Is There Still Duel Citizenship?

00.12.02 | mlmr

[mlmr]

I just talked to a girlhood friend who is living in England. Circumstances have changed in her life, impending divorce!! and I asked her whether she would have to move back to the States. She said she is a citizen of England, and then explained that she now holds duel citizenship. She said it was a secret that the US state department doesn't want known...that US citizens can hold two citizenships at once...in this case British and American. Recently I was told by someone else that there are not more Canadian duel citizenships. Can anyone tell us more about duel citizenship in our government?

Thank you.

[mlmr]

I had fun too! I did get my question answered before Illbay consigned me to the cheese hole! Hoooowwwwwllllll!!

[bvw]

Well, since Iran-Contra is long past this topic is the kind of thing that would be under "Cheese". Hey -- at least it's not the smokey backroom.

Around the time time of Iran-Contra I came pretty close to getting an Irish passport so as to bid for and take some specialist work in the EU. Since my Irish grandparents have since died, I don't think I would be able to get one anymore without moving there. After Iran-Contra Ireland tightened up its remote citizenship availible to persons of Irish ancestry. Having dual or more citizenships was perfectly fine then. I knew one kid who had Swiss, British and American citizenships -- and in dim memory perhaps he might have had another one as well -- his mother's.

[mlmr]

He didnt have dual citizenship, he had pool citizenship.

lousy attempt to be clever.

Take care and good night!

[exit82]

No need to ask forgiveness--we were just having fun with you! BTW, congrats on being a homeschooler.

[Mike Darancette]

My Father-In-Law was born of British Parents, on a British Cruise Ship at anchor in San Francisco Bay. He had Natural dual citizenship.

[monkeyshine]

Yes, under the Burr-Hamilton Act.

Bravo.

[monkeyshine]

Yes, you can have dual citizenship. It is not "legal" but it is considered "tolerated" and this decision is entirely at the discretion of the State Department. They could some day decide not to tolerate Dual Citizenship.

However, their hands are largely tied by numerous supreme court rulings. Clearly, a person born in the USA is a US citizen. But so is a person born to American citizens while abroad. But such a person may also be a citizen of the foreign country, because the foreign country may also have birth right citizenship like the USA.

For example, a person born in the USA to a French man and American woman is an American. But by French law, he is also French, having been born of a French man. Likewise, a person born in France to American citizens is French by French law, but also American as per the US Constitution.

The Supreme Court has basically held that citizenship is irrevocable unless expressly surrendered in writing at a government office, and that citizenship is just a question of law. If the US Law and French Law both make a person a citizen of their respective countries, there's not much you can do about it except change the laws (in this case, the Constitution).

[struggle]

Yeah, my friends grandfather is the greatest living Mashiko-yaki producer in Japan (of course Mashiko-yaki only comes from Mashiko, Tochigi anyway). I could give a flip because I am the least visually artistically gifted person in the world, yet all the people around me are artisians. My father in law is a Buddhist wooden statue carver (a very famous one too). I am just a lowly teacher and translator. Ho hum.

[mlmr]

I haven't got enough artistic talent to cover my teenist thumbnail...yet everyone I know is talented...

[mlmr]

Thank you for the information.

[struggle]

My wife is very artistic. She is the master of "Sugoi Yo masaru san" and "Nausicca" reproductions and can draw breasts for some reason, very well. Dont ask me, thats what she told me to say.

[wyopa]

I have dual citizenship. Born outside the U.S. of American parents. I never gave up either citizenship and so I still carry two passports. Pretty cool. Never need a visa traveling back & forth between the two countries.

It has always been my understanding that if I had served in the armed services of my birth country, I would automatically have given up my U.S. citizenship. But I've never actually researched that. Since turning 21 I have always had the option to give up one of the citizenships. Never thought it necessary.

Of course it has been a long time since I turned 21.

[mlmr]

Pleaes tell her that I am suitably impressed and unbearably ignorant of all except the rudiments of the arts. You are fortunate to have such a talented wife.

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

These are the best threads on FR.... Thanks for the laugh....

[mlmr]

Thanks! Tell Illbay that. I always thought that a little humor does a lot to help people learn and stay cohesive.

[mlmr]

BTW, Great picture!!

[MD_Willington_1976]

My son was born in Idaho and he has American and Canadian citizenship, I have Canadian and British citizenship and I am working on American citizenship...working on a "hat trick" I suppose. (hat trick = in hockey you score 3 times in a row) Hockey eh....My wife has the possibility of having Canadian, Swedish and American citizenship...wow I guess we are trying to collect the whole set !! We will all stick with American citizenship once we get it though.

[austinTparty]

I should have said LEGALLY maintain a second citizenship as a naturalized American citizen. Obviously, other countries may still consider US nationals to still be citizens of THEIR countries, but the US would not recognize these people as anything other than American.