sallys

I keep hearing of various people who claim to have dual citizenship - US and another... however I have always heard and been told that one cannot have US citizenship along with another country's.... I am British but have lived in the US for many years....

Just wondering...

crg

The US doesn't make you give up any other citizenship to become a US citizen. It depends on the other country as well though. For example, you would lose your Indian citizenship if you became a US citizen, but a Canadian wouldn't. I have a feeling that the UK wouldn't let you retain UK citizenship if you became a US citizen.

Ptarmigan

The UK does allow it's citzens to hold US citizenship

CalgaryAMC

That's not true. But I'm interested in why you might think that?

crg

I've encountered some British Citizens who have been landed immigrants of Canada for like 40 years. Since March 2003 these people have been required to fill out a visa waiver form when they used to be exempt the visa requirement. I ask them why they don't just become Canadian. A few have stated that they don't want to give up their UK citizenship. I've never researched it.

I know India stamps a warning in their passports indicating that you would lose their Indian citizenship if they accepted citizenship in another country.

Sometimes this would cause them to lose any land they had in their old country so they are reluctant to give it up.

holly_1948

More than that - the UK regards citizenship as a duty, not a right or privilege. You can't give up your British citizenship without express permission from Her Majesty. You could ask her next time you have tea together I suppose:-)

Notice the Brits have no oath of alligiance in ordinary circumstances. As a British Subject your allegiance is already the property of the crown - it's not yours to pledge.

William Joyce (aka Lord Haw Haw) was hanged rather than imprisoned for his crimes because he still had British citizenship that he didn't want. His citizenship allowed the prosecutor to upgraded the charge to treason.

holly_1948

The US DOES make you renounce your other citizenship. It's just that the UK and some other countries won't accept your renunciation.
The Yanks make you stand up and say you renounce but doing so has no effect if the other citizenship is British.

They also make you renounce your titles of nobility, as a Yank you can't accept elevation to the peerage without losing your US citizenship. So if you have aspirations of getting into the House of Lords forget them.

crg

A US citizen has to formally renounce their citizenship to a consular officer abroad. If they do it to avoid taxation then they are inadmissible to the United States, even to visit.

US law doesn't really address dual citizens. In the eyes of the US, you are either a citizen or, you are an alien. There's nothing they can do to you if you start collecting passports like they were baseball cards.

-------The Oath of Allegiance for New Citizens------

I hereby declare, on oath,

That I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;

That I will support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

That I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law;

That I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law;

That I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and

That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

- INS -

MHolkham

I have dual citizenship UK and US. The customs officials have seen both my passports and no problem. When I go in to the USA I have to use my USA passport and coming back into the UK my UK one. Couldn't be simplier

JAJ

It is amazing how many people just believe urban myths and never try to verify the information. Especially when one considers how people have lost out on opportunities in life due to not having Canadian citizenship.

There is no problem with British citizens having dual citizenship (as far as the UK is concerned). If you hold another form of British nationality then there *might* be an issue depending on circumstances, but not many people are in this situation.

This 'urban myth' that dual citizenship is not allowed is so pervasive among long term British migrants in Australia that the British High Commission issued a press release in 2003 to clarify things:
http://bhc.britaus.net/News/newsdefault.asp?id=191

-----
British High Commission release: 28 August 2003

The Australian Government is encouraging long-term residents of the country to apply for citizenship in the lead-up to the Australian Citizenship Day on 17 September, and has made a specific appeal to British long-term residents.

British High Commissioner Sir Alastair Goodlad said that many British nationals had sought clarification of the impact upon their UK citizenship of acquiring Australian citizenship.

"The UK Government has no objection to British citizens holding another nationality. A person's British citizenship would not be affected should he or she acquire Australian citizenship," Sir Alastair said.
Notes to Editors:

The following information is provided as guidance only.

1. The Australian Government's citizenship website states: "Australia does not require you to renounce your citizenship when you become an Australian citizen. Whether you lose your former citizenship when you become an Australian citizen (depends) … upon the citizenship laws of the other country." (www.citizenship.gov.au)

2. The Home Office in the UK states: "In general there is no restriction, in UK law, on a British national being a citizen of another country as well. So, if you get another nationality, you will not lose your British nationality." However, there are special rules for British protected persons, and certain British subjects, and they should check with the Home Office. (www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk)

3. In consular matters British citizens who are long-term residents of Australia are already, under long-standing convention, treated de facto as citizens of Australia. UK missions in Australia do not, therefore, normally provide consular assistance to long-term British residents. Dual nationals travelling outside their countries of nationality would be expected to turn to the mission of the country of the passport on which they traveled should they need consular assistance.

4. Acquisition of Australian citizenship by a long-term resident should not affect that person's entitlement to UK pension or other government payments.

------


Jeremy

franc111s

I don't know why, but many Brits I know whom have lived in the USA think that by becoming a US citizen, they are giving up their UK citizenship.

Absolute RUBBISH.

Myself, my wife and 2 kids became US Citizens last year and have travelled to the UK on our UK passports many times. We travel to the US or around the world, mostly on the US Passport but it really becomes a matter of choice.

The old wive's tail exists because the US makes you "say" you renounce your other citizenships etc., The reaility is however, the queen doesn't allow you to not be British without actually standing in front on a UK official and officially telling them you DONT WANT TO BE BRITISH ANYMORE.

To put this discussion to bed once and for all and to show the USA knows Dual Citizenship exisits and is OK with it, I'll post the exact text of a section from my USA PASSPORT :

"While in a foreign country", Sub section 9

"DUAL CITIZENS"

A person who has the citizenship of more than one country at the same time is considered a dual citizen. A dual citizen may be subject to the laws of the other country that considers that person it's citizen whilst in that countrys jurisdiction, including consription for military service. Dual Nationality may hamper efforts to provice US consular protection to dual citizens in the foreign country of their other nationaility. Dual citizens who encounter problems abroad should contact the nearest American embassy or consulate.

----------------

so there you have it, in black and white in your US passport. It's not even GREY. YOu CAN be a dual citizen.