Does an American citizen have dual citizenship ....

[milovany]

if they were born in another country (but have an American birth certificate)? Is dual citizenship an automatic thing (like, if you have a birth certificate from two different countries, does that mean by itself that you have dual citizenship), OR is dual citizenship something you have to apply for so you'd know you have it because you have some kind of approval letter or something?

 

Our son was born in Bolivia 19 years ago. Dh and I are both American citizens and were living there for a short-term relief work project. He was born 4 months before we came back to the USA. He has a Bolivian birth certificate from the clinica where he was born, but we also applied for an American birth certificate at the embassy in Bolivia before we came home and we have one that says "Consular Report of an American Birth Abroad" or something like that on it. His passport is a USA passport (well, it's expired now, but we got him one to bring him home when he as an infant).

 

Does he have dual citizenship just because of the above circumstances? Or would we have had to have filled out a form at some point requesting dual citizenship? Am I making sense?

[go_go_gadget]

It depends on Bolivia's rules, not America's. I know that the UK, for instance, doesn't grant citizenship on anyone who happens to born within their borders, but the US does, obviously. Check with Bolivia.

[milovany]

It depends on Bolivia's rules, not America's. I know that the UK, for instance, doesn't grant citizenship on anyone who happens to born within their borders, but the US does, obviously. Check with Bolivia.

 

Thank you. Just did a little bit of research and saw that the USA allows citizenship in more than one country, with the other country's regulations on the matter taken into consideration as well (like you said above). So in Bolivia, anyone born in their country is considered a citizen but it also says "dual citizenship not recognized." That leaves me wondering if Bolivia sees our son as one of its citizens, not recognizing his American citizenship. Or did we choose his citizenship in Bolivia's eyes by getting an American birth certificate and passport? (I'm asking out loud, not necessarily asking YOU to answer the question).

 

But for the purpose at hand, does this mean that because Bolivia doesn't have dual citizenship that our son does not have dual citizenship in the US's view?

 

I'm asking because on an application for an international educational program it asks if our son has dual citizenship. The USA would recognize it if Bolivia did, but since Bolivia doesn't, he doesn't, correct?

 

It's a little confusing!

Edited October 21, 2012 by milovaný

[DianeW88]

I always thought the USA does not recognize dual citizenship. If you choose to become a citizen of another country, you must forfeit your US citizenship. I also thought that they tended to look the other way on that, unless you bring it up.

 

I have relatives who are citizens of both the USA and Australia. They present their Aussie passport to enter Australia and their US passport when they return to the US. My cousin got hers mixed up once and the customs agent said, "I'm going to pretend I didn't see that one," referring to her Australian passport.

 

Of course, there's a darn good chance I am completely wrong, so I'll just shut up until someone who actually knows can chime in. :D

[Corraleno]

I always thought the USA does not recognize dual citizenship. If you choose to become a citizen of another country, you must forfeit your US citizenship. I also thought that they tended to look the other way on that, unless you bring it up.

Choosing to become a citizen of another country is not the same thing, though, as being born with equal rights to citizenship in more than one country — that doesn't involve renouncing either of the citizenships. E.g., my DS was born in the UK, with one parent who is a UK citizen (DH) and one who is an American citizen (me), so he has dual citizenship. We always just travel on US passports, though — including DH, who also has dual citizenship, since his mother is American.

 

Jackie

[milovany]

I always thought the USA does not recognize dual citizenship. If you choose to become a citizen of another country, you must forfeit your US citizenship.

 

U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. [source]

 

-----

 

Still not sure what to put on the application here in the USA -- our son is a US citizen but was also automatically granted Bolivian citizenship by being born there. Is Bolivia not recognizing dual citizenship meaning that on THIS end he doesn't have dual citizenship, too? Or just that he wouldn't if he was in Bolivia? I wish it wasn't a big deal but it says all over this application that any false information can disqualify the application without appeal so I'd hate to get it wrong and have him miss out because of that.

