Am I a US Citizen?!

ElleLaf

ElleLaf

New Member
I was born and raised in England. However because of my American mother I also have an American Born Abroad birth certificate, plus had US passports until I was 18 (now 30). I have been told by my mother that because I did not renew my US passport at 18 I effectively renounced my citizenship. Is this true? I never formally renounced it and that seems a little informal... Surely I would have had something in writing or have been contacted as an adult at 18. If this is true, am I able to get my citizenship back? Particularly as I was not consulted/unaware about losing it in the first place. There is not a hotline at the embassy to ask if I am still a citizen or not; Confused! I ask because I am considering a move there closer to extended family and being a citizen would make things considerably easier of course.
Many thanks.
 
Thank you for your response. This is what I would have thought is the case, But have been confused by family and one other post that did say the same thing... Otherwise I can find no other information concerning this online.

The other thing that has given me doubts is that I have travelled to the states on my British passport most recently over Christmas just passed. I Was granted an ESTA and went through immigration fine. Considering all Americans must travel on their US passport when entering the country I took this as a sign that it may be true that I am no longer a citizen.

Maybe the best thing to do is just make an appointment at the embassy and see if they grant it a passport.

cafeconleche said:
You have not renounced anything! You can apply for a new passport, but you'll have to go in person.

Not only would having a passport to go to the US be easier, but it is REQUIRED for you as a citizen.
Click to expand...
you
 
It's not currently possible for a US citizen to lose US citizenship under any circumstances unless they personally intended to relinquish US citizenship. There were retention requirements for people born abroad to one US-citizen parent but that was repealed in 1978 and did not affect anyone born after 1952 so it doesn't apply to you (plus those people can regain US citizenship now at any time).

Since you are a US citizen, they must issue you a US passport.
 
Well, since your place of birth in your passport isn't in the US, they wouldn't have guessed (and, I guess the system didn't catch it). Problems arise when one's place of birth is in the US, but travels on a foreign passport to the US (like that twit Boris Johnson).

I'm not sure that you should mention (to the consular employees or US immigration officer) your travels to the US on a British passport (unless they mention it, of course, in which case DON'T DENY IT!) :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top