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Of course you can retain your citizenship if you go through US naturalization! You say "could have gotten German citizenship". May I ask what your original one is? PM is you want to.
I am a US citizen. The rules are crystal clear: you cannot keep your first citizenship if you want to have German citizenship. The application requires proof that you have renounced your first citizenship, in my case, US. Generally speaking, Germany does not allow dual citizenship unless you have a birth right to them. My daughter is a dual citizen, for example. Germany has a way around the ban for its born citizens with no birth right where you have to prove why you need to keep your German citizenship and your current ties to Germany. You need to have an approved application before the naturalization ceremony, otherwise, Germans automatically lose their German citizenship for good upon taking up another. For people naturalizing, there is no way around it.
Whatever! The US is the only country that I know of that taxes its citizens even if they are not in the country! How is that fair? Guess what, it's not. I am American, but I would give up my citizenship in a heartbeat to either go to Latin America or Europe. In these countries, education is very cheap or in some places free like UNAM and the people are nicer too. There are way better places that the US and it is not exceptional.
No one is holding you here; you only pay taxes if you make in excess of $80,000 and as long as the US has dual taxation treaties with the country where the US citizen resides. If you want an education at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, go for it. But I will tell you first hand that if you think you're going to get the "welcome with open arms" you're in for a rude awakening...people will still consider you American whether you identify as one or not and you will get treated like a foreigner, even if you're not a visible minority. What many Americans don't understand is that national origin plays a much bigger role in the way that you're treated in many parts of the world. So if you weren't born in the country don't expect to be treated as a 100% equal even if you're not a visible minority.
I am a US citizen. The rules are crystal clear: you cannot keep your first citizenship if you want to have German citizenship. The application requires proof that you have renounced your first citizenship, in my case, US. Generally speaking, Germany does not allow dual citizenship unless you have a birth right to them. My daughter is a dual citizen, for example. Germany has a way around the ban for its born citizens with no birth right where you have to prove why you need to keep your German citizenship and your current ties to Germany. You need to have an approved application before the naturalization ceremony, otherwise, Germans automatically lose their German citizenship for good upon taking up another. For people naturalizing, there is no way around it.
I have seen people having both Germany and Poland Passport. But then it must be a special case.
I have seen people having both Germany and Poland Passport. But then it must be a special case.
This isn't uncommon, either they have a Polish parent which allows them to Polish citizenship irrespective of where they were born or they have a birthright to German citizenship. So either they were a born in Germany to at least one Polish parent or they were born in Poland to at least one German parent. It's much easier for Poles to prove their ties to Germany because of the European Union. Sonnenwende is a US citizen and it's much harder for US citizens to prove their ties to Germany unless they have a German born parent.
This isn't uncommon, either they have a Polish parent which allows them to Polish citizenship irrespective of where they were born or they have a birthright to German citizenship. So either they were a born in Germany to at least one Polish parent or they were born in Poland to at least one German parent. It's much easier for Poles to prove their ties to Germany because of the European Union. Sonnenwende is a US citizen and it's much harder for US citizens to prove their ties to Germany unless they have a German born parent.
I think you are confusing some things.
1) If a German and Pole have a child together, the child would receive German and Polish citizenship as his her birthright.
2) If a German with two German parents has a child, that child would be only German. Later in life, if that child wishes to take up a second citizenship, he/she must prove ties to Germany and give a compelling reason why they need to keep their German citizenship to the German government. This application needs to be submitted and approved BEFORE the naturalization process for the second citizenship begins. That is because in some countries, your naturalization is retroactive to the date of application. If you take up a second citizenship without an approved application, you will automatically lose your German citizenship. Some former Germans have learned this the very hard way, unfortunately.
3) In my case, I am the child of two Americans and have no birth right claim to German citizenship. I am not eligible in any way to keep my American citizenship in the way offered to born German citizens to keep theirs as mentioned in Number 2. The German government requires proof that I renounced my US citizenship prior to being awarded German.
Has been a few decades since I was sworn as a US citizen.
Being at the Superior Court in LA I was sitting in the Jurors seat area along with a full courtroom of people being sworn in the same time.
Up front standing by himself was a German man......a former Baron from Germany who was asked to renounce his Title.
I thought it strange at the time that he was being singled out over all of us that were to be sworn in....bound to be many changes and new rules over time without a doubt.
I don't understand German nobility. I didn't even know they still existed till I was watching some trash news on RTL and they made a comment about the Prince of Hannover. My first thought was 'WTF?' and then I asked my husband about it. He was like yeah, they still exist for some reason, but generally no one cares outside the tabloids. Very relevant.
I have found this thread while I was looking for answers regarding the tax laws applying to US citizens while living in Germany.
I am born in Germany, live in the US and am about to get my citizenship. I am able to keep my German citizenship. (would be dual Citizen if I get US citizenship) I am likely having to stay in Germany for extended periods of time since my parents might be in need of care.
As far as I understand I have to file/pay taxes to the US even if I am living in Germany.
My questions are:
- Does this apply to me even if I am a permanent resident? Meaning not getting the US citizenship? At some point my green card would expire.
- Do I need to always file taxes with the US regardless of how much I make in Germany?
- What are the consequences for failing to file taxes with the US while living abroad?
- Does it even make a difference since I am a permanent resident and the tax rule applies to my already?
If you have a GC you are assumed to be a permanent resident and will not be able to spend "extended periods of time" in Germany. If you go to the first "sticky" on this forum and click on the link to the USCIS website you'll find a link which will explain. If you make extended trips away from the US, even if you stay within the time limitations, this will eventually be noticed by USCIS and you may have your GC revoked.
As a permanent resident alien you are required to file annual tax returns and pay US taxes just like every US citizen. The USCIS website should explain all this.
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Dual Citizenship
