Is it true that the USA is the only country that makes you renounce your citizenship?

Question

in your former country in order to become a legal US citizen?

My gf got her citizenship and swears we are the only country that makes you do that, is that so? Are we even the only Western nation that requires that?

Please advise.

Great, I was kind of hoping I was wrong on this issue, any ideas how I can gently tell her "I told you so."?

Answer 1

here is a list of countries and their policies regarding dual citizenship. Hope it helps


The only restrictions on dual nationals who are U.S. citizens are that nonimmigrant visas cannot be issued to U.S. citizens and they must enter the U.S. with a U.S. passport.

The following is a partial list indicating which countries recognize dual citizenship. The list is based primarily on a survey of every country in the world. The question presented was "If a citizen of (the country in question) acquires U.S. citizenship, does he or she retain or lose (the country in question's) citizenship? In the list below, "Retain" means that the individual DOES NOT lose his or her prior citizenship upon naturalizing in the U.S. "Lose" means that the individual DOES lose his or her prior citizenship. Where possible, the list in annotated to provide additional relevant information.

If a country is not listed, it either did not respond to the survey or there was no information otherwise available. We don't guarantee accuracy of information contained in this page. You are encouraged to confirm with the respective Embassy.

:: List of Countries


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ALBANIA (Retain)
> ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA (Retain)
> ARGENTINA (Retain)
> AUSTRALIA (Retain) As of April 2002
> AUSTRIA (Lose) retaining is possible with permission.
> AZERBAIJAN (Lose)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> BAHRAIN (Lose)
> BARBADOS (Retain)
> BELGIUM (Lose)
> BELIZE (Retain)
> BENIN (Retain)
> BOLIVIA (Lose)
> BRAZIL (Retain) the individual should declare acquisition of U.S. Citizenship at a Brazilian mission or consulate.
> BRUNEI (Lose)
> BURKINA FASO (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> CAMBODIA (Retain)
> CANADA (Retain)
> CHILE (Retain)
> CHINA PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC (Lose)
> COLOMBIA (Retain)
> COSTA RICA (Retain) effective June 27, 1995
> CROATIA (Retain) the individual must follow specific procedures to renounce
> CZECH REPUBLIC (Retain) As per new law signed by President Havel in 1999


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> DEMARK (Lose)
> DOMINICA (Retain)
> DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Retain)
> ECUADOR (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> EL SALVADOR (Retain)
> ESTONIA (Retain) 1940 to 1992, as formal release was required (Lose) 1992 to present


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> FINLAND (Retain)

> FRANCE (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> GERMANY (Lose)
> GHANA (Retain)
> GREECE (Retain)
> GRENADA (Retain)
> GUATEMALA (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> HONDURAS (Lose)
> HUNGARY (Retain) unless it is renounced by a declaration not given in criminal proceedings, and no tax issues apply.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ICELAND (Retain)
> INDIA (Lose)
> IRAN (Retain)
> IRELAND (Retain)
> ISRAEL (Retain)
> ITALY (Retain) for Italian citizens who acquired or reacquired another citizenship after August 15, 1992. However, due notification of any (re) acquisition must be given to local Italian civil records office (or Embassy) no later than three months after its occurrence.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> JAPAN (Lose)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> KOREA (Lose)
> KUWAIT (Lose)
> KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (Lose)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> LATVIA (Retain)


> LEBANON (Retain)
> LESOTHO (Retain)
> LIECHTENSTEIN (Retain) with diminished rights and protections.
> LUXEMBOURG (Lose)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> MALAWI (Lose)
> MALAYSIA (Lose)
> MALTA (Retain)
> MEXICO (Lose)
> MONACO (Lose)
> MOROCCO (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> NAMIBIA (Retain)
> NEPAL (Lose)
> NETHERLANDS (Retain under conditions)
> NEW ZEALAND (Retain)
> NICARAGUA (Lose)
> NIGERIA (Retain)
> NORWAY (Lose)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> PAKISTAN (Retain) as of December 2002.
> PANAMA (Retain)
> PAPUA NEW GUINEA (Lose)
> PERU (Retain)
> PHILIPPINES (Retain) RA 9225, which took effect on 17 September 2003, declares that former natural-born Filipino citizens who acquired foreign citizenship through naturalization are deemed not to have lost their Philippine citizenship under conditions provided in the Act

> POLAND (Retain)
> PORTUGAL (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> RUSSIA (Retain) the individual's acquisition of another citizenship will usually not be acknowledged).
> RWANDA (Lose)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ST. CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS (Retain).
> ST. LUCIA (Retain)
> SAUDI ARABIA (Lose)
> SINGAPORE (Lose)
> SLOVAK REPUBLIC (Retain) Dual US and Slovak citizenship as from 1997.

> SLOVENIA (Retain)
> SOUTH AFRICA (Lose) an individual loses citizenship upon becoming a US Citizen; however, citizenship may be retained upon request prior to becoming a US Citizen, or by subsequent application.
> SPAIN (Lose)
> SRI LANKA (Retain)
> SWAZILAND (Lose)
> SWEDEN (Retain)
> SWITZERLAND (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> TONGA (Lose)
> TURKEY (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> UGANDA (Retain)
> UNITED KINGDOM (Retain)
> URUGUAY (Retain)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> VENEZUELA (Lose)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ZIMBABWE (Lose)

Answer 2

No, I was born in Jamaica (my parents were American missionarys) so I had duel cytizenship until 18. At 18 (by both American and Jamaican law) you have to be a cytizen of just one country, so since I am currently living in America my Jamican cytizenships had to go. If I move back to Jamaica at any point however, I can switch cytizenship, renewing my Jmaican and renouncing my American.

Answer 3

America is not the only country
Some (lie the Philippines) let you reaquire your citizenship others don't

Answer 4

Germany does. I haven't done a poll but I'm sure there are others.

(To some others, we now recognize dual citizenship, but you naturalize to be an American you need to forswear any duties to 'foreign princes'. If you are born here but your parantage is from another country you may have dual citizenship, etc.)

Answer 5

No. My cousin is a Spanish citizen who has American citizenship.

One of our tax clients is a French citizen and also an American citizen.

You can have dual citizenship status.

Answer 6

No. Very few countries allow dual citizenship.

Answer 7

I doubt America is the only country that does that.

Answer 8

germany does too

Answer 9

hell no. any inteligent nation would do that. why do you want to be here if you don't want to be loyal only to us.

Answer 10

read more at http://www.antiguainvestmentcitizenship.com