 

-----

Edited October 21, 2012 by milovaný

[Kate in Arabia]

My dd was born here but only has US citizenship. You are not granted Emirati nationality just by being born in the UAE. (I have often wondered whether she is ineligible to run for POTUS (not that she necessarily would want to -- but who knows?), she wasn't born on US soil but she has only ever been a US citizen.)

 

When dh became a naturalized US citizen he was not given the option of being a dual-national. I hear now that it is possible, he could take his passport from his birth country and have it "reinstated" - I don't know whether our kids could then become dual-citizens or not. Dh has very little connection to his birth country, so he hasn't felt much impetus to look into it.

[Corraleno]

Still not sure what to put on the application here in the USA -- our son is a US citizen but was also automatically granted Bolivian citizenship by being born there. Is Bolivia not recognizing dual citizenship meaning that on THIS end he doesn't have dual citizenship, too? Or just that he wouldn't if he was in Bolivia? I wish it wasn't a big deal but it says all over this application that any false information can disqualify the application without appeal so I'd hate to get it wrong and have him miss out because of that.

I would ask the Bolivian Embassy. It may even be that Bolivia recognizes him as a Bolivian citizen, due to his birth, but doesn't recognize his US citizenship. In which case, yes, he would still qualify as a dual citizen because two different countries consider him a citizen. But if you can't get a definitive answer from some reasonably official website, then I would call the Embassy on Monday.

 

Jackie

[Um_2_4]

Based on my friend's experience, if Bolivia says they do not recognize dual citizenship, I don't think they would grant your son a passport. But only way to know is call their embassy here and ask.

In my friend's case there was a time limit for how long she had to register births of her children and request a passport for them.

[Deb in NZ]

if they were born in another country (but have an American birth certificate)? Is dual citizenship an automatic thing (like, if you have a birth certificate from two different countries, does that mean by itself that you have dual citizenship), OR is dual citizenship something you have to apply for so you'd know you have it because you have some kind of approval letter or something?

 

Our son was born in Bolivia 19 years ago. Dh and I are both American citizens and were living there for a short-term relief work project. He was born 4 months before we came back to the USA. He has a Bolivian birth certificate from the clinica where he was born, but we also applied for an American birth certificate at the embassy in Bolivia before we came home and we have one that says "Consular Report of an American Birth Abroad" or something like that on it. His passport is a USA passport (well, it's expired now, but we got him one to bring him home when he as an infant).

 

Does he have dual citizenship just because of the above circumstances? Or would we have had to have filled out a form at some point requesting dual citizenship? Am I making sense?

 

You only have one birth certificate & it is from the country where you were born. My 3 dc all have dual citizenship as DH & I are from different countries. Dd has an American birth certificate as she was born there & has a "Certified Copy of Registration of New Zealand Citizenship By Descent." Both my boys have New Zealand birth certificates & "Counsular Report of an American Birth Abroad" certificates. All 3dc have both NZ & US passports.

 

Every country has their own rules regarding dual citizenship & whether children born there automatically get citizenship. Children born in Australia must have one parent who is an Australian citizenship to be able to claim Australian citizenship. Some other countries don't recognize dual citizenship. As far as I understand the US recognizes dual citizenship, but does have restrictions if one wants to keep their US citizenship into adulthood. My dc can't be the NZ Prime Minister or a member of parliment & still keep their US citizenship :tongue_smilie: They can serve in the NZ military, but not as a high ranked officer. As dual citizens my dc are American citizens while in the US & NZ citizens while in NZ. They must enter & depart the US on their US passport and enter & depart NZ on their NZ passport. They can vote in both countries & my boys are required to register for Selective Service when they turn 18yo. unless they are currently serving in the NZ military & have been for at least 6 months.

 

So yes, I would assume that your ds has dual citizenship, depending on Bolivia's citizenship laws. He should be able to get passports from both countries. Make sure you keep his Counsular Report of an American Birth Abroad certificate safe, as although it is not a birth certificate, it is proof of his American citizenship.

 

 

It is a complicated legal procedure to renounce citizenship. You don't automatically lose your citizenship. You can lose the right to apply for citizenship by descent in some countries if your parents don't apply for you within a certain amount of time. Here in NZ we had to register dd's birth with NZ before she turned 21yo, otherwise she would have lost the right to NZ citizenship through her father.

