Jingle

Hello folks - I normally hang out in the Canada forum but I have a question for our US friends. Has anyone used a lawyer/immigration firm in the UK to renounce US citizenship? Any recommendations? Advice? Warnings?

Don't want to give too many personal details but it relates to someone who was born in US, to a US parent but has never lived or worked in the US (always resident in England). Any comments would be gratefully received. Thanks all

Lion in Winter

No personal experience, but this seems like a useful list of precautions. In particular, that renunciation is permanent and irrevocable. You don't seem to need a lawyer, and it doesn't appear that it can be done for you. You have to actually speak an oath of renunciation, for example.

https://www.nnuimmigration.com/how-t...20renunciation.

kimilseung

Don't you have to show you paid your us taxes forever too?

tht

Are they up-to-date with all their US tax returns and FBAR’s? If male did they do their selective servive registration at 18? See section E:

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...ty-Abroad.html

Lion in Winter

Oof. Maybe they do need a lawyer after all.

With any luck someone will be along with the knowledge.

destone

What’s the motive? Tax compliance?

civilservant

Indeed! 212(a)(10)(E) is no joke - it's a permeant bar to entry, with no available waiver.

Rete

Spoken only from a personal point of view, why renounce US citizenship? I'm assuming your friend has never worked in the US; has never visited the US; has never paid US taxes; does not have a current US passport, if they ever did have one; cannot pass on US citizen to any of their children; and have no desire to be identified as an American.

Assume they have flown under the radar all these years and never proclaimed US citizenship for any reason. Why not just let it be. I'm a German citizen and never declared or used that status for anything. Same boat, isn't it.

tht

It is not quite the same, Germany is less onerous than the US with tax if you are not resident there. Also if you acquired another Citizenship, like US citizenship and did not go through

Beibehaltungsgenehmigung [size=16px]before doing so you will have lost your German citizenship: [/size]https://www.germany.info/us-en/servi...ship/-/2124886

Jingle

Yes and also he's finding it a little more difficult to open up investment accounts in the UK. Really crazy!

Jingle

Thanks Rete - do you have joint German/US citizenship?

Jingle

Thanks yes, I had seen that site .... but appreciate you taking the time to respond

Jingle

Thanks! It would be nice to get a recommendation of someone who could advise/assist

Jingle

It's ridiculously complex and almost undemocratic!

Lion in Winter

How do they know that he's a US citizen? Is that something you have to declare upon opening an investment account?

I'm a dual myself, and hope to return to the UK to live after an adult lifetime based in the US, so I know banking and taxes are going to be complicated.