Some people talk about dual citizenship after becoming U.S. citizens. Is this an option INS gives them? Or does the person automatically have dual citizenships from then on?
dognhorsemom
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Leidy is right. Some countries allow dual citizenship, some do not. The US does, by the way. And it has no rule about having to decide when you turn 18: Korea has such a rule, but not the US.
Here is a web site that has some nice information about multiple citizenships, especially which countries allow it and which do not:
http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/
And here is the official information about losing US citizenship: as you can see, you have to MEAN to lose it in order to do so:
http://www.travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_778.html
b j
Technically there is no such thing as dual citizenship, at least with regard to the US laws. You are either a US citizen or you are not.
Now you may also be recognized as a citizen within another country. Some countries (for example Ireland & the US) automatically recognize you as a citizen if you were born there. You could potentially apply and get a passport for this country where you are also considered a citizen.
Again, this does not mean from the US perspective that you have dual citizenship. From the US perspective you are a citizen of the US only, so if you did apply for a second passport for another country that recognizes your citizenship you would not want to be displaying these when entering the US, or things could get very complicated for you.
One other thing. Some people say that applying for a passport or accepting the citizenship of another country automatically renounces your US citizenship. This is not true. You do not give up your US citizenship unless you actively request to renounce it, ie sending a letter to the US Consolate asking to renounce your citizenship.
Hope this helps.
sarge927
As far as the U.S. government is concerned, you're either a U.S. citizen or a citizen of another country, so once you become a U.S. citizen you supposedly renounce your citizenship to the other country. That being said, however, my mother was born in Canada and is now a U.S. citizen, but the Canadian Crown recognizes her as having dual-citizenship status. So you can have dual-citizenship; it just depends on which country you were a citizen of before applying for U.S. citizenship.
Anonymous
The US will recognize dual citizenship until your have reached 18 years of age, then you need to choose. If your an American Citizen, then that is your only citizenship, but your orginal country could recognize dual citizenship at any age, then your OK. Use your American as you prrimary and use your other as it suits your needs.
gaucha
I believe it depends on the country of birth, for example Argentina does not recognize US citizenship so when I travel there I have to have 2 passports one to leave the US, another to enter Argentina, I have to report my entrance in person to the American embassy in BS.AS. and of course do the whole process over when leaving... I guess it is not as convenient but... I don`t mind...I really did not want to become a citizen, but it was a requisite in the state I reside to have a permanent Teaching Cert.