Dual citizenship is a confusing issue, and the United States’ stance on being a US citizen and a citizen of another country can be pretty complex.
Dual citizenship is allowed in the United States, but only under certain circumstances. There are many things to consider before you seek citizenship in another country besides the one you were born in.
What Is Dual Citizenship?
Your citizenship is often determined by where you were born — if you were born in the United States, you are more than likely a US citizen.
Of course, it’s not always that simple.
Your citizenship also depends on the citizenship of your parents or other family members. Many people gain dual citizenship at their birth through their parents.
Say that a US couple has a baby while in Canada. The child born abroad is a Canadian citizen due to the place of birth, but the child also gains US citizenship because the parents are US citizens who fulfilled residency requirements.
Parents’ citizenship is almost always taken into consideration, as are the citizenship laws of the country the child is born in. Keep in mind that not all countries give automatic citizenship to a child born within their borders.
It used to be common to gain dual citizenship through marriage — but this is increasingly uncommon today, as countries around the world have regulated processes that often require applications, fees and translations of personal documents for immigration. Obtaining residency in a country through marriage is still common, but it is no longer automatic and often can’t result in dual citizenship.
Naturalization is the most common way to gain citizenship in a different country than the one where you were born. While many countries allow naturalization, they may also require that candidates for naturalization renounce their previous citizenship.
Dual Citizenship in the United States
Dual citizenship had previously been banned in the United States, but in 1967 the US Supreme Court struck down most laws forbidding dual citizenship.
However, the US government remained disdainful of dual citizenship for some time. To this day, candidates for US citizenship through naturalization are forced to (at least hypothetically) renounce their previous citizenship at the United States naturalization ceremony.
The renouncing of one’s previous citizenship is part of the oath that new US citizens must take, and failing to honor that oath could result in the loss of citizenship in the United States.
Some cases that have been brought before the Department of State in the past involve people who became naturalized US citizens but maintained a residency and life in their country of previous citizenship.
While most countries recognize the Oath of Allegiance in the United States to be a binding contract regarding one’s citizenship, other countries have stated that the oath has no effect on their own citizenship laws. The US government used to aggressively pursue these cases to get the dual citizens to renounce their citizenship, but this is no longer the case.
Additionally, young children who naturalize in the United States along with their parents didn’t take the Oath of Allegiance — even though their parents did — and can technically still hold on to their previous citizenship.
People who have held dual citizenship since birth or childhood — or who became citizens of another country after becoming a US citizen and were not asked to renounce their previous citizenship — can remain dual citizens in the United States.
Translation of Personal Documents for Dual Citizenship
When applying for US citizenship through USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), you are required to submit copies of certain personal documents. If you are immigrating from a country that speaks a language other than English, these documents will need to be translated.
Personal documents that may require translation for US citizenship include:
- Birth certificates,
- Marriage certificates,
- Passports, and
- Immigration paperwork
When getting these documents translated, it is imperative that you work with a professional translation company such as Legal Language. We take the time to vet all of our linguists, ensuring that they are fluent in both the source and target languages. We are also able to provide certified translations of your personal documents and have years of experience in preparing documents for immigration purposes.
If you’re applying for US citizenship and require certified translations of your personal documents, contact Legal Language today.
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My father was born in Italy and was not an American citizen when he married my mother. I was born in America. My question is, what steps do I need to take to get my dual citizenship with Italy? I have all my relatives in Italy.
Hello, i was born in the Philippines and moved to Canada when I was 3 years old.. i became a Canadian citizen thru my parents when I was 8… i live in the US now.. can I apply To become a US citizen (dual) without giving up on my canadian citizenship?
I appreciate any insight as I am a bit confused readling all the comments – I have two questions please. I am a UK Citizen born in Northern Ireland. I have lived in the United states as a permanent resident since the 1980’s. I would like to become a US citizen as I am married and have US children. However I still have elder family back home in the UK and want to be able to go there and work as a citizen if this was ever a need to support them. Basically I want to hold on to my citizenship for the US and UK. do I have to denounce my UK citizenship to become a citizen.. will my UK passport be no longer valid and then I would need to get a US passport. I hope my two questions are clear. I am certainly lost – kindly
Nic, if i were you I’d probably just remain a European (UK) citizen and remain a Permanent Resident of the US. Your problem will be going back and forth, working overseas and not paying taxes. Taxes is going to be your issue..
Also, you cannot keep leaving the US for lengths of time and not expect multiple questions from Immigration about it. You might end up losing your residency if they suspect anything strange. Furthermore, regardless of what everyone seems to believe in, the reality is, the US does not want their citizens swearing allegiance to them and also having an allegiance with another country. Its a tough situation and its best to stick to one thing, instead of trying to play all scenarios..coming back and forth with different citizenships and ending up owing Uncle Sam in a major way and risk losing so much. You have to make a choice and stick with it.
My son (US citizen) married A Swedish girl (she became US citizen before marriage), they now have a child.
Does this child have dual citizenship? She got him a Swedish passport after his US passport !! Is this legal ? What are the rules ? She wants to return to Sweden & take the child & not return to US…..???!!!
This dual citizenship has to end. You are loyal to one nation and not 2 or 3, etc….. DAMN the Supreme Court Justices of the United States in 1967!
Its different in Sweden…
If you left Sweden before 1999, because you moved with your family, you are still a Swedish citizen.
I’m a dual citizen, and belive they should repel the 1967 rule, that made dual citizens in Congress legal.
My mom hold Lebanese passport through marriage & was born in syria for syrian father. She doesn’t have syrian passport or ID. She visited us many times before. She has valid visa but before the ban can she enter the US.
I was born in the USA to Canadian citizens living there. I lived there until age 6 and then returned with my parents to Canada. At age 16 I moved to Israel and received Israeli citizenship as well as being drafted and serving in the Israeli army.
How do I know if I still have American citizenship?.
I was born in England and emigrated to US @ 13. Y mother had been here for 5 years prior to my emigration. She became a US citizen on Flag Day 1968 i was 16 at the time. Do I have derivative US citizenship.