I have been living in the U.S. for about 20 years and I am still on a Green Card. I have been trying to to renew my passport but my family tells m that I need to get a US citizenship and a US passport to travel because I have to pay taxes to the Philippines for all the years I have worked in the U.S. Is this true?

This is a Philippine law question. I don't know the answer to it. The U.S. is the only country that I know of that taxes based on citizenship. If the Philippines taxes based on residency and not based on citizenship, then you would not owe Philippine tax. Also the treaty may or may not protect you from Philippine taxation. The treaty and not a standard treaty and therefore I couldn't quickly determine the answer.

Your family is right that its better its better to get US citizenship and passport before traveling but not because you owe Philippine Tax. Taxes are already deducted here by your employer before receiving your pay.

Even though I work for a U.S company?

I never heard such thing. I knew people who worked abroad for so many years (continous, on and off) and never heard that they owe some tax here because they are away. If someone sends dollar over here to exchange it for peso, the government earns enough from them already.

I have an rich nurse aunt in NJ, has lived there for 30 yrs, she's not a US citizen either and has not yet visited here since then because she said she will have a problem returning (she's not an illegal immigrant either). Im not certain why so but Im sure it's not because of tax.

(Also the spelling is PHILIPPINES)

Thanks for the spelling correction.

In fact, many U.S. citizens that work overseas do continue to owe U.S. taxes and are not aware that they should continue to file U.S. tax returns. Many of these people do not owe U.S. tax due to the foreign earned income exclusion or foreign tax credits, but for various reasons many do owe U.S. tax.

Please check Bureau of Internal Revenue
(Bureau of Internal Revenue Website (http://www.bir.gov.ph/))

BIR National Office Bldg.
Agham Road, Diliman,
Quezon City, Philippines
Trunkline:
(+63) 929-7676 | (+63) 927-2511


Bureau of Immigration, Philippines - MAIN (http://immigration.gov.ph/)

BI Main Office
Bureau of Immigration, Philippines

Bureau of Immigration National Operations Center (BINOC)
+632 524-3769
1-800-100- ALIEN (24/7 Toll Free)
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Dual Citizenship Hotline
+632 301-0756 | +632 309-7751 (Fax)

One Stop Shop Processing Hotline
+632 338-4537

Bureau of Immigration Main Office
Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila
+632 523-0205 | +632 527-3248


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Office of Commissioner Marcelino C. Libanan
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Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila
+632 3097753 | +632 309-7751/52 (Fax)
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Office of Associate Commissioner Roy M. Almoro
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+632 338-4536 | +632 527-5654 (Fax)
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Office of Associate Commissioner Enrique B. Galang, Jr.
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Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila
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