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A quick check of Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_nationality_law#Dual_citizenship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_nationality_law#Dual_ci..

by unwind 16y ago

A quick check of Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_nationality_law#Dual_citizenship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_nationality_law#Dual_ci...) seems to indicate that he's still a Finn, since Finland permits dual citizenship. The USA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_nationality_law#Dual_citizenship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_nationality_law#D...) seems to permit it, too. Of course I can't know if Mr Torvalds has done anything in particular to only be a US citizen, but at least that doesn't seem to be the default.

nkassis 16y ago
That's interesting. I've heard that dual citizenship wasn't exactly liked by the US government. I was under the impression that US citizens that move to other countries had to renounce their US citizenship before becoming citizen of the other country.
- vessenes 16y ago
  That might be so, but you're definitely not required to drop your citizenship elsewhere if you become a citizen here: the US just wants to be your 'number one' squeeze, as it were. Also, the US really hates it when you change your nationality for tax purposes. That is, when you change it AWAY from the US for tax purposes.
- ojbyrne 16y ago
  http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html#noway http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html#noway Struck down by the courts a very long time ago.
  - kevindication 16y ago
    Right, you can still do it but there can be some awkward consequences. This is highly unlikely, but for instance if you're eligible for a draft, and both countries draft you, one of them is not going to be happy with your response. There are probably some more likely scenarios where your obligations to one of your nations are in conflict with the other.
    - duke_sam 16y ago
      It also has security clearance implications. Also if he moves back to Finland but remains a US citizen won't the IRS still be able to go after him for tax?
      - tokenadult 16y ago
        Yes, United States citizens are liable for taxation on their worldwide income (unless there is a tax treaty between the United States and the other country in question).
        volkadav 16y ago
        Only over some threshold (iirc, though it has been some time, around 80k USD equivalent). So maybe yes for someone with a comparatively high income, but not so much a worry for a reasonably large segment of the population. Naturally if this happens to apply to anyone reading I would urge consulting a professional for current advice. ;)
        ojbyrne 16y ago
        The US has tax treaties with most developed countries, including Finland.
        dtegart 16y ago
        You still need to file tax returns, even if you are under the limit to prove that you owe no tax.
  - tokenadult 16y ago
    Read that more carefully: "The Supreme Court chose to leave in place the requirement that new citizens must renounce their old citizenship during US naturalization." Presumably, Linus was naturalized, rather than having a claim to United States citizenship from birth.
    - russell_h 16y ago
      Be that as it may, dual citizenship is definitely allowed, and not at all uncommon in the U.S., especially among European immigrants from what I've seen.
    - ojbyrne 16y ago
      I did read it more carefully. The next sentence says essentially says that that has no effect (in the vast majority of cases), because other countries don't recognize it as renouncing citizenship. It's essentially ceremonial.
- statictype 16y ago
  Not true. You can hold US Citizenship and gain citizenship of other countries as well. The question is whether the other country will allow you to keep your US citizenship or not. For example, I believe Singapore requires you to renounce any other citizenship you have if you are eligible to become a Singaporean.
- billmcneale 16y ago
  > I've heard that dual citizenship wasn't exactly liked by the US government. I was under the impression that US citizens that move to other countries had to renounce their US citizenship before becoming citizen of the other country. Definitely not true, or at least not mandated by the US (the other country might require it, though).
forinti 16y ago
But don't you have to renounce all other allegiances? Uruguayan law says that even if you renounce your uruguayan citizenship, you still keep it. I think this was put in place exactly because lots of Uruguayans were leaving for the USA (lots of Uruguayans is something like 50).
- compay 16y ago
  No, the USA does not require that.
  - trustfundbaby 16y ago
    yes it does ... verbally ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Allegiance_%28United_States%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Allegiance_%28United_St... But it doesn't mean that you actually renounce citizenship of your home country.
    - xpaulbettsx 16y ago
      It does actually, but many countries such as Canada do not recognize it - they have their own process to renounce Canadian citizenship, and since you didn't follow it, you're still a citizen.
    - pbhjpbhj 16y ago
      >But it doesn't mean that you actually renounce citizenship of your home country. Well from the linked Wikipedia page it does mean that you actually renounce citizenship. It's pretty clear in having you state that is the case. If you actually don't then you are lying. >"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; For example if your former country required you to submit a form renouncing citizenship / sovereignty then taking the Oath and not having done that seems a highly dishonourable thing to do (ie IMO you're lying). From that Oath (granted my first viewing of it in full) it seems that no truthful person could become a citizen of both America and some other place unless they were American first and no longer made that Oath on any occasion.
kloncks 16y ago
That totally depends on the country. I'm a dual citizen of the United States and Egypt. Most countries allow dual citizens. Also, I do know that some people have triple citizenships.