JMHO,

Edited October 21, 2012 by Deb in NZ

[amey311]

I don't know much about dual citizenship, but I DO remember reading that one thing to consider if you decide to apply are things like military or other requirements for the other country (Bolivia, in your case). For example, Israel has mandatory military service for all citizens (with a few exemptions, of course).

 

My mother was looking at applying for UK citizenship (she was born there, daughter of a Englishwoman and an American serviceman). However, the UK will only approve citizenship for children born when she was if the FATHER was a UK citizen.

 

I've now written citizen so many times that it looks misspelled.

[Corraleno]

My dd was born here but only has US citizenship. You are not granted Emirati nationality just by being born in the UAE. (I have often wondered whether she is ineligible to run for POTUS (not that she necessarily would want to -- but who knows?), she wasn't born on US soil but she has only ever been a US citizen.)

Yes, she's ineligible (as are both of my kids); the phrase "natural born citizen" has been interpreted to mean born on US soil, not just born with the right to US citizenship through parents — hence the ongoing silliness over Obama's birth certificate. :glare:

 

Jackie

[Kate in Arabia]

Still not sure what to put on the application here in the USA -- our son is a US citizen but was also automatically granted Bolivian citizenship by being born there.

I would assume they mean that he holds two passports -- if you've never even started any kind of process for the Bolivian one, how would that count? I think, in theory, my kids *could* be considered as dual nationals if they ever looked into the procedures, but if they don't then they won't kwim?

 

Do you have any "official" documents vis a vis Bolivian nationality?

 

Edited to add:

 

Does it really mean he was granted Bolivian nationality, or that he was eligible for Bolivian nationality? Kids born in the US are eligible for US nationality, but if the parents never pursue it and instead get their kids passports from their home countries, then they aren't citizens, are they? not until they go through the procedures?

Edited October 21, 2012 by Kate in Arabia

[Deb in NZ]

Thank you. Just did a little bit of research and saw that the USA allows citizenship in more than one country, with the other country's regulations on the matter taken into consideration as well (like you said above). So in Bolivia, anyone born in their country is considered a citizen but it also says "dual citizenship not recognized." That leaves me wondering if Bolivia sees our son as one of its citizens, not recognizing his American citizenship. Or did we choose his citizenship in Bolivia's eyes by getting an American birth certificate and passport? (I'm asking out loud, not necessarily asking YOU to answer the question).

 

But for the purpose at hand, does this mean that because Bolivia doesn't have dual citizenship that our son does not have dual citizenship in the US's view? I'm asking because on an application for an international educational program it asks if our son has dual citizenship. The USA would recognize it if Bolivia did, but since Bolivia doesn't, he doesn't, correct?

 

It's a little confusing!

 

As far as the US is concerned you ds is an American citizen while in the US. Whether he can also claim citizenship in another country doesn't matter to the US as he isn't in that country. Bolivia may consider your ds a Bolivian citizen, but he doesn't live there currently, so it really doesn't matter unless he travels to Bolivia. If he does travel to Bolivia in the future, he may be considered a Bolivian citizen & would not be considered an American. I would put on application that your ds was born in Bolivia & moved to the US at 4months of age. His US passport will have Bolivia as his place of birth, so it may get questioned anyway.

 

JMHO,

[milovany]

I would assume they mean that he holds two passports -- if you've never even started any kind of process for the Bolivian one, how would that count? I think, in theory, my kids *could* be considered as dual nationals if they ever looked into the procedures, but if they don't then they won't kwim?

 

Argh, that's the problem. No, we never got a Bolivian passport, but he was considered a Bolivian citizen the day he was born just because he was born there. But NOW, how do they (Bolivia) see him? And does how the US see it depend on how Bolivia sees it? Too confusing.

 

Do you have any "official" documents vis a vis Bolivian nationality?

 

Just his Bolivian birth certificate. Which, again, made him a Bolivian citizen when he was born -- but I don't know if he still is or not.

[Deb in NZ]

I always thought the USA does not recognize dual citizenship. If you choose to become a citizen of another country, you must forfeit your US citizenship. I also thought that they tended to look the other way on that, unless you bring it up.

