I heard recently, that if you are naturalized in the United States you can keep your previous citizenship, or if you are currently a dual citizen you can keep those as well. Does anyone have any expreience with his, or is currently holding dual or triple citizenship, American being one of course. I tried researching this at http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm but that site is not very search friendly.

10/9/2006 2:16:19 PM

I thought you could only be a citizen of two places. Didn't Rupert Murdoc have to give up being a citizen of his native Australia to become a citizen in the U.K. and the U.S.?

10/9/2006 2:19:31 PM

http://www.richw.org/dualcit/

maybe that will have some info for you

10/9/2006 2:24:32 PM

you souless creature... you're a real traitor.

10/9/2006 2:30:22 PM

In order to become a naturalized US citizen you have to renounce your prior citizenship. Certain countries such as Canada and Great Britian do not recognize this and maintain you as a citizen of their country even though you have renounced your citizenship.

10/9/2006 3:00:06 PM

Does anyone know Germany's policy on recognizing you as a citizen even after you become an American citizen?

10/9/2006 3:22:18 PM

depends on if you join the nazi party or not

10/9/2006 3:26:29 PM

I am a Nazi

[Edited on October 9, 2006 at 3:27 PM. Reason : Let's get back to the topic at hand]

10/9/2006 3:27:24 PM

It's more a matter of policy than actually what's written law. For example technically when you become naturalized in the US you have to renounce all foreign allegiance and your other citizenship. However, it is the current policy of the State Dept. not to enforce this law, i.e. they don't make you go to the embassy and renounce your citizenship under oath with signed statements, etc...

However, don't go around showing both of your passports to immigration officials at the airports-- they might just turn you in. Technically it is illegal but it is not enforced as a matter of policy.

Generally each country in which you are a citizen will treat you as if you were only a citizen of their country.

Most countries have written laws, like the US, that state the act of naturalization into another country is declaration that you intend to renounce your citizenship. But they don't always enforce this.

Every country is different. I can tell you in great detail about dual citizenship with Taiwan/US but you'll need to research Germany's policy on this.

10/9/2006 3:39:56 PM

so do you have any problems renewing your Taiwanese passport by mail?

10/9/2006 3:43:35 PM

she still has parents address in Tw, so no.

[Edited on October 9, 2006 at 3:46 PM. Reason : not me to be clear.]

10/9/2006 3:45:43 PM

My friends are dual citizens in Germany and the US, but I have no clue how it works.

P.S. I do know to maintain it they had to go back to Germany every now and then. They had to live there for a year during high school.

[Edited on October 9, 2006 at 4:14 PM. Reason : merf]

10/9/2006 4:13:33 PM

Yeah, I have both Canadian and American, you have to renounce your other one at the time of naturalization and swear that you will not fight in a war against the States.

It's good to keep both especially when travelling to Europe/Asia/any other country that is not economically dependent on the US

10/9/2006 5:03:42 PM

^ the problem with that is when you try and enter the US to stay you have to use your US passport (hence traveling from US you have to use US passport) otherwise you can only enter visa free for 30/60 days depending on the country of your other citizenship. Then you could be flagged by immigration when your time expires.

But yes you can travel from US to Germany (via US passport) then go to Cuba on your Germany passport if you really want, then return to Germany on german passport then return to US on your US passport.

Besides there are only a very few countries that restrict US travelers, most can enter visa free for around 30/60 days (IIRC). So by "Asia" I'm not sure what you mean, unless you are talking about Myanmar

[Edited on October 9, 2006 at 5:55 PM. Reason : .]

10/9/2006 5:48:18 PM

i have a friend who has triple citizenship

German, American & Bolivian

I think what happened is that he was born in Germany but his mom is American and his dad is Bolivian

I'm not sure if it's 100% legal but he mentioned some loophole in the German system that allows him to keep all 3 and he has legal and current passports for each country & uses whichever one is easiest for the country he's going to

10/9/2006 6:08:05 PM

Yo, I have dual citizenship with the United States and Great Britain. I have legal passports for both countries. Usually when travelling to the homeland I will use my American passport (because if it isn't stamped when I come back to America, they get suspicious), but when going through Europe I use my English passport. It is a lot easier to travel between members of the EU if you are a citizen of one of their members.

10/9/2006 8:26:01 PM

I'm trying to keep all three citizenships without having to go back to Germany to restablish residency or fill out paperwork to renew my passport. I just checked with Canadian Consulate, they said dual citizenship between them and the US won't be a problem.

10/10/2006 12:09:57 PM

what about americans that want to become citizens in another country....how does it work going in that direction?

10/10/2006 8:32:36 PM

^ It used to be that if you became a citizen of another country, you had to renounce your American citizenship as well. This is no longer the case. If you become a citizen of another country now, you'll be asked by the State Department if it was your intent to renounce your US Citizenship. If yes, they'll terminate it. If no, they'll leave you about your business and you'll hold dual citizenship.


I've done quite a bit of research on this, because I'm going to claim British citizenship by descent here shortly.

[Edited on October 10, 2006 at 9:06 PM. Reason : of course I'm sure that only applies to certain countries... not Cuba for example]

10/10/2006 9:06:11 PM

i think i have dual citizenship in the US and Panama but i dunno

10/10/2006 10:54:00 PM

^^spot on. It's all about your "intent".

10/10/2006 11:56:30 PM

would it be reason enough to allow dual with canada if you were to do it for business purposes?

10/11/2006 12:27:15 AM

My fiancee was born in Germany and kept his German citizenship and was under a green card since he was 5. 3 months ago he got his American citizenship (was naturalized). He didn't have to renounce his German citizenship in order to establish his dual one.

The process just takes a long time.

10/11/2006 12:00:55 PM

^ what process. Naturalization to become american or the paperowrk to keep your german citizenship

10/11/2006 1:07:40 PM

pretty sure he meant naturalizing in the US. lots of paperwork listing all dates in and out of the country, and multiple trips to Charlotte(for NC). And each step throughout the process the gvmt takes their sweet time getting back to you-- like months after each step.

[Edited on October 11, 2006 at 2:48 PM. Reason : sp]

Quote :

" He didn't have to renounce his German citizenship in order to establish his dual one"

Wrong. ask if this sounds familiar

Quote :

"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"

However, as I, NUTSMACKR, and many other people in this very thread has said "Many countries do not recognize this as official". In order for you to renounce your other citizenship you have to make a sworn statement at the embassy of that country and sign some documents. The State Dept. does not require this and does not, as a matter of policy, actively pursue this issue.

Seriously read the link someone else posted
http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html

[Edited on October 11, 2006 at 3:11 PM. Reason : sp]

10/11/2006 2:48:05 PM

I have German and Canadian citizenship (born in German, mother is Canadian citizen) and haven't tried to get American citizenship since I was told I wouldnt be able to keep either of my other two. But as long as I have my greencard I probably wouldnt bother trying to get one anyway

10/11/2006 4:05:59 PM

^you were told wrong

This is probably one of the most confusing issues there is, and there's a lot of misinformation out there.

[Edited on October 11, 2006 at 6:07 PM. Reason : .]

10/11/2006 6:05:44 PM