by unwind 16y ago

nkassis 16y ago

That's interesting. I've heard that dual citizenship wasn't exactly liked by the US government. I was under the impression that US citizens that move to other countries had to renounce their US citizenship before becoming citizen of the other country.

vessenes 16y ago
That might be so, but you're definitely not required to drop your citizenship elsewhere if you become a citizen here: the US just wants to be your 'number one' squeeze, as it were. Also, the US really hates it when you change your nationality for tax purposes. That is, when you change it AWAY from the US for tax purposes.
ojbyrne 16y ago
http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html#noway http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html#noway Struck down by the courts a very long time ago.
- kevindication 16y ago
  Right, you can still do it but there can be some awkward consequences. This is highly unlikely, but for instance if you're eligible for a draft, and both countries draft you, one of them is not going to be happy with your response. There are probably some more likely scenarios where your obligations to one of your nations are in conflict with the other.
  - duke_sam 16y ago
    It also has security clearance implications. Also if he moves back to Finland but remains a US citizen won't the IRS still be able to go after him for tax?
    - tokenadult 16y ago
      Yes, United States citizens are liable for taxation on their worldwide income (unless there is a tax treaty between the United States and the other country in question).
      - volkadav 16y ago
        Only over some threshold (iirc, though it has been some time, around 80k USD equivalent). So maybe yes for someone with a comparatively high income, but not so much a worry for a reasonably large segment of the population. Naturally if this happens to apply to anyone reading I would urge consulting a professional for current advice. ;)
      - ojbyrne 16y ago
        The US has tax treaties with most developed countries, including Finland.
      - dtegart 16y ago
        You still need to file tax returns, even if you are under the limit to prove that you owe no tax.
- tokenadult 16y ago
  Read that more carefully: "The Supreme Court chose to leave in place the requirement that new citizens must renounce their old citizenship during US naturalization." Presumably, Linus was naturalized, rather than having a claim to United States citizenship from birth.
  - russell_h 16y ago
    Be that as it may, dual citizenship is definitely allowed, and not at all uncommon in the U.S., especially among European immigrants from what I've seen.
  - ojbyrne 16y ago
    I did read it more carefully. The next sentence says essentially says that that has no effect (in the vast majority of cases), because other countries don't recognize it as renouncing citizenship. It's essentially ceremonial.
statictype 16y ago
Not true. You can hold US Citizenship and gain citizenship of other countries as well. The question is whether the other country will allow you to keep your US citizenship or not. For example, I believe Singapore requires you to renounce any other citizenship you have if you are eligible to become a Singaporean.
billmcneale 16y ago
> I've heard that dual citizenship wasn't exactly liked by the US government. I was under the impression that US citizens that move to other countries had to renounce their US citizenship before becoming citizen of the other country. Definitely not true, or at least not mandated by the US (the other country might require it, though).

forinti 16y ago

But don't you have to renounce all other allegiances? Uruguayan law says that even if you renounce your uruguayan citizenship, you still keep it. I think this was put in place exactly because lots of Uruguayans were leaving for the USA (lots of Uruguayans is something like 50).

compay 16y ago
No, the USA does not require that.
- trustfundbaby 16y ago
  yes it does ... verbally ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Allegiance_%28United_States%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Allegiance_%28United_St... But it doesn't mean that you actually renounce citizenship of your home country.
  - xpaulbettsx 16y ago
    It does actually, but many countries such as Canada do not recognize it - they have their own process to renounce Canadian citizenship, and since you didn't follow it, you're still a citizen.
  - pbhjpbhj 16y ago
    >But it doesn't mean that you actually renounce citizenship of your home country. Well from the linked Wikipedia page it does mean that you actually renounce citizenship. It's pretty clear in having you state that is the case. If you actually don't then you are lying. >"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; For example if your former country required you to submit a form renouncing citizenship / sovereignty then taking the Oath and not having done that seems a highly dishonourable thing to do (ie IMO you're lying). From that Oath (granted my first viewing of it in full) it seems that no truthful person could become a citizen of both America and some other place unless they were American first and no longer made that Oath on any occasion.

kloncks 16y ago

That totally depends on the country. I'm a dual citizen of the United States and Egypt. Most countries allow dual citizens. Also, I do know that some people have triple citizenships.