GC or USC ? Does it matter?

[Hannah7]

Allow me a stupid logic question. Why are so many people eager to get their U.S. citizenship when they're already GC ?

1) Firstly, do I undestand correctly that you can live your whole life just as a GC holder without applying for citizenship?

2) If first question is true, then you can live your whole life in the U.S. and keep your old passport and citizenship without loosing it. The only benefit of getting USC I see is that you can travel abroad for very long period of time. No other actual benefit.

And vacation of most people, when they are employed, is scarcely longer than several weeks. And you can always go for up to 6 months.

So what is the most common rational reason?

 

[Jackolantern]

Yes you can live your entire life as a GC holder.

But with US citizenship,

1) you are immune from deportation
2) you can vote (voting is not just for the president ... on election day you also get to cast votes for local issues like whether to increase property taxes to build a new park in the city)
3) most Federal government jobs require citizenship
4) most fire and police departments require citizenship
5) you can sponsor a spouse or foreign-born child for a green card in a few months, instead of years. And your foreign-born children may become US citizens at birth, depending on certain conditions.
6) you can sponsor your parents and siblings for a green card, which cannot be done if you are only a GC holder
7) US passport enables visa-free travel to dozens of countries, which is a new benefit for people who don't already have an EU/Canadian/Japanese/etc. passport which provides that
8) you can run for political office
9) Some people like refugees, asylees, and stateless individuals can't get a passport from their original country, so a US passport is extra valuable to them
10) Your spouse (if also a citizen) can inherit all your assets tax free, instead of being exempt on only the first $2 million (or whatever the ever-changing limit is).
11) Other benefits I don't have at my fingertips right now

Having said that, I would agree that many people are over-eager to apply for citizenship at the earliest moment when they become eligible, even though they have no immediate plans for any of the above. That over-eagerness sometimes results in them being rejected for applying too early. They have an emotional obsession with US citizenship that is not explained by any of the reasons I mentioned above.

 

[cafeconleche]

For me, number 9 is the main reason...

 

[Hannah7]

Thank you guys for breaking down the topic. Also for U.S. citizens there're not only benefits but also obligations and new responsibilites - like allegiance and army service for the U.S.

In conclusion, unless one needs to get federal job, vote for a president or sponsor close relatives there's no need to hurry, right.

My "problem" is that my home country in European Union doesn't allow me to keep two citizenships. And as Jackolantern mentioned, EU passports are also visa free for most countries.

Getting U.S. would thus mean loosing the European one ...

 

[König]

Also for U.S. citizens there're not only benefits but also obligations and new responsibilites - like allegiance and army service for the U.S.

There is no draft currently in the USA, but both GC holders and US citizens must register with the Selective Service when they reach 18. So, absolutely no difference here.

In conclusion, unless one needs to get federal job, vote for a president or sponsor close relatives there's no need to hurry, right.

Just like Jacko said, there are other reasons to get US citizenship. Being able to live in another place for years and have an ability to come back to US any time is a very important benefit that you omitted.

My "problem" is that my home country in European Union doesn't allow me to keep two citizenships. And as Jackolantern mentioned, EU passports are also visa free for most countries.
Getting U.S. would thus mean loosing the European one ...

If I were you, I would also not be in a hurry to apply for a US citizenship. There are too many advantages to your EU passport to lose it. However, some people come to the
USA from countries that mistreated them very badly, and it can spill into an obsession with the US citizenship. Some other may decide to become US citizens because of certain very practical reasons. There are thousands of reasons people from all over the world immigrate to the USA and ultimately decide to become US citizens.

My original country of citizenship does not allow to hold dual citizenship but at the same time does not revoke its citizenship automatically. Instead, it requires me to renounce it through official process. The process is so lengthy and has so many obstacles that it is just not worth going through. So, my original country's passport is in a limbo state right now

 

[miceclaire]

There is no draft currently in the USA, but both GC holders and US citizens must register with the Selective Service when they reach 18. So, absolutely no difference here.

 

[cafeconleche]

Which country are you from, Hannah7? I'm asking because I've heard of countries that, though they say they don't allow dual citizenship, there are legal ways around it. Spain is one example. So, Spain ends up being a country which allows dual citizenship even though it forbids it.

 

[Hannah7]

I'm living in France currently, however I'm Czech citizen so I have that passport (born there). This country allows you to be dual citizen only if foreign citizenship acquisition is through marriage.

Anyways if you willfully acquire foreign citizenship, this czech one is lost.

Maybe I could get French citizenship later, but it doesn't really matter which european passport are you holding for living in Europe. But ... it's important for me to keep EU passport.

Good question would be, how does the notification to an EU embassy of U.S. citizenship acquisition works in field? Because unless U.S. notifies foreign embassy about that, the foreign country will never know. It's risky though ...

