If I get Citizenship, Is it a must to give green card back?

[Jackolantern]

Are you saying that a Ukranian consulate in the U.S. will not renew a Ukranian passport if the applicant provides a U.S. passport as a proof of legal status in the U.S.? I would find that very surprizing.

I am originally from Russia and I thought that Russia and Ukraine have similar (and similarly cumbersome) passport rules. In the case of Russia, they do require a proof of legal status in the U.S. for passport applicants, but they accept a U.S. passport as a proof of such status.

The difference is that Russia allows dual citizenship. They even gave a US female basketball player Russian citizenship to play for them in the Olympics, and she didn't have to renounce her US citizenship. Ukraine which has a problem with dual citizenship is another story.

 

[baikal3]

The difference is that Russia allows dual citizenship. They even gave a US female basketball player Russian citizenship to play for them in the Olympics, and she didn't have to renounce her US citizenship. Ukraine which has a problem with dual citizenship is another story.

As far as I know, legally Russia neither allows nor disallows dual citizenship and the law simply ignores the issue, which in practice mostly means that dual citizenship is permitted. However, Russian citizens are required to use a Russian passport when entering and exiting Russia, even if they have a passport of another country. Also, the Russian consulates' websites all say that in order for them to issue a Russian visa in a U.S. passport of a person born in Russia they need to first see a proof of exiting the Russian citizenship (and, as in Ukraine's case, the procedure for formally giving up Russian citizenship is extremely costly and complicated). Additionally, inside Russia a Russian citizen who has an additional citizenship does not have any rights accorded by that extra citizenship: e.g. if such a person is arrested in Russia, they are not entitled to any kind of consular assistance, do not have the right to contact the emabssy of their other nationality, and Russia will not accept any input from such an embassy. So a Russian citizen inside Russia, even in posession of a valid passport from another country, is treated as not having a dual citizenship but as having Russian citizenship only. The U.S. embassy in Moscow has a special notice regarding this on its website and it warns U.S. citizens who are also Russian citizens, that, should they run into any legal trouble in Russia, the U.S. embassy will not be able to offer any assistance.
However, in terms of passport renewals, Russian consulates in the U.S. do accept a U.S. passport as a proof of legal status in the U.S.
I was under impression that the situation with Ukraine is fairly similar. Perhaps König can comment some more about this...

 

[König]

Just like Jackolantern said, Ukraine does not allow its citizens to hold other citizenships. However, Ukrainian citizenships is not revoked automatically. In practice, it means that in Ukraine you will still be considered Ukrainian, but abroad you cannot prove your legal status by presenting the US passport because you cannot hold any other passports. One person wanted to extend his Ukrainian passport in San Francisco consulate but was not allowed because he presented his US passport when asked for his GC.

Personally, I would prefer Ukraine to be like Indian in terms of citizenship - if someone acquires another citizenship, revoke Ukrainian citizenship. It would eliminate this ambiguity.

 

[niwea]

India similar situation too!

This thread may appear as mindless talk, however one thing for sure is....implication of returning GC is that you will not be able to renew your home country passport. All consulates ask for proof of status in US to renew the passport.

Concerning India, it recognizes dual citizenship, but it is a not a normal Indian passport but a OCI (Overseas citizen of India) card. It expensive but lifelong document. You can not vote in India. You can not get agricultural land in India.

Finally, How important it is for you to hold citizenship of your home contry will be determining factor!

1. Does a Foreign consulate know your acquisition of US citizenship?
2. Is it leagl to have 2 valid passports?
4. If I show a "lost/stolen GC police report"-is that enough to USCIS or some one need to get a replacement GC before they can take the oath?

Any thoughts?

 

[Uncle Joe]

This thread may appear as mindless talk, however one thing for sure is....implication of returning GC is that you will not be able to renew your home country passport. All consulates ask for proof of status in US to renew the passport.

Concerning India, it recognizes dual citizenship, but it is a not a normal Indian passport but a OCI (Overseas citizen of India) card. It expensive but lifelong document. You can not vote in India. You can not get agricultural land in India.

