Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics Ain't This America Dual citizenship?

I have a question regarding dual citizenship. I remember learning in school that the United States did not recognize dual citizenship, and Rick mentions that in a post on another thread.

But a doctor I saw at the Mayo Clinic has dual citizenship with Canada and the US, and a friend of mine, born in Germany with a military father, has dual citizenship with Germany and the United States. Both of them have full voting rights and all the other benefits associated with citizenship in the United States.

I'm confused. What does "recognize" mean? It seems to me that if a person can vote and has citizenship in two countries, he is "recognized"?

Or have the laws changed?

No they haven't changed, but it's not a matter of being "recognized". U.S. law does not even mention dual nationality so no choice ever needs to be made. If under U.S. law you are a citizen of the U.S. then as far as the U.S. is concerned that's all that matters. If under another country's laws you are also a citizen of that country, U.S. law doesn't make you choose nor does the law care (As if a law could care)that you are a citizen of the U.S. and a citizen elsewhere.

Regards,

"C.J."

...but doesn't the U.S. government "make" naturalized citizens "give-up" or "renounce" their other citizenship?

no
it is as CJ said.... here is a gov link link

Thanks Ardy for your link. I've always heard when one becomes a U.S. citizen by going through the legal immigration process that it is a requirement that the other citizenship be given-up.

From Ardy's link:


...so much for 'wives tales.'

Thanks, all.

Guess my eighth grade civics teacher had it wrong. What? American education not telling it like it really is? Who'd a thunk it?

I know! Mostly everything I learned in middle/high school about the American Revolution and the Constitution was a lie!

All men created equal..., unalienable rights...

C'mon Martha - free yourself, just try it once: Whoddah thunk it?

Well, I guess nobody checks to see if you have told your former country about it, but the current oath of citizenship is:


I think if you did something that makes it obvious you were lying under oath, the US could charge you with perjury and revoke your citizenship.

People with dual citizenships typically never had to take this oath, because they were entitled to US citizenship by the circumstances of their birth. Like my friend who was born to American parents when his father was stationed at the US embassy in Argentina: Argentina considers him a citizen because he was born in an Argentine hospital. The US because he was born to Americans who registered him as a US citizen. He spent all of his youth and working life in the US, but retired to Argentina partly because his Argentine citizenship made that easy.

You make a good point with the oath, and I believe the other country would be the controlling authority. The U.S. cannot revoke one's citizenship in another country, so it would be up to that country to either take action or not. So I guess it may boil down to whether you tell them or they find out in another manner, and what the laws of that country say or do not say about dual citizenship and your renunciation.

Just a guess though!

Regards,

"C.J."