does USA support Dual Citizenship?

S

sanchalanam

Registered Users (C)
Hi,
I am on H1b visa and my daughter is US Citizen by birth. We received Canada PR(including my daughter) recently and we are planning to move to Canada for good. If my daughter move to Canada does she needs to surrender her US Citizenship down the line? Can she get dual citizenship of both Canada & USA?

Thanks,
Sanchi
 
sanchalanam said:
Hi,
I am on H1b visa and my daughter is US Citizen by birth. We received Canada PR(including my daughter) recently and we are planning to move to Canada for good. If my daughter move to Canada does she needs to surrender her US Citizenship down the line? Can she get dual citizenship of both Canada & USA?

Thanks,
Sanchi
Click to expand...

No problem. she can keep US citizenship along with Canadian one.
 
Yes, as you say she is US citizen by birth, it is pretty difficult for her to lose this, unless she would go and do a formal renunciation of US citizenship. Bottom line, what number30 told you is correct, she can have and keep both Canadian and US citizenship.
 
How about a US citizen thru naturalization?

Say if one born in Asia and naturalized as US citizen. Then move to Canada for job reason. Can one become Canadian citizen while still keep US citizenship? What is the answer? Thanks
 
I think the answer is yes as long as you can show that your intention was to keep the US citizenship. How the US government asks you to demonstrate this now or in the future is not clear to me. If one is very paranoid you can notarize a document to show that you intend to keep US citizenship. You might also want to visit the US consulate in Canada before you naturalize Canadian to let them know you intend to keep the US Citizenship. In theory this scenario should be possible.
 
justinthis said:
Say if one born in Asia and naturalized as US citizen. Then move to Canada for job reason. Can one become Canadian citizen while still keep US citizenship? What is the answer? Thanks
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Yes. There is no "permission" or notarization needed, contrary to the prior posters advice. You do not need to document or state anything to anyone to keep your citizenship, it's always yours. There is almost nothing you can do to passively lose it. The only real restriction may be if you join the Canadian army with the intention of getting rid of US Citizenship or if Canada and the US then go to war. :)
 
justinthis said:
Say if one born in Asia and naturalized as US citizen. Then move to Canada for job reason. Can one become Canadian citizen while still keep US citizenship? What is the answer? Thanks
Click to expand...

The USA will accept dual citizenship and in some occasion tripple citizenship as long as all conditions are met. the bonafide player is the other countries that you are trying to keep your citizenship. There is a webpage that list countries that alow dual citizenship, so you might want to google that and check the list.
Some countires really do not accept dual citizenship, you either stay a USA PR or denounce your previous contry to be a USA citzen.
 
JerryR said:
Yes. There is no "permission" or notarization needed, contrary to the prior posters advice. You do not need to document or state anything to anyone to keep your citizenship, it's always yours. There is almost nothing you can do to passively lose it. The only real restriction may be if you join the Canadian army with the intention of getting rid of US Citizenship or if Canada and the US then go to war. :)
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Don't say contrary ;) Please read my post carefully. I started my comment by saying "IF ONE IS VERY PARANOID". I think I understand the nuances. However, the State Department says about this matter:

Dual Nationality


The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. Each country has its own citizenship laws based on its own policy.Persons may have dual nationality by automatic operation of different laws rather than by choice. For example, a child born in a foreign country to U.S. citizen parents may be both a U.S. citizen and a citizen of the country of birth.

A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct.The U.S. Government recognizes that dual nationality exists but does not encourage it as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries on dual national U.S. citizens may conflict with U.S. law, and dual nationality may limit U.S. Government efforts to assist citizens abroad. The country where a dual national is located generally has a stronger claim to that person's allegiance.

However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person later travels there.Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship.

Information on losing foreign citizenship can be obtained from the foreign country's embassy and consulates in the United States. Americans can renounce U.S. citizenship in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.

Please read the red section. That's why I mentioned that it might be advantageous (although I don't think it is much of a concern nowadays) to state unequivocally that one intends to keep US citizenship.

These are my 2 cents.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Being born in Asia is not a variable in your scenario. Any US citizen, whether by birth or naturalisation, can obtain Canadian citizenship and keep both :)

justinthis said:
Say if one born in Asia and naturalized as US citizen. Then move to Canada for job reason. Can one become Canadian citizen while still keep US citizenship? What is the answer?
Click to expand...
 
godisgoodtome said:
The USA will accept dual citizenship and in some occasion tripple citizenship as long as all conditions are met.
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Why do you say "in some occasion"? Once you have got US citizenship the only way to lose it is to explicitly renounce it to a US official. You could have as many other citizenships as you like and the US doesn't care. Remember that the US gets a go at taxing citizens on world-wide income. Therefore, they really aren't going to want to lose any citizens, especially if they live abroad and hence don't cost the US anything.
 
Thank you all for the information. However I am bit confused after reading the below post from Huracan.
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However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.
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As my daughter will be voluntarily applying for Canada Citizenship(in other words, she is not getting the Canadian Citizenship by Birth or Marriage etc.,) does that indicate that when she voluntarily apply for Canada Citizenship it indirectly shows the intention to give up U.S Citizenship?

Sorry if I misread anything in the previous posts. I appreciate any clarification on this.


Thanks,
Sanchi
 
No. The State Department assumes the intention to retain US citizenship is there until the citizen approaches them in person and declares his/her intention to reliquish US citizenship.

sanchalanam said:
does that indicate that when she voluntarily apply for Canada Citizenship it indirectly shows the intention to give up U.S Citizenship?
Click to expand...
 
Triple citizen is right. The presumption is that one intends to keep the US citizenship. My earlier comments were that if one wants to be extra, extra careful one might want to document the intention of keeping the US citizen. Currently this is not needed.
 
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