jellybeanqueen

Hi -

I hope you can help me sort this out, I get a bit dizzy trying to research this.....

I am American and my husband British with a green card and we live in the US. He has had the greencard since 2000 so it expires in 2010. We have been married for one year. We are thinking that he should apply for US citizenship, so he could have dual citizenship. However, a few questions.

1) If I ever want to become a UK citizen, would that be more difficult if he has dual citizenship?

2) When we have a child, it mostly likely would be born in the US. We want the child to have dual citizenship. Is that possible or more difficult if my husband has dual citizenship?

Thanks so much for any help on this......

franc111s

1. No, it would not be more difficult, I'd guess it'd be better or at least the same. Of course, to become British, you'd have to denounce being American and you probably don't want to do that.

2. If the Child is born in USA to British Father, dual citizenship is virtually automatic.

Ash UK/US

If your husband was born in the UK (I am guessing he was) then your children will have citzenship by right of birth.

Philgr

Are you just passing comment on the oath at the citizenship ceremony (in which case I'm sure they won't notice if you have your fingers crossed behind your back) or are you suggesting that an American has to formally give up their US citizenship to become British? If it's the latter, that isn't correct unless things have changed in the last couple of years.

Dan725

Exactly what I thought - never looked into it though

meauxna

There is an excellent Dual Citizen FAQ in the wiki (link in the blue bar, top of the page).
For you to become a UK citizen, you will have to immigrate to the UK and live there for a minimum number of years. Your husband's citizenship as a Brit is the only thing that applies (the FAQ will spell out why).

Your child will likely gain citizenship from each of you regardless of your husband's US citizenship (or not). After your husband takes US citizenship, the US will see him only as a US citizen (child and father for that matter).

The Rich Wales FAQ will clear up any confusion.

franc111s

Do I stand corrected? I thought, in order for you to become British, you really DO have to give up your US citizenship. I know the other way around is not correct, i.e. you'll always be British.

Is this not correct anymore? was it ever? Am I a putz!

meauxna

You don't think the US would let you out of their tax-clutching grip just because you wanted to switch teams now did you?

flutprop

I just found this thread and hope you guys can answer my question as well. I was born in the UK to US parents, and am a dual citizen. My son was born in the US, has an american father. Is he eligible for dual citizenship also? I can't find the answer on the Embassy website and it appears they discourage phone calls.

Any advice would be great!

JAJ

The Embassy website is "light" in terms of what it gives on citizenship, but as long as your son was born in 1983 or later, he's definitely a British citizen.

The Home Office website has much better information on nationality.

To get him a British passport:
http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/how-to-apply

Also recommended to get a consular birth certificate:
http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/help-fo...-registration/

lisa67

Just to point out that your husbands green card expires NOT his status. You just have to renew the card, which I believe is pretty easy to do

flutprop

Thanks for the answer and the links. I downloaded the application and just have a couple questions. We already have a US passport. Section 3 of the application wants us to attach the passport. I assume they return this? Or do I just say no previous passport, even though the instructions state to include foreign passport info? Second, we have only 1 original birth certificate for me, and it would be pretty hard to get another from the UK. What is the likelihood things get lost and unreturned? My father has it across the country from me and is hesitant to let it out of his hands.
thanks,
Jenn

coral11680

You do have to include you US passports. I did this and yes they return them. I think the embassy send back the documents with fedex overnight that you have to sign for so it's pretty secure. I only had one birth certificate also and you just have to send things with signature request so it's secure.

JAJ

Apparently it's for proof of ID purposes. Not to confiscate it, although the form tries to make you think otherwise.

It's easy to get a new birth certificate: http://www.gro.gov.uk (for England and Wales).

British Consul

Francs111s, I think it's worth advising the OP to look into US requirements if she voluntarily acquires citizenship of another country (acquiring it through birth is another matter). I'm not in a situation to provide advice on this one, but it should be checked with the US State Dept or US Embassy in London.

Dean