I have relatives who are citizens of both the USA and Australia. They present their Aussie passport to enter Australia and their US passport when they return to the US. My cousin got hers mixed up once and the customs agent said, "I'm going to pretend I didn't see that one," referring to her Australian passport.

 

Of course, there's a darn good chance I am completely wrong, so I'll just shut up until someone who actually knows can chime in. :D

 

It is strongly discouraged, but dual citizenship isn't illegal in the US. I hold dual citizenship now & have no problem with either country when renewing my passports.

[lewelma]

I always thought the USA does not recognize dual citizenship. If you choose to become a citizen of another country, you must forfeit your US citizenship. I also thought that they tended to look the other way on that, unless you bring it up.

 

The USA allows dual citizenship. They require that we list other citizenships on our USA passport application and our USA tax forms.

 

Ruth in NZ who is a dual

[milovany]

As far as the US is concerned you ds is an American citizen while in the US. Whether he can also claim citizenship in another country doesn't matter to the US as he isn't in that country. Bolivia may consider your ds a Bolivian citizen, but he doesn't live there currently, so it really doesn't matter unless he travels to Bolivia. If he does travel to Bolivia in the future, he may be considered a Bolivian citizen & would not be considered an American. I would put on application that your ds was born in Bolivia & moved to the US at 4months of age. His US passport will have Bolivia as his place of birth, so it may get questioned anyway.

 

JMHO,

 

The question is "Are you a dual citizen? Yes / No" (click the right answer on the online application) with nowhere given to explain.

[lewelma]

The question is "Are you a dual citizen? Yes / No" (click the right answer on the online application) with nowhere given to explain.

 

If you have a consulate birth abroad certificate, he is definitely an American Citizen. I am not expert, but if the other country does not recognize dual citizenship, you can state to American that he is not a dual. If you are worried, renounce one of the citizenships.

 

Ruth in NZ

[Corraleno]

Not sure how official this is, but I found this online:

DUAL CITIZENSHIP: NOT RECOGNIZED. Exceptions: Bolivian woman, married to a foreigner, is not required to relinquish her Bolivian citizenship even if she acquires her husband's citizenship through their marriage. Former citizens of Spain and other Latin American countries, who become naturalized Bolivians, are not required to relinquish their previous citizenship as long as Bolivia has a reciprocal agreement with their former countries. NO AGREEMENT WITH UNITED STATES.

 

The following are grounds for involuntary loss of Bolivian citizenship: Person aids the enemy of Bolivia during time of war. Person accepts a foreign government job without Senate approval. Person acquires the citizenship of a foreign country that does not have a reciprocal dual citizenship agreement with Bolivia.

If this is accurate, then it would seem that your DS lost his Bolivian citizenship as soon as he acquired his US citizenship, since Bolivia does not have a reciprocal agreement with the US (i.e., the US is OK with it, but Bolivia isn't).

 

But I would still call the Bolivian Embassy on Monday and confirm that!

 

Jackie

[Deb in NZ]

If you have a consulate birth abroad certificate, he is definitely an American Citizen. I am not expert, but if the other country does not recognize dual citizenship, you can state to American that he is not a dual. If you are worried, renounce one of the citizenships.

 

Ruth in NZ

 

You would need to renounce his Bolivian citizenship legally as his only birth certificate will always be his Bolivian birth certificate & on any passport it will have Bolivia as his birthplace. It isn't a simple procedure. I would phone to ask what the organization would recommend or choose "yes, he has dual citizenship" but add additional information later regarding the situation. If he's not going to South America, it shouldn't be an issue. If you automatically gain citizenship by being born in a country, you don't need to apply for citizenship. Citizenship doesn't expire :tongue_smilie:

[Corraleno]

You would need to renounce his Bolivian citizenship legally as his only birth certificate will always be his Bolivian birth certificate & on any passport it will have Bolivia as his birthplace. It isn't a simple procedure. I would phone to ask what the organization would recommend or choose "yes, he has dual citizenship" but add additional information later regarding the situation. If he's not going to South America, it shouldn't be an issue. If you automatically gain citizenship by being born in a country, you don't need to apply for citizenship. Citizenship doesn't expire :tongue_smilie:

But it may have been "involuntarily relinquished" if the information I posted is accurate.

