A child born out of wedlock is an illegitimate child. Under the law, such children shall carry their mother’s last name on their birth certificates unless their father provides his consent to let the child use his last name. In cases when the parents of an illegitimate child decide to marry later on, the child’s status is effectively changed to “legitimate”. And as a legitimzied child, he or she is given the same entitlements as that of a legitimate child, retroacting to the time of the child’s birth. This includes the child’s right to use her father’s surname.
So how come “legitimized” children, who have been using their father’s last name since after their parents got married (after their birth), are still required to execute an AUSF (Affidavit to Use Surname of Father) if they want to use their father’s last name on their passports? (Otherwise, their passports shall bear the last name of the mother as if their birth right is still illegitimate).
When a child is “legitimized”, certain procedures must be undertaken in order to apply the child’s father’s last name on the child’s birth certificate. Unless the necessary amendments and attachments have been officially applied on the child’s birth certificate, her right to use her father’s last name may still be questioned.
When applying for a passport, the DFA requires a copy of the applicant’s PSA Birth Certificate. This shall be their basis for the person’s information, including and most especially, the person’s name. If the birth certificate is not supported by documents attesting to the fact that the person has been “legitimized”, he or she may not be able to use the father’s last name on his passport.
If you were legitimized (due to subsequent marriage of your parents), you need to accomplish the following in relation to your use of your father’s last name:
a. Visit the office of the Local Civil Registrar where your birth was registered and secure the following documents:
- Affidavit of Paternity/Acknowledgment (certified photocopy)
- Joint Affidavit of Legitimation
- Certification of Registration of Legal Instrument (Affidavit of Legitimation)
- Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate with remarks/annotation based on the legitimation by subsequent marriage.
b. Verify that the birth certificate (of the legitimated child) and the marriage contract of the parents have been certified by the PSA. If not, secure it from the city or municipal Civil Registrar’s Office where the child was registered and where the parents were married.
When applying for a passport and you would like to use your father’s last name:
- Bring a copy of your PSA Birth Certificate.
- Check to make sure that your copy includes an annotation regarding your new status as legitimated.
- If the legitimized child is still a minor, the mother must be present during the passport application.
- If the mother is abroad, the person accompanying the child (including the father), must be able to execute the following:
- Affidavit of Support and Consent
- Special Power of Attorney authenticated by the Philippine Embassy in the country where the mother resides.
A legitimized child may use her father’s last name on her passport provided her PSA Birth Certificate bears the necessary annotations regarding her legitimation and documented proof that the father has allowed the child to use his last name (AUSF, Affidavit of Support and Consent).
Sources:
https://psa.gov.ph/content/application-requirements
http://www.manilatimes.net/illegitimate-child-has-to-use-mothers-surname/230283/
MasterCitizen's Blog 
How to legitimized my 20 year and son? I married his Mother in 2017. But he still using my wife’s maiden last name. Can my Son process the legitimation by himself since he’s already an adult?
Hello po ask lo lang po kung anu po ba dapat ilagay ko dun sa application form ng passport..eligitimate or legitimate ?.kasi yung anak ko gamit nya surname ng papa nya pero d kami kasal ng papa nya..ayaw ko po na magkamali dun sa application..
Kung hindi kayo kasal, dapat Illegitimate ang ilagay. Kahit gamit pa ng anak mo ang apelido ng tatay niya.
Hi po dapat po bang ipa legitimate muna yung b.c nag bata bago kumuha ng pasport??
At paano naman po kung ksal na ang magulang nang bata pero hindi pa ito nai pa legitimate ang b.c ng bata at kumuha na ng pasport magkaka problema po ba kung ganon?? Thank u po
Hi Ghine,
Hindi naman kailangang ipa-legitimate siya, basta kumpleto ang details sa birth certificate niya at walang correction, pwedeng makakuha ng passport ang bata.
Yun nga lang, kung last name ng mother niya ang nakalagay sa birth certificate niya, yun din ang lalabas sa birth certificate niya. Pag napa legitimate na siya, pwede naman na palitan yung last name niya sa passport pag nagpa renew na siya.
Pag illegitimate ang bata, kailangan kasama ang nanay sa pag apply ng passport. Kailangan ang personal apperance ng mother.
