datcha

Hi All,

Would love to get a few thoughts on which direction I should choose.

Have been here in the US for 9 1/2 years now and am on a Permanent Resident Green Card. As of today (6 months prior to card expiration) I can renew my Green Card for another 10 years or I thought hey, perhaps I could just do the Citizenship thing and not have to worry about any of that stuff again.

I'm not moving back to the UK from this land of opportunity so just wanted to get some learned ex-pats thoughts.

TIA!
David.

fatbrit

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pros_a...US_Citizenship

MarkCowan

I would defo say go for it. If you ever wanted to bring family over from the UK, then its a simple process - well let me rephrase that, its not exactly simple but its another option.

nun

If you plan never to return to the UK then get US citizenship.

ian-mstm

I say go for it... if for no other reason than it will allow you become an active participant in the political process... instead of just a reactive onlooker!

Ian

Guindalf

If it helps, I was in the same position as you two years ago and for the difference in cost, I went the citizenship route. Of course, I retained my British citizenship too, but I can vote, be called for jury duty (yay!) and never have to pay out for a renewal!

lansbury

As you intend to remain in the US I can see no disadvantages to taking citizenship. I certainly don't regret doing so.

datcha

Thanks, all! I've not really thought about it up until this point now that I'm in the window to renew the ol' GC. Am gonna read up now on the really-permanent route now

TimNiceBut

Why only if the OP never intends to return to the UK? IIRC you don't lose UK citizenship if you take the US one, do you?

fatbrit

Think citizenship was actually the easiest and quickest immigration benefit I ever applied for. Of course, by the time you get to that stage you're already an expert on the wiles of USCIS, so perhaps it just seems that way.

jjmb

because your taxes become complicated maybe? As a US citizen you have complete a tax return each year wherever you are in the world.

TimNiceBut

I'm aware of the taxes, but personally I don't think that would be a big obstacle if the OP is planning to stay in the US.

The reason I like the idea of dual citizenship is that if something unexpected happens that requires an extended stay in the UK, you don't run into GC abandonment issues.

jjmb

Sorry,I was replying to as to why Nun would make that suggestion.

We knew about the Tax situation when we took citizenship but as we have 3 kids who will probably be living here, we decided it would be something we would have to live with, rather than risking visas if we move back to the UK.
We would like to move back once we get to retirement but that is 11 yrs away and things change. We already have one grand-daughter and who know what the next 11 yrs will bring.

datcha

The always-have-to-file-taxes as a US Citizen is just Federal, right? No State taxes cos you aint in a State. I also know there /used/ to be an exemption amount ($80K in 2003) which you had to earn more than to have to pay anything to Uncle Sam.

Not sure I'll ever be rich enough though if I do move back to the UK to worry too much about those financial affairs.

paul32x

I went for it and became a Citizen a couple of months ago now. When you look at it, it's $490-something, I think, to renew your green card, and only £600-something for citizenship, so in a way it's a saving to go down the citizenship route. You keep your UK citizenship anyway, so you don't really lose anything by applying for citizenship, and it's not hard, just a little bit time consuming. Plus the way I look at it, it cements my ties to my adopted home, and if I ever wanted to, I'd be eligible to apply for a Federal job, you can vote, and I'm sure there are other things available to Citizens that are closed to non-citizens.