 

Jackie

[Laura Corin]

I always thought the USA does not recognize dual citizenship. If you choose to become a citizen of another country, you must forfeit your US citizenship. I also thought that they tended to look the other way on that, unless you bring it up.

 

I have relatives who are citizens of both the USA and Australia. They present their Aussie passport to enter Australia and their US passport when they return to the US. My cousin got hers mixed up once and the customs agent said, "I'm going to pretend I didn't see that one," referring to her Australian passport.

 

Of course, there's a darn good chance I am completely wrong, so I'll just shut up until someone who actually knows can chime in. :D

 

The rules changed, just because there were so many de facto dual citizens. You still have to present the 'right' passport when you enter each country, but just so that the country can keep its records straight.

 

Laura

[NASDAQ]

American citizens born in other countries are issued Certificates of American Birth Abroad, but they (or more commonly the parents) have to apply, or else the US doesn't know that you exist.

[NASDAQ]

Incidentally, you don't need to renounce your other citizenship for an American citizenship, but you sometimes do for other countries. So it would depend on the country you want to hold dual citizenship with.

[Melissa in Australia]

nothing to say about OP, but my children have duel citizenship. They were born in Australia to an Aussie mum (me) and DH who holds residency. Because Dh is Canadian, he could get citizenship for the children, so he did. They only have Australian passports, but they have Canadian Citizenship cards. Handy if they ever want to go to Canada and work.

[DawnM]

I don't think this is accurate. You must be born a US Citizen, not born on US Soil. There are many, many US Diplomats who birth children overseas, NOT on US Soil like a military base, whose children are born naturalized citizens. They are eligible to run for president.

 

Many in my family were born overseas as I come from a long line of missionaries.

 

This seems to indicate that it is possible.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural-born-citizen_clause

 

Yes, she's ineligible (as are both of my kids); the phrase "natural born citizen" has been interpreted to mean born on US soil, not just born with the right to US citizenship through parents — hence the ongoing silliness over Obama's birth certificate. :glare:

 

Jackie

[DawnM]

So, does he have a US Passport?

 

My son started out with a Chinese passport to travel to the US, but he is now a US Citizen (from the day he entered US Soil with the proper paperwork that we were his legal parents.)

 

Argh, that's the problem. No, we never got a Bolivian passport, but he was considered a Bolivian citizen the day he was born just because he was born there. But NOW, how do they (Bolivia) see him? And does how the US see it depend on how Bolivia sees it? Too confusing.

 

 

 

Just his Bolivian birth certificate. Which, again, made him a Bolivian citizen when he was born -- but I don't know if he still is or not.

[Lanny]

I do not believe dual citizenship is automatic. Like your DC, our daughter, born here in Colombia, was born a Colombian citizen, and a U.S. Citizen. When she was 3 months old, we took her to the U.S. Embassy in Colombia and got her COBRA certificate and her U.S. Passport.

 

There are some issues involving dual citizenship. A year or so ago, I read about someone who was born in Colombia, but now lives in the USA and has a U.S. Passport.

 

If someone is a dual citizen, the rules of the USA are that they must leave/enter the USA using a U.S. passport.

 

Colombia, uses the same rules. If someone was born in Colombia, they must leave/enter Colombia using a Colombian passport.

 

The person I read about was denied permission to leave Colombia, until he/she obtained a Colombian passport.

 

There may also be issues, if one applies for a Security clearance in the USA.

[freesia]

I always thought the USA does not recognize dual citizenship. If you choose to become a citizen of another country, you must forfeit your US citizenship. I also thought that they tended to look the other way on that, unless you bring it up.

 

I have relatives who are citizens of both the USA and Australia. They present their Aussie passport to enter Australia and their US passport when they return to the US. My cousin got hers mixed up once and the customs agent said, "I'm going to pretend I didn't see that one," referring to her Australian passport.

