Dual citizenship?
 

Forgive me if this has been approached on the threads before. I am a British citizen and have been living and working for over 25 years in USA.

I have never wanted to apply for US citizenship as I was under the impression that to do so I would have to relinquish my British passport. Am I mis-informed?

I am also concerned that somewhere on this site there is information that I read stating I might not be able to receive my SS if I go back to UK if I am not a USC. This is important to me as I am giving serious consideration of moving back to UK after retirement ( approx. within the next 2 years).

Thank you in advance for any light you might be able to shed on this "dual citizenship" for me.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

yes

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Not correct. The UK doesn't care if you become a US citizen. The US doesn't care that you are still a UK citizen.

Been discussed here hundreds of times. If you search the forum for "dual citizenship" you'll turn up a lot of information.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

My husband is a dual citizen. You do not give up your UK citizenship when you become a US cit.

As far as SS is concerned, I'm not quite sure but you may be right. When you become a citizen, you have to inform Social Security Admin because you now have access to additional benefits that you do not as an LPR (which may include retirement benefits).

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

I have never participated in an online forum before so I was ignorant about the search element. I shall try rectifying that right now.

Thank you for your response.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

It takes a while to get the hang of searching; use the 'search this forum' box at the top right side of the topic list for starters.
Or, you'll probably find all you need in the wiki entries! :)

Pros and Cons to Getting US Citizenship

Naturalization - US Citizenship Resources

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

This was kind of you, thanks. :)

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

The search facility is located at the pink bar at the top of the page. Click on this...then click on advanced search. Top left hand side of the page...type in something like UK/US citizenship or dual citizenship...select either posts or thread. Then go a little lower down on the right hand side of the page. Scroll down and click on the US forums...now press the search tab.

Please come back and ask...or drop me a PM if you need any further assistance...the search facility can be a little tricky for new members.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

The SS thing, I think only US citizens can claim the money aboard, so it would be worth sorting out.

You'd have to file taxes for 10 years after giving up your LPR status anyway being in the US for as long as you have so you've got nothing to lose by getting citizenship

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Apart from the money it costs to file for it in the first place, you mean?

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

It's not a loss if you're getting something now, is it? :)

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

A grand for a passport seems like a lot of money to me ;)

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

true, but then if moving away doesn't pan out as planned, could well find yourself in a pickle trying to get back...

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

A grand for a passport seems like a lot of money to me ;)[/QUOTE]

It seems like a lot of money to me as well but I am going to pursue it nonetheless. The main reason being to safeguard my social security. I have paid into it for years and do not want to leave it behind if I do go back to UK for good. But one step at a time ...

Thanks for the Wiki pointers to those who put up that information.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

It seems like a lot of money to me as well but I am going to pursue it nonetheless. The main reason being to safeguard my social security. I have paid into it for years and do not want to leave it behind if I do go back to UK for good. But one step at a time ...
.[/QUOTE]

Fair comment. :)

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

One thing though, if you don't have enough contributions for a UK pension, you can use the US contributions as a top up, if you wanted only one pension. If you qualified for both on their own then this wouldn't be a good idea, just a thought.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Yep, agreed, that's a definate consideration for a lot of people, and the OP justified their reasoning too.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

I was 43 when I came to the US, and I have a letter from the UK National Ins, telling me I have paid long enough to recieve at least 80% of my pension at retirement age. Oh and also I became a USC last September, and I still got to keep my "European Union" Passport!! :D

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

I am 99% sure you do not need to become a USC to claim SS; I was an LPR for 20+ years and received an SS statement every year telling me what I was entitled to at retirement. I believe another poster had it right - there may be restrictions on your ability to claim it overseas if you are not a USC. Otherwise, it's yours regardless.

The citizenship application process is not $1,000 - it will cost you about $700 and - for me, in the past 6 months - took only 4 months from start to finish.

The key benefit of becoming a USC is that you can leave the country for an extended period of time; as an LPR, if you stay away >6months there can be consequences. Since you are considering retirement, you probably wouldn't want to come back and work anyway, but still - losing the LPR status could be a bummer. You can also vote ... and work for the post office ... :)

The key drawback of becoming a USC is that you become liable for income tax on your worldwide income. So if you leave the US, and strike it rich, you'd have to pay tax to US even if you never returned. Not likely to be an issue unless you struck it rich though! You are also eligible for jury duty.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

[QUOTE=Floridared;7284655]I was 43 when I came to the US, and I have a letter from the UK National Ins, telling me I have paid long enough to recieve at least 80% of my pension at retirement age. Oh and also I became a USC last September, and I still got to keep my "European Union" Passport!! :D[/QUOTE]

I lived in two other European countries for 8 years combined before coming here to the USA. I did not pay into the UK National Insurance for longer enough to become eligible for more than a very small sum paid out twice a year. But no complaints, plus I am already getting that sent into my US bank account without any problems.

Congrats on becoming a US citizen if that allows you more freedom in coming and going.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

I sent away for the forms etc to apply for naturalization but am still going to find out from Social Security whenever I can get through to a live person who can give me the information. I would like confirmation one way or the other about receiving SS if I leave the country. This would be the only reason I would pursue after all these years of living here USC.

Once I quit work I have not desire, even if I have a need, to work anywhere either here or there.

I do not have enough money to really be unduly concerned about paying American taxes if I leave the country, but on the other hand I do not want to pay anything if I am not living here either.