Finally, How important it is for you to hold citizenship of your home contry will be determining factor!

1. Does a Foreign consulate know your acquisition of US citizenship?
2. Is it leagl to have 2 valid passports?
4. If I show a "lost/stolen GC police report"-is that enough to USCIS or some one need to get a replacement GC before they can take the oath?

Any thoughts?

1- Probably not.
2- Yes it's legal
4- It's against the Law to lie IO, If they find out, you can loose your U.S Citizenship, just because you want to keep your worthless GC.
And by the way using the official document such as invalid GC to get benefit out of it is against the Law and it's a felony, you can end up in jail.

 

[Uncle Joe]

And if you wanna get illegal advice, it's a wrong place.

 

[Triple Citizen]

That I am afraid is incorrect.

Concerning India, it recognizes dual citizenship

 

[BadKarma]

OCI = Dual Citizen. Not!

....
...
Concerning India, it recognizes dual citizenship, but it is a not a normal Indian passport but a OCI (Overseas citizen of India) card.
...
...

The above statement is factually incorrect and misleading. Please read the Special Circumstances section in the following US State Department site:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1139.html

Here's an excerpt:

"Dual Nationality : In 2006, India launched the "Overseas Citizens of India" (OCI) program, which has often been mischaracterizedas a dual nationality program, as it does not grant Indian citizenship. Thus, an American who obtains an OCI card is not a citizen of India and remains a citizen of the United States. An OCI card in reality is similar to a U.S. "green card" in that a holder can travel to and from India indefinitely, work in India, study in India, and own property in India (except for certain agricultural and plantation properties). An OCI holder, however, does not receive an Indian passport, cannot vote in Indian elections and is not eligible for Indian government employment. The OCI program is similar to the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card introduced by the Indian government several years ago, except that PIO holders must still register with Indian immigration authorities, and PIO cards are not issued for an indefinite period. "

 

[sarrebal]

niwea,

It's pretty clear why you want to keep your green card.
You canNOT. Live with it.
Filing a false report to police is a felony crime, I believe.
Also, respect the laws of your other countries.
I really despise people like you who try to play around the system and make life difficult for everybody else.

 

[Uncle Joe]

niwea,

It's pretty clear why you want to keep your green card.
You canNOT. Live with it.
Filing a false report to police is a felony crime, I believe.
Also, respect the laws of your other countries.
I really despise people like you who try to play around the system and make life difficult for everybody else.

False report to police is a FELONY CRIME. That's no question asked.
And by the way, giving false information to IO on Oath Ceremony would be a "lie to IO to get benefits - Citizenship" His/Her citizenship will be revoked and OP can even face deportation. It's not worth it.

Agree with you sarrebal.

 

[dms1]

This thread may appear as mindless talk, however one thing for sure is....implication of returning GC is that you will not be able to renew your home country passport. All consulates ask for proof of status in US to renew the passport.

This statement is way too general since it depends on the country in question. The UK allows its citizens to renew their UK passports through the British embassy in Washington regardless of their status in the US and doesn't require any documentation of that status.

 

[Vorpal]

Also, the Russian consulates' websites all say that in order for them to issue a Russian visa in a U.S. passport of a person born in Russia they need to first see a proof of exiting the Russian citizenship (and, as in Ukraine's case, the procedure for formally giving up Russian citizenship is extremely costly and complicated).

In other words, since I was born in Russia, I'll be requried to present my birth certificate to get a visa?

 

[sarrebal]

In other words, since I was born in Russia, I'll be requried to present my birth certificate to get a visa?

konesna

One quick question to the russki: are ukrainian citizens allowed to be employed in Russia?
I ask because my company might transfer me to Moscow and my wife was born in Kiev but left at age 9 (in 1992). Technically she could reacquire ukrainian citizenship....

 

[baikal3]

In other words, since I was born in Russia, I'll be requried to present my birth certificate to get a visa?