 

Of course, there's a darn good chance I am completely wrong, so I'll just shut up until someone who actually knows can chime in. :D

The US doesn't recognize dual citizenship but they do not make you choose (unless you become part of the military/gov't of another country.) My older 3 are Canadian and American citizens. Canada used to make you choose at 18 but now does not. America just "ignores" the Canadian citizenship. Does that make any sense?

[freesia]

Yes, she's ineligible (as are both of my kids); the phrase "natural born citizen" has been interpreted to mean born on US soil, not just born with the right to US citizenship through parents — hence the ongoing silliness over Obama's birth certificate. :glare:

 

Jackie

There is a lot of debate about this actually. There have been at least 2 other presidents (Jackson and, I think, G. Bush) who weren't born on American soil but were president.

[mumto2]

I am not familiar with Bolivian law but some countries who do not allow duel citizenship for adults make an exception for children. Yours appears to be a perfect example. Your son was born on Bolivian soil which apparently granted him citizenship. You, not he, granted him American citizenship during his childhood (some countries under 16 others 18). Because he was allowed NO CHOICE, because of his minor status, he can be both. Many countries who do NOT allow duel will for children who this has happened to. They are able to be both for life unless they renounce one. The exception would be if he becomes a citizen of a third country as an adult, would lose Bolivian and maintain US.

 

Just asked DH who does some work in this field. He confirmed online. Your son is both. No question. Apply for his new passport. PM if more questions for DH.

 

A couple of countries with similar laws are South Africa and the Netherlands. They do not grant the citizenship by birth in those countries (Jus Soli is only comman in the Americas -- the rest of the world Jus Sanguinis which is right of blood) but the pathway to duel citizenship is the same.

[Stayseeliz]

I was born in Spain when my parents were missionaries there in the 70s. I was told I could chose whether I wanted to be a Spanish citizen or a US citizen but I had to do so when I turned 18. I bet that's false info. Who knows. I'd probably have a better chance of getting social security in Spain than I do here! :)

[bettyandbob]

I don't know the answer to the dual citizenship question. My dh was born in a German hospital to a US soldier and his American wife (who had been USDOD secretary). His birth certificate is German. Germany would not claim him as a citizen though. However, when Dh was in college he was questioned by the INS about whether he was actually a citizen and forced to prove he was a citizen.

 

Dh needed

birth certificate and official translation

parents birth certificates (both born in the US)

parents marriage license and official translation (met and married in Germany)

 

once he INS excepted these documents for proving his citizenship, Dh got a US passport. Dh guards all those documents and his US passport carefully.

 

Your ds may find he needs to keep careful control of many documents for his US citizenship.

[stripe]

There aren't that many countries that automatically grant birthright citizenship. Canada, Spain, India, Pakistan, and Brazil apparently do. One suspect a Guantanamo didn't even realize he was a US citizen; he had been born while his father was a student in the US, but he had lived only with awareness of Saudi citizenship.

 

Mitt Romney's father, George Romney, was born in Mexico to American parents and was a Republican primary candidate for president in 1964, and John McCain was born in what is now Panama to American parents. Not sure why a presidential candidate who had been born in Kenya to an American mother would have been any different from any of these, so I never got the hysteria over this, at all.

 

The USA allows dual citizenship. They require that we list other citizenships on our USA passport application and our USA tax forms.

 

Ruth in NZ who is a dual

 

The last time I saw the form, I just saw the question if you have acquired citizenship in another country, not asking about other citizenship. The issue is primarily whether you have given up your US citizenship. Otherwise the US doesn't care, doesn't go after people with dual citizenship, and generally treats dual citizens the same as others -- but with the caution that if someone is a dual citizen and is in some trouble in the other country (for example is imprisoned, esp by a foreign government), the US is not usually able to intervene as they would with a US-only citizen.

 

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/79960.pdf?