MC
If ifa-file ko pa lang yung legitimation sa civil registrar pwede bang mag apply ng passport ung bata kahit wala pa yung PSA B.C kasi 1month pa daw ata yun
Primary document yung PSA B.C so kailangan matapos muna yun bago nyo i apply yung bata.
Hi tnong q lng po illegitimate po ba ang anak ko pinanganak sya nung nov 28,2015 kinasal kmi nung father nya april 20,2016. Surname nmn po ng asawa ko nkalagay sa birthcertificate ng anak ko, iku2ha ko po kc ng passport ung anak ko di po kaya magkaka problema? Thank u po
Yes illegitimate siya kasi walang naka declare na date of marriage sa b.c nya diba?
Good day po
Ilan months po ba bago ko mkuha ung married certificate ko.tapos n po ung hearing ko.for correction of entry. Bali i foforward na sa nso.mtagal pa po b proseso ng documents ko.for annotated
Kung may copy ka na ng finality at endorsement na na forward na yan sa PSA(NSO) pwede ka na pumunta ng PSA Sta,mesa para maka request ng annotated copy.
Hi,
I want to know po if it’s possible to apply passports for my 2 kids from different fathers.My first child is a legitimate child since I am married to her father but I have another child from another man. My second child is 3 months old now and I didn’t put the father’s name in his birth certificate. Will I be questioned if i apply passport for them?
Hi Shei,
Here are the complete list of requirements and procedures when applying for passports of minor children.
Illegitimate children need to be accompanied by the mother when applying and claiming their passports.
Click to access RequirementsForPassportApplication.pdf
MC
will I be questioned if I use my maiden name instead of my married name if I get passport together with my legitimate child?
May right naman kayo na hwag gamitin yung surname ng husband nyo pero dapat first passport mo yan ha. Question mga simple lang naman kaya no worry.
Hi po..
Bali gamit ko po ngayun sa mga ID ko is apelyedo ng mother ko.. pero kinasal na yung parents ko nung elementary paku .. ngayun po sa PSA ko po my nakanote or Remarks na subsequent marriage na po..
Paano po un lahat ng id ko po is nakaappelyedo parin sa surname ng mother ko .. makakakuha parin po ba ako ng Passport??
For example
Juan Padilla Dela Cruz – Surname of mother
Juan Dela Cruz Manzano – Surname ng father (Subsequent Marriage Annotation)
Sa mga ID ko po is Juan Padilla Dela Cruz Lahat … paano po un??
Kung annotated na sa B.C mo dapat ginamit mo na yung surname ng fatehr mo noon pa. Pwede mo naman i reason sa DFA processor yung nangyari may ipapagawa na lang silang affidavit sa iyo.
Good morning. Katulad dn po sa kin yong sitwasyon d2. Apelyido ni mother ang nasa live birth ko po. Pwede po ba na yon na lg susundin at gagamitin ko sa pag apply ng passport ang apelyido ng mother ko? Thank you po.
Hi Kristene,
Ang susundin naman lagi sa passport ay yung details na naka sulat sa birth certificate.
Unless nag-asawa ka na at gusto mo nang gamitin ang married name mo sa passport mo, hahanapan ka ng marriage certificate at yun naman ang pagbabasehan nila.
Pero sa tanong mo, ang sagot ay pwede.
MC
Good morning po.. Yung eldest son ko ay nakaapelyido pa sakin.Last 2014 nagpakasal na kami ng father niya.May plan kc kme mag abroad gusto ko sana mapalitan ang apelyido nya. pwede po ba na sa passport nya ang gamitin na namin ay apelyido ng father niya? thanks po.
Ayusin nyo muna ynng record nya. Punta kayo sa munisipyo k,ung saan naka register yung bata at mag file kayo ng legitimation due to subsequent marriage.
hello po tatanung ko lang po anu po ba requirements kasi ung anak ko sa akin nakaapelyido hindi sa tatay niya.ngayon gusto ko na ng tatay niya ipaapelyedo sa knia . paano po ba dapat ko hakbang na gawen .salamat po.
Ksala na ba kayo nung father nya or hindi pa? If ever may plano ba kayong mag pa kasal?