What passport to use for my son?

[RougeKiwi]

Hi guys, so my partner and son are coming over in a few days from the Philippines, my son is a dual citizen of both New Zealand and the Philippines, he has never left the Philippines and was born there. I am wondering what passport would be used leaving Philippines and Entering New Zealand?

[ankirs]

I don't exactly know the Filipino laws, but most likely that being a Philippines citizen, he cannot use any other passport when entering/leaving the Philippines. Being a NZ citizen, he cannot use any other passport to leave/enter NZ. He will have to travel with two passports and use the Philippino one to leave the country and use the NZ one to enter the country. In case if they ask for a visa proof at check in/border, he just shows his NZ passport.

It doesn't matter where he was born and whether he's ever been to NZ as he is still a New Zealand citizen like everyone who was born and lived here.

[diallta]

I don't exactly know the Filipino laws, but most likely that being a Philippines citizen, he cannot use any other passport when entering/leaving the Philippines. Being a NZ citizen, he cannot use any other passport to leave/enter NZ. He will have to travel with two passports and use the Philippino one to leave the country and use the NZ one to enter the country. In case if they ask for a visa proof at check in/border, he just shows his NZ passport.

The last time I went through border control in Auckland with my Kiwi passport holding partner, she couldn't get through the automated gates with the Kiwi passport as her ticket was booked on her UK passport. The agent helping near the automated gates instructed her to just use the UK passport, and when she presented it, the gates opened and she went right in. She even asked the agent if it was an issue as she is a citizen, and the agent claimed it was no problem at all.

At least in New Zealand, I don't see why it would be any different in your case--I'd just use whichever passport you booked the ticket on. There's nothing to legally preclude you from staying permanently if you're a citizen, regardless of the travel document. It might be a problem departing the Philippines, however--not at all familiar with the situation, nor do I possess any anecdotal knowledge of, the situation there. For what it's worth, when we travel between the EU and NZ, she always carries both passports.

[ChrisMwn]

The last time I went through border control in Auckland with my Kiwi passport holding partner, she couldn't get through the automated gates with the Kiwi passport as her ticket was booked on her UK passport. The agent helping near the automated gates instructed her to just use the UK passport, and when she presented it, the gates opened and she went right in. She even asked the agent if it was an issue as she is a citizen, and the agent claimed it was no problem at all.

At least in New Zealand, I don't see why it would be any different in your case--I'd just use whichever passport you booked the ticket on. There's nothing to legally preclude you from staying permanently if you're a citizen, regardless of the travel document. It might be a problem departing the Philippines, however--not at all familiar with the situation, nor do I possess any anecdotal knowledge of, the situation there. For what it's worth, when we travel between the EU and NZ, she always carries both passports.

Careful here, your situation is entirely different. NZ born child cant arrive in NZ on a Philippines passport, unless there is a visa in that passport. E-gate technology also is set to only allow for selected visa waiver countries.

The only difficulty can be at the Philippines end, as to what passport needs to be used for child to leave the Philippines, which is a PIP question.

Ultimately its always best to arrive in NZ using a NZ passport, as arriving on a foreign passport, unless its already been identified that holder is a NZ citizen, is likely to generate need for a visa.

Rouge Kiwi now understand what his partner and son need to do.