 

See acts and conditions on p 4; you have to sign that you haven't done any of those things unless you cross out and attach a letter of explanation -- one of them is that you haven't served in the military, government, renounced US citizenship, been naturalized elsewhere, or sworn an oath to another country, since acquiring US citizenship. It appears to me, this doesn't apply to someone whose first country doesn't recognize that US naturalization includes rejecting their original citizenship, and clearly there are plenty of countries (such as Israel) that exist with loads of US citizens also holding their passport, so I think the explanation section must exist on a fair number of passports.

 

I think the easiest thing to do is keep an up to date passport, then it's much easier to get another one when it is ready to expire. A passport alone proves citizenship.

[Giraffe]

Your ds may find he needs to keep careful control of many documents for his US citizenship.

 

:iagree:

 

We have varying citizenship and residency stati in our family, including dual citizenship. You need to keep careful control of all the documents surrounding DS's birth and citizenship(s). We keep copies of everything in a safe separate from the originals, just in case. Some of those documents are difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

[Giraffe]

This was bugging me so I did some research. From the US State Department's website (link here):

 

ADMINISTRATIVE STANDARD OF EVIDENCE

 

As already noted, the actions listed above can cause loss of U.S. citizenship only if performed voluntarily and with the intention of relinquishing U.S. citizenship. The Department has a uniform administrative standard of evidence based on the premise that U.S. citizens intend to retain United States citizenship when they obtain naturalization in a foreign state, subscribe to a declaration of allegiance to a foreign state, serve in the armed forces of a foreign state not engaged in hostilities with the United States, or accept non-policy level employment with a foreign government.

 

DISPOSITION OF CASES WHEN ADMINISTRATIVE PREMISE IS APPLICABLE

 

In light of the administrative premise discussed above, a person who:

 

is naturalized in a foreign country;

takes a routine oath of allegiance to a foreign state;

serves in the armed forces of a foreign state not engaged in hostilities with the United States, or

accepts non-policy level employment with a foreign government,

and in so doing wishes to retain U.S. citizenship need not submit prior to the commission of a potentially expatriating act a statement or evidence of his or her intent to retain U.S. citizenship since such an intent will be presumed.

 

******

 

The bolding is theirs, not mine. The assumption is that you do NOT intend to renounce US citizenship when you become a naturalized citizen elsewhere. You just have to declare it (as others have stated) on the US passport application. So no, one does not automatically lose US citizenship when accepting another country's.

 

The OP's son, based on what others have said, never lost Bolivian citizenship so he doesn't even have to declare this on the US passport application since citizenship was concurrent with his birth, not subsequent to his US citizenship.

[vonfirmath]

Thank you. Just did a little bit of research and saw that the USA allows citizenship in more than one country, with the other country's regulations on the matter taken into consideration as well (like you said above). So in Bolivia, anyone born in their country is considered a citizen but it also says "dual citizenship not recognized." That leaves me wondering if Bolivia sees our son as one of its citizens, not recognizing his American citizenship. Or did we choose his citizenship in Bolivia's eyes by getting an American birth certificate and passport? (I'm asking out loud, not necessarily asking YOU to answer the question).

 

But for the purpose at hand, does this mean that because Bolivia doesn't have dual citizenship that our son does not have dual citizenship in the US's view?

 

Friends growing up were born in Mexico to American parents and I remember learning that they were going to have to decide at age 18 if they were Mexican or American.

[KungFuPanda]

I'd put on the form that he is not a dual citizen, but attach a note explaining the circumstances, and the possibility that Bolivia may think otherwise, just so they'll have full disclosure.

[Mrs Mungo]

Two of my kids have German birth certificates, but they do not hold dual citizenship. Being born in a country doesn't automatically give you citizenship. The US is one of the very few exceptions to that rule.

[stripe]

I'd put on the form that he is not a dual citizen, but attach a note explaining the circumstances, and the possibility that Bolivia may think otherwise, just so they'll have full disclosure.

 

I would not give more information than is asked. Extra information tends to make things more, rather than less, difficult.

[psychmom]

Thanks to the OP for this thread--it's been very interesting to me. Both dh and I are dual citizens (UK and US). We were both born in the UK with American mothers and British fathers. Our dc are also dual citizens (born here), so we travel with 8 passports. We made sure to apply for the UK passports for dc so that they can travel and work anywhere in the EU. But I confess I was pretty ignorant of the official rules regarding dual citizenship!

