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To: monkeyshine
Can you visit France without a French passport?

Under the same circumstances in Israel, at passport control they would make it very unpleasant- even under your facts considering none of minimal contact with France(Israel)- and you would likely miss your flight.

91 posted on 10/31/2001 8:49:06 AM PST by Sabramerican
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To: Sabramerican
Yes, I can visit France without a US Passport. France has very unique policies, and I think it has to do with their former colonialism. Many people have dual citizenship because of all the former colonies. My father is not a "true Frenchmen" because as you know he was actually born and raised in Morocco. But because it was a French colony, he was considered French.

France has a distinct category for "Dual National" -- they actually recognize this as a legitimate identity. I can and do travel with a US passport throughout Europe without problem. In fact, I have never used anything but an American passport.

Contrast with the USA, 'dual national' is really just "tolerated" by the State Department. There is no offical "dual national" status inside the USA. The State Dept theoretically could move against such a status, however, they are hamstrung by numerous Supreme Court decisions that basically affirm that foreign nationality is a legal issue beyond their complete control. The State Department could not threaten me with loss of citizenship because I am by birthright an American. Likewise, they cannot force me to renounce French citizenship, because this is out of their jurisdiction. I could renounce it, but France would not recognize the renunciation as far as I know. I have never voted in any foreign election, but that would not cause me to lose US citizenship either.

I did not click your links above, but I have thoroughly researched this issue and there are at least a dozen Supreme Court rulings pertaining to citizenship. About the only way a natural-born American can lose US citizenship is to formally renounce it in the state department or at US Embassy in writing, by serving in a foreign army that is at war against the USA, or perhaps by serving in a foreign government.

101 posted on 10/31/2001 11:29:20 AM PST by monkeyshine
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