4 ms·

I'm a U.S. Citizen and next month I'll be giving up my passport to be a citizen of the Czech Republic. Normally I would keep both passports, but the way the U.

I'm a U.S. Citizen and next month I'll be giving up my passport to be a citizen of the Czech Republic. Normally I would keep both passports, but the way the U.S. taxes its citizens abroad pretty much precludes that.

arethuza 17y ago
Any idea why the US objects to people having dual nationality?
- david927 17y ago
  They don't object. (The Czech Republic does.) And the reason they don't object is that they're getting tax revenues from you but you're not consuming services.
  - timthorn 17y ago
    They do object - if I were to apply for US citizenship I would have to renounce my British citizenship.
    - david927 17y ago
      Sorry for the confusion. They don't object to me having a US passport and adding Czech citizenship. In the same way, I'm sure Britain doesn't mind you adding US citizenship. But the countries, in my case Czech, in yours the US, that are being applied for, do mind. The US Embassy hinted that I can sign saying that I've renounced my citizenship, even though I haven't actually renounced it. I don't know if that works in your case, however.
    - jancona 17y ago
      It's more nuanced yhan that. You have to renounce your citizenshop, but after Britain doesn't recognize that you'll be a dual national. See: http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html
  - deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
- ahoyhere 17y ago
  Archaic ideas that go along with "Thou shalt have no other god before me." If you pledge your allegiance to another country -- which includes accepting citizenship -- you sacrifice your US citizenship as a de facto result. This only doesn't apply to countries with special grandfather clauses for blood relations, for example, my friend Patrick got dual citizenship with Ireland at 21 because his grandparents immigrated to the US. I hear, however, that the State Dept is fairly lenient if you want to beg for your citizenship back.
- octover 17y ago
  Partly it's because if something happens, military coup, war or something it complicates and possibly prohibits the US from rescuing one of their citizens cause the other country you have citizenship with is merely dealing with one of their citizens. I believe it's really only ever going to be a problem for non-developed countries.
- halostatue 17y ago
  They don't. I still maintain my U.S. citizenship along with my (now eight-year) Canadian citizenship. If I were forced to choose, I know which one I would choose—but I am, at this point, not forced to choose.

arethuza 17y ago

Any idea why the US objects to people having dual nationality?

david927 17y ago
They don't object. (The Czech Republic does.) And the reason they don't object is that they're getting tax revenues from you but you're not consuming services.
- timthorn 17y ago
  They do object - if I were to apply for US citizenship I would have to renounce my British citizenship.
  - david927 17y ago
    Sorry for the confusion. They don't object to me having a US passport and adding Czech citizenship. In the same way, I'm sure Britain doesn't mind you adding US citizenship. But the countries, in my case Czech, in yours the US, that are being applied for, do mind. The US Embassy hinted that I can sign saying that I've renounced my citizenship, even though I haven't actually renounced it. I don't know if that works in your case, however.
  - jancona 17y ago
    It's more nuanced yhan that. You have to renounce your citizenshop, but after Britain doesn't recognize that you'll be a dual national. See: http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
ahoyhere 17y ago
Archaic ideas that go along with "Thou shalt have no other god before me." If you pledge your allegiance to another country -- which includes accepting citizenship -- you sacrifice your US citizenship as a de facto result. This only doesn't apply to countries with special grandfather clauses for blood relations, for example, my friend Patrick got dual citizenship with Ireland at 21 because his grandparents immigrated to the US. I hear, however, that the State Dept is fairly lenient if you want to beg for your citizenship back.
octover 17y ago
Partly it's because if something happens, military coup, war or something it complicates and possibly prohibits the US from rescuing one of their citizens cause the other country you have citizenship with is merely dealing with one of their citizens. I believe it's really only ever going to be a problem for non-developed countries.
halostatue 17y ago
They don't. I still maintain my U.S. citizenship along with my (now eight-year) Canadian citizenship. If I were forced to choose, I know which one I would choose—but I am, at this point, not forced to choose.