Much to think about ...
Thank you for taking the time to reply and offering this information.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Sorry for the typos I have just come home from work and feeling tired. I should have proof read.
:o

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

You can download the naturalization forms easily; get them all at uscis.gov

The SSA.gov site is better than the uscis.gov site; check it out for your questions:


If I leave the US, can I continue to receive benefits?

If you are not a United States citizen, the law requires us to stop your payments after you have been outside the United States for six consecutive calendar months unless you meet one of several exceptions in the law which will permit you to continue receiving benefits abroad. These exceptions are based, for the most part, on your citizenship.

I am a US citizen but plan to live overseas. Can I collect Social Security benefits in a foreign country?
Answer
If you are a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for them. Regardless of your citizenship, there are certain countries where we are not allowed to send payments. For more information, please see Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States, Publication No. 05-10137, for a list of countries where we are not allowed to send payments.

If you are planning to be outside the United States for six consecutive calendar months or more, you can find out if you can receive your Social Security payment by using the Payments Abroad Screening Tool.


Your Basic Guide to Social Security Programs

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Hi:

You hit the nail on the head. A US Citizen can collect no matter where they live [however, I don't know how that would work in Cuba, but I digress]. An LPR has to remain an LPR to collect.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

If you are a United States citizen, you can travel or live in most foreign countries without affecting your eligibility for Social Security benefits.

However, there are a few countries—Cambodia, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam and many of the former U.S.S.R. republics (except Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia)—where we cannot send Social Security payments.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

You can do that as an LPR though, and being an LPR for as long as the OP has, if they did strike it rich within 10 years they would still be liable.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

You can't vote as an LPR, silly :)

I presume you are referring to the 'work for the post office' part ... I was told by someone that you had to be a citizen for that; maybe I was wrong. I truly hope I'm never desperate enough to have to care!

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

You can edit a post for up to two hours after posting; within those two hours, an 'edit' button will appear below your post, next to the 'quote' button.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

the working for the post office, and yes, you can, they changed the requirement a few years ago and meeting my local posty, I don't blame you :D

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

You are right ... On this page (USPS 'Employment Requirements') it says: "Citizenship
Employees must be a United States citizen, a lawful permanent resident alien (i.e., possession of a “green card”), a citizen of American Samoa or any other territory owing permanent allegiance to the United States. Individuals solely granted asylum status, refugee status or conditional permanent resident status are not eligible for Postal Service employment. "

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

The only "con" to citizenship is not being allowed to visit Cuba on vacation. My sis-in-law (in the UK) invited me to join her in a holiday in Cuba which I had to decline with much gnashing of teeth because I would have LOVED to have spent time there.
She said the place was fabulous.
GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Thats a pretty condecending kind of comment towards our mailmen and Post Office workers don't you think? What's the matter, you think the idea of working for something as lowly the USPS is beneath you?
I spoke to our mail lady when I first moved here and you might be surprised just how much they earn compared with a lot of other people in FL.
And yes, your hearsay information was wrong, an LPR can work for the USPS, and no, before you wonder... I don't.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

I would not have to become a US citizen to receive my SS in UK. So that is good to know. Thanks for copying and pasting the information from the Social Security website. I find it very difficult to read large blocks of type online due to a vision problem but breaking it all up I think I got the answers I was seeking.

Thanks for your help.


What happens to your right to Social Security payments when you are outside the U.S.?


If you are not a U.S. citizen or a citizen of one of the other countries listed above, your payments will stop after you have been outside the U.S. for six full calendar months unless you meet one of the following exceptions:

You were eligible for monthly Social Security benefits for December 1956; or
You are in the active military or naval service of the U.S.; or
The worker on whose record your benefits are based had railroad work which was treated as covered employment by the Social Security program; or
The worker on whose record your benefits are based died while in the U.S. military service or as a result of a service-connected disability and was not dishonorably discharged; or
You are a resident of a country with which the U.S. has a Social Security agreement. Currently, these countries are:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Chile
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Korea (South)
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom

(This list of countries is subject to change from time to time. For the latest information, please visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/intern...untrylist3.htm or contact your nearest U.S. Social Security office, U.S. Embassy or consulate.)

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Not at all; I think you are looking for negatives where none exist. I've been working here for 25 years and am close to being able to retire. I'm truly hopeful that I won't have to consider a career change at my stage in life to any job that involves a fair amount of physical exertion - and yes, at a probable reduction in salary too.

Are you short of things to post? Bob already corrected my statement, and I posted a link to the Post Office 'job requirements' website, providing the exact wording - in order to correct my earlier post.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Very possibly, but even if I wasn't, it's always amusing to poke a bit of fun at your words, because you always take it so personally and so seriously ;)

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

The note at the end is what can be rather prudent, these things can change and the way things are going with the US economy, there's no guarantee that it won't change, being a USC will hopefully protect you from that being a issue to you.

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

This was part of my rationale for becoming a USC; I knew that, as an LPR I could stay here indefinitely, and have full access to all benefits ... but - what if the US govt. suddenly decides on a 'citizens first' initiative, restricting benefits from LPRs/etc. Not likely but - easy to protect against ($700 and a few forms and interviews).

Re: Dual citizenship?
 

Possibly, but to my thinking highly unlikely.
But I am still chewing on it all ...