kstoss9

I was going to post this in the Immigration forum, however since my husband-to-be will qualify for Dual Citizenship through a marriage based Visa I thought I would try here first.

Does anyone have any information on how to apply for Dual Citizenship? We understand that the Us doesn't advertise this due to the problems that my arise from it. My fiance is British and is interested in law enforcement once he comes over here to the US. I have already researched the State Trooper requirements, as well as local and Town police requirements and most of them require you to be a US Citizen.

My fiance has already served in the British military and was medically discharged due to an accident that left him with a permanent pin in his leg. The US would not be interested in him serving in the forces due to this. Since we don't foresee the US and England going to war anytime soon we felt that this might be the way to go for him to become an officer of the law in the US and still maintain his British Citizenship, since England doesn't reconize the denouncement of allegiance anyway.

I guess I am just looking for advice on where to get more information on what is required and what forms need to be filled out and so fourth. I have had a lot of trouble even finding anything that gives information on how one can go about doing this, perhaps since it is highly discouraged.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

~Kate

fatbrit

British American dual citizenship is no problem. The Brits have no real issues with it; the Americans few. You can read the few at www.richw.org/dualcit. However, we're talking probably 4 years down the road before he naturalizes--assuming everything ticks along at a regular pace.

As for a copper, many pd's will insist on citizenship. A few will take a gc -- these seem to be common on the custodial end of the criminal justice system, though.

chicagojlo

You don't 'apply for dual citizenship', you simply apply for US citizenship and don't renounce your British citizenship. The dual bit is automatic. But there is a bit of time before you can obtain citizenship through marriage, you have to have your green card first for a certain amount of time (someone help!).

Noorah101

Hi Kate,

What is your husband's current status in the USA right now? I see back in November 2007 you were planning to apply for his AOS. Did you do that? Did he receive his green card?

Basically there's nothing to do towards citizenship until the time comes to apply (3 years after he becomes a US PR, if he became a PR through marriage to you, is still married to you, and you have been married a full 3 years at that time...and if he meets other eligibility criteria).

Once he's eligible to apply for citizenship, he files form N-400, goes to an interview, and then an oath ceremony. That's the point when he becomes a USC.

So if you are just now doing the AOS process and he hasn't received his green card yet, you still have a few years to go until he can become a USC.

Best Wishes,
Rene

fatbrit

Noorah101

Hmmm...I guess they haven't gotten married yet in order to even start the AOS process!! That clears that up! LOL

Last November she was looking into the AOS process after he arrived on the VWP...I wonder why 5 months have gone by and they haven't started it yet.

Rene

fatbrit

It's certainly a conundrum. Perhaps the OP can clear our mystery?

Folinskyinla

Hi:

You don't apply for "dual citizenship" per se. Once he otherwise qualifies, he files for UNITED STATES citizenship. Part of the US process is a solemn oath that he tells Liz to go to hell. However, Liz says you cannot tell ME to go to hell, it is MY perogative to you to go to hell.

This issue was one of a plethora of issues that came to a head in 1812 -- which ended with the White House being set on fire by certain British government employees commonly known as "Redcoats." When things were settled at the end of 1814 in Belgium, the citizenship issue was left to ride. It seems to have not been much of a problem for the last 194 years.

Ozzidoc

Time for a bit of action then? (Sorry - I couldn't resist!)

JAJ

British subjects were allowed to renounce British nationality starting in 1870, when the (U.K.) Naturalisation Act 1870 was passed. The same Act brought about automatic loss of British nationality upon naturalisation in a foreign state (including the U.S.).

British persons who became American citizens prior to 1870 had two years to indicate a desire to retain British nationality, or it was lost at that time.

This remained the law until 1 January 1949.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Winston Churchill was a dual national, he just didn't know it. The law under which he was deemed not to be a US citizen off his mother was ruled unconstitutional after he died.

Marocco

Didn't he become an honorary citizen of the US in 1963 (two years before his death)?

Ray

Your right ...
http://www.senate.gov/reference/reso...pdf/pl8806.pdf

Folinskyinla

Hi:

That he was. I recall seeing his honorary US passport on display at Blenheim Castle in 1987.

During World War II, he addressed the US Congress and made a comment that if his father, rather than his mother, had been a US citizen, he would have been sitting in the US Congress rather than the House of Commons.

Although that statute was repealed in 1934 [looking forward], it was later declared unconstitutional in the 1990's. Congress also later amended the previously repealed statute to allow descent through either parent -- but they made a form of retroactive naturalization so as to avoid certain Nazi war criminals' ability to claim US citizenship. However, in a series of cases involving one Johann Breyer, it was the constitution that ruled. [The cases originate from the Third Circuit].

However, like Johann Breyer, Winnie would have certain issues regarding possible expatriation of his citizenship. However, the modern interpretations of the expatriation laws goes to back to a 60's case from the Supremes called Afroyim v. Rusk. So, that Nazi was relying on case law involving a Jewish refugee! The law often works like that -- no insult intended in comparing Winne to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

ian-mstm

Hmm... one word: Coventry! A tough decision to be sure... but one that probably killed fewer, in the grand scheme, than might otherwise have died.

Ian