[Mrs Mungo]

Yes, she's ineligible (as are both of my kids); the phrase "natural born citizen" has been interpreted to mean born on US soil, not just born with the right to US citizenship through parents — hence the ongoing silliness over Obama's birth certificate. :glare:

 

Jackie

 

Wrong. The stupidness over the birth certificate is SO stupid because that is not true. Otherwise, *McCain* would not have been eligible to run for president. Mitt Romney's dad *also* ran for president and he was born in Mexico to missionary parents.

 

American citizens born in other countries are issued Certificates of American Birth Abroad, but they (or more commonly the parents) have to apply, or else the US doesn't know that you exist.

 

True. Most people apply for Certificates of Birth Abroad. My kids are natural born citizens, even though they were born at German hospitals in Germany and have German birth certificates.

[Deb in NZ]

The US doesn't recognize dual citizenship but they do not make you choose (unless you become part of the military/gov't of another country.) My older 3 are Canadian and American citizens. Canada used to make you choose at 18 but now does not. America just "ignores" the Canadian citizenship. Does that make any sense?

 

The bolded part above is not true. The US does recognise dual citizenship, but what some people here may not understand is that dual citizenship does not mean you are half-American & half-other citizenship. While inside the US you are all American & have no special rights or responsibilities that are different from other Americans. When you are inside your other country of citizenship you are all that citizenship & if you run into trouble America has no way to help you. When you are in a 3rd country I would assume that you could call from the country who's passport you used to enter that country on for help if needed. (i.e. if my dd went to Australia to work she would enter using her NZ passport as she has the right to work in there as a NZ citizen. She would be seen as a NZer, not an American. If she went to the Marshall Islands to work she would use her American passport for the same reason & would be considered an American.) Dual citizenship gives you more options, not more rights inside any country. My dc put their citizenships on their CVs (resumes) as having more than one citizenship makes them more employable overseas as they can work in more countries without needing work visas.

 

 

And all 3 of my dc could run for US president as they are natural born Americans. They could run for NZ parliment, but would have to give up their US citizenship as they would be in a policy-making position. I've explained this quite clearly to my dc as they come of age. I made sure that they all got both citizenships, but the decision whether to give up one is not for me to decide. It is something that they need to decide as an adult. I hope that they decide to keep both.

 

JMHO,

Edited October 22, 2012 by Deb in NZ

[milovany]

Two of my kids have German birth certificates, but they do not hold dual citizenship. Being born in a country doesn't automatically give you citizenship. The US is one of the very few exceptions to that rule.

 

But in Bolivia, the country in question, it does. That's why this has gotten confusing. He has a Bolivian birth certificate and had citizenship to be sure just by being born there. Bolivia doesn't recognize dual citizenship -- but does that automatically mean the USA doesn't see him as a dual citizen, or just that Bolivia doesn't? That's the question yet to be answered. He had a US passport, because we traveled back to the USA when he was an infant, although it's now expired.

 

I've enjoyed reading this thread, but still don't know the answer one way or another LOL (not that I expected you to solve the problem, just thought I'd maybe get something that seemed definitive). I'll contact the directors of the program for their advice in this regard. Thank you!

Edited October 22, 2012 by milovaný

[Arcadia]

I made sure that they all got both citizenships, but the decision whether to give up one is not for me to decide. It is something that they need to decide as an adult. I hope that they decide to keep both.

 

The double taxation for dual citizenship is what would sway our kids decision when the time comes if they work outside the USA. Our passports has more visa waivers than the US passport too.

[Arcadia]

But in Bolivia, the country in question, it does. That's why this has gotten confusing. He has a Bolivian birth certificate and had citizenship to be sure just by being born there. Bolivia doesn't recognize dual citizenship -- but does that automatically mean the USA doesn't see him as a dual citizen, or just that Bolivia doesn't?

 

My country does not recognize dual citizenship. However my kid who is born in USA is allow dual citizenship until he comes of legal age back home, in his case 21. Than he has to make the legal decision to renounce one citizenship because it becomes illegal back home.