British Citizen Applying for American Citizenship (green card, GC, renew, process)
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I've been living in America for 7 years now. I received my 10 year green card around Feb 2009. I was married to an American.
I want to apply for American citizenship but I still want to keep my British citizenship. I keep hearing two different things about dual citizenship being allowed/not allowed.
Are there any Brits here that have gone through this process? How did it work out? How long did it take?
Not true - the US has permitted dual citizenship since a supreme court ruling in 1982. However, the US does not recognise dual citizenship even though it permits it. What that means is that once you become a US citizen, the US will ignore your other citizenship and treat you as if you were a US citizen only. You cannot lose your UK citizenship unless you formally renounce it to UK authorities.
It is not allowed in the US. You will have to give up UK citizenship.
However, if you were an American citizen acquiring a UK citizenship, I heard you can get around.
Not true. While immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship are required to renounce any allegiance to their home country (or any other country for that matter), they are not required to renounce their citizenship. Seems like a fine line, but the privilege of renouncing one's allegiance without renouncing one's citizenship gives naturalized U.S. citizens all the protections offered by their home country while said naturalized citizens can decide for themselves whether they wish to fulfill any corresponding obligations to their home country, though in some circumstances they'd do so at the risk of losing their U.S. citizenship.
As for getting around renouncing to become a U.K. citizen... I once worked with a fellow born in the U.S. but raised in the U.K. He was back in the U.S. as part of a foreign exchange program. He wanted to become a U.K. citizen but told me he would be required to renounce his U.S. citizenship but for some reason he was reluctant to do so even though he had no memory of his childhood here. This was 20 years ago so maybe the rules have changed since then.
The oath that you take as part of acquiring U.S. citizenship makes it sound like you are renouncing any and all other citizenships. HOWEVER, other countries are, of course, not bound by U.S. citizenship rules, so as far as the U.K. is concerned, you will still be considered a citizen and should be able to renew your U.K. passport when that time comes.
... and should be able to renew your U.K. passport when that time comes.
Just to clarify - "can", not "should be able to". I'm a UK citizen and GC holder, have dozens of friends who became US citizens but still retain their UK citizenship and carry two passports. For people who travel a lot it does make getting through many lines rather easier!
Just to clarify - "can", not "should be able to". I'm a UK citizen and GC holder, have dozens of friends who became US citizens but still retain their UK citizenship and carry two passports. For people who travel a lot it does make getting through many lines rather easier!
Sorry, I should have been more forceful!
I'm actually going to be getting British citizenship later this year ... my mom is British and I just found out I am entitled to that citizenship as well thanks to her (my dad was American and I am a U.S. citizen). So I'll have 2 passports too.
Not true - the US has permitted dual citizenship since a supreme court ruling in 1982. However, the US does not recognise dual citizenship even though it permits it. What that means is that once you become a US citizen, the US will ignore your other citizenship and treat you as if you were a US citizen only. You cannot lose your UK citizenship unless you formally renounce it to UK authorities.
spot on.
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