No, you'll be required to present an official certificate ("spravka") issued by Russian authorities and showing that you gave up your Russian citizenship. The problem is that it is pretty difficult and expensive to get such a spravka (for example, one has to first get various documents from the tax authorities in Russia, which may be difficuly or impossible, etc).

 

[sarrebal]

My mother-in-law, who was born in Rostov, was refused service at the Russian consulate in NYC.
She just asked a duplicate of her birth certificate. They won't deal with her because she's not a Russian citizen anymore, even though she never formally renounced.
Plus, she left in 1992, so theoritically, she could still be a citizen.

 

[Bobsmyth]

My mother-in-law, who was born in Rostov, was refused service at the Russian consulate in NYC.
She just asked a duplicate of her birth certificate. They won't deal with her because she's not a Russian citizen anymore, even though she never formally renounced.
Plus, she left in 1992, so theoritically, she could still be a citizen.

Did they ask for her US passport or otherwise ask her status in US?

 

[König]

One quick question to the russki: are ukrainian citizens allowed to be employed in Russia?

AFAIK, Ukrainian citizens follow the same rules on employment as Russians citizens - both must have a registration ("propiska") from their current place of residence even to be offered a job. The registration should state that the place of residence is in the same city as the place of employment. No discrimination here, as you see Also, Ukrainian citizens can enter Russia with their internal passports, work there and live there indefinitely.

I ask because my company might transfer me to Moscow and my wife was born in Kiev but left at age 9 (in 1992). Technically she could reacquire ukrainian citizenship....

She should still be a citizen of Ukraine because she was the citizen of the USSR and resided in Ukrainian republic on 24 August 1991... unless her parents left Ukraine as refugees and renounced Ukrainian citizenship at the point of exit. During Soviet Union it would be the case, but currently Ukraine does not revoke citizenship from leaving refugees. I am not sure how the situation was in 1992.

 

[König]

My mother-in-law, who was born in Rostov, was refused service at the Russian consulate in NYC.
She just asked a duplicate of her birth certificate. They won't deal with her because she's not a Russian citizen anymore, even though she never formally renounced.
Plus, she left in 1992, so theoritically, she could still be a citizen.

Russia did not change its citizenship laws dramatically after the collapse of the USSR, so they could just revoke her citizenship upon exiting the country if she left as a refugee. Formally renouncing Russian/Ukrainian citizenship is almost impossible for an ordinary person

 

[sarrebal]

AFAIK, Ukrainian citizens follow the same rules on employment as Russians citizens - both must have a registration ("propiska") from their current place of residence even to be offered a job. The registration should state that the place of residence is in the same city as the place of employment. No discrimination here, as you see Also, Ukrainian citizens can enter Russia with their internal passports, work there and live there indefinitely.


She should still be a citizen of Ukraine because she was the citizen of the USSR and resided in Ukrainian republic on 24 August 1991... unless her parents left Ukraine as refugees and renounced Ukrainian citizenship at the point of exit. During Soviet Union it would be the case, but currently Ukraine does not revoke citizenship from leaving refugees. I am not sure how the situation was in 1992.

They (the entire family) left as refugee in March 1992. They have a stamp on their former USSR passport. They were living in Kiev at that time and they were Ukrainian citizens (even though they're not Ukrainian but Russian).
However, when my wife had to get a russian visa, the agency told her to write down 1990 (instead of 1992) in her visa application, otherwise it might have been denied because she would still be considered a citizen.
I think she might be eligible to reacquire Ukrainian citizenship. Actually, she never lost it. She would just have to pay a certain amount for each year she wasn't registered.
Interesting, if my company transfers me, she wouldn't even need a visa for Russia.

 

[König]

Reacquiring Ukrainian citizenship would be a major pain in the butt, and your wife would not get any real benefits from it. Going to Russia without visa is good (saves you some real $$$), but it would not be as safe as going there as an American. Ukraine and Russia have had some frictions for a long time, and sometimes Russian border officers take a liberty to mistreat Ukrainian travellers. My mother was unfortunate enough to experience such treatment twice.