 

[TheRealCanadian]

That's strange. My parents became Canadian citizens in 1974 and the Czechs have never considered them to have lost their Czech citizenship. I was born a Canadian citizen and had to formally renounce Czech citizenship in 1988. I assume the laws have changed?

 

[Hannah7]

That's strange. My parents became Canadian citizens in 1974 and the Czechs have never considered them to have lost their Czech citizenship. I was born a Canadian citizen and had to formally renounce Czech citizenship in 1988. I assume the laws have changed?

Yes, kind of laws changed. For people who escaped from communist regime, there're different rules. Those people can usually keep their old citizenship (thats the situation of your parents probably), but today situation is different - unless you get the foreign citizenship through marriage, then you're loosing Czech one.

 

[Jackolantern]

Those people can usually keep their old citizenship (thats the situation of your parents probably), but today situation is different - unless you get the foreign citizenship through marriage, then you're loosing Czech one.

Is that allowance only for automatic citizenship through marriage, or does it also include voluntary citizenship through marriage? The US allows a faster route to citizenship through marriage, but it's not automatic -- you still have to go through the application process.

 

[Hannah7]

Is that allowance only for automatic citizenship through marriage, or does it also include voluntary citizenship through marriage? The US allows a faster route to citizenship through marriage, but it's not automatic -- you still have to go through the application process.

I think it's automatic. You need to proof that you gained the citizenship while you were married to the citizen of that citizenship - in order to be dual citizen. I hope this explanation is understandable.

 

[Jackolantern]

I think it's automatic. You need to proof that you gained the citizenship while you were married to the citizen of that citizenship - in order to be dual citizen. I hope this explanation is understandable.

I'm not sure you're getting the point of my question.

There are different countries that offer citizenship by marriage through different means.

1. Get married to a citizen of country X --> you are automatically a citizen of X.

2. Get married to a citizen of country X, you become eligible to become a citizen of country X, but you must explicitly apply for the citizenship (and maybe have to satisfy other criteria such as a period of residence). Applying after getting married is voluntary, and if you don't apply for it and meet the necessary criteria the citizenship is not granted.

Does the Czech allowance for dual citizenship include only scenarios where the other country operates like #1? Or both #1 and #2?

 

[CalGreenCard]

There is no draft currently in the USA, but both GC holders and US citizens must register with the Selective Service when they reach 18. So, absolutely no difference here.

A naturalized citizen has affirmed those obligations under oath; whereas a GC holder is merely subject to them as a matter of law and can always cancel those obligations simply by leaving the country, canceling their GC, and never coming back.

For those who take the nature of an oath seriously, that is a significant difference.

 

[Hannah7]

I'm not sure you're getting the point of my question.

There are different countries that offer citizenship by marriage through different means.

1. Get married to a citizen of country X --> you are automatically a citizen of X.

2. Get married to a citizen of country X, you become eligible to become a citizen of country X, but you must explicitly apply for the citizenship (and maybe have to satisfy other criteria such as a period of residence). Applying after getting married is voluntary, and if you don't apply for it and meet the necessary criteria the citizenship is not granted.

Does the Czech allowance for dual citizenship include only scenarios where the other country operates like #1? Or both #1 and #2?

I'm 99,998% percent sure Czechs accept both #1 and #2 scenario. What I understood from them when I asked was "It's important to be in marriage with the citizen when you get his/her citizenship."

Theoretically I can go around this by marrying an American when I become eligible for citizenship --> apply for citizenship --> divorce.

Or simply get the U.S. citizenship and see what happens, I don't believe U.S. bureaus notify consulates about marriages. Who knows ...

 

[König]

US Department of State does not notify the countries of your other citizenships about acquisition of the US citizenship. So, the Czech Republic will not find out if you do not tell them yourself. Since you will most likely enter the Schengen zone either in Germany, France or Netherlands, those border guards will not care about the possible presence of another passport. Then, you will fly to Česko as a domestic passenger, so Czech border guards will not have a chance to ask you any questions at all.

 

[Risah]

12) You will not lose your status in the United States due to prolonged absence

I am currently getting ready for an overseas assignment that will take me out of the US for at least 5 years. My greencard would become invalid after some time outside the US. In contrast, my US citizenship is forever, so I can come back home to the US again.

 

[Jackolantern]

US Department of State does not notify the countries of your other citizenships about acquisition of the US citizenship.

They don't proactively notify other countries, but they might respond if contacted by another country that is asking about whether an individual has US citizenship. And there are other indirect ways for governments to find out, such as finding out from the airline which passport was used by the individual to check in for a flight going to the US.

 

[cafeconleche]

I'm not sure, for example, if you lose your Czech passport in the US or it expires here, and you apply for a new one at the embassy, if they ask for your status in the US. Most countries do, so you will need to avoid situations like that by always making sure your passport is valid and safe. Alternately, if you can get French citizenship, you would lose Czech citizenship but would still have full access to the EU, which would somewhat work (though you won't be able to exercise the rights of a Czech citizen).