/SCN Committee.

Step 15 : The NRO will prepare an Evaluation Report and forward the same to the SCN Committee for deliberation.

Step 16 : Submission by the petitioner of additional requirements/documents, if required by the SCN Committee.

Step 17 : After the deliberation, all petitioners whose petitions for administrative naturalization were approved by the SCN Committee would attend the oath-taking ceremonies.

Step 18 : Cancellation of the petitioner’s ACR/I-Card with the Bureau of Immigration.