Does the U.S. recognize dual citizenship?

Question

I was under the impression that once you become a U.S. citizen, you automatically lose your original citizenship because the U.S. did not recognize dual citizenship. Have they changed the rules, and if so, when did it take effect?

Answer 1

I know a few people that have dual (US and British). Didn't know it was an issue...

Answer 2

Arnold Schwarzenegger has due citizenship so yes the US recognize.

Answer 3

First off, I am not a lawyer, a professional immigration consultant, or a government official. Nothing in this document should be considered legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction.

Some countries (such as the US in recent years) may treat their own naturalization oaths' renunciatory language as essentially meaningless and take no steps to enforce it at all.

I know an individual

For example, his son has been a dual citizen of both the US and Canada from the day he was born. He is a citizen of the US (via ius sanguinis), because his parents are both US citizens who fulfilled the US's legal requirement of residency in the US prior to his birth. And he is also a citizen of Canada (via ius soli), because he was born in Canada and neither his wife nor himself were in Canada as foreign diplomats.

He, too, is a dual citizen of both the US and Canada -- a citizen of the US because he was born in the US, and a citizen of Canada because he went through the Canadian naturalization process (an action which did not cause him to lose his US citizenship).

Countries usually frame their citizenship laws with little or no regard for the citizenship laws of other countries. In his son's case, for instance, the US does not care that Canada thinks he is a Canadian citizen, and Canada does not care that the US thinks he is a US citizen.

Answer 4

In most cases the US does not recognize actual dual citizenship. Yes it can happen with all sorts of money and in certain cases. But it most cases its just one of those odd iffy things. Yes you can be asked to renounce your past citizenship and they warn that your citizenship can be affected if you remain a citizen of another country. But this is usually only put in force if you commit a crime or something. Or if you citizenship is from "denied countries"........

Even if one renounces citizenship in the US many countries don't recognize it. England is like that. So if one renounces in the US you simply apply for a new British passport. So in effect you are a "duel" citizen.

Answer 5

The U.S. does not recognize dual citizenship, but it also doesn't take adverse action if you hold onto both.  Holding on to your original citizenship will not affect your US citizenship absent some very specific acts.  Denaturalization proceedings are rarely instituted and generally only involve citizenship gotten illegally in the first place.  Expatriation is another way to lose citizenship, but requires your intention to relinquish citizenship through formal renunciation.

Whether you lose your original citizenship by swearing allegiance to the US is also subject to the laws of your original country of citizenship, so you should check with an attorney there.

Answer 6

As a US citizen you can only have dual citizenship with certain countries, one of which is Israel.

Answer 7

Yes.  Not a problem.  I've read us government pamphlets on this subject while waiting at the passport office (bored and nothing else to read).  As I understand it, it's mainly because in some countries, if you were born there, you can never lose that citizenship, so if you become a US citizen, you necessarily have dual citizenship. Then the pamphlet goes on to tell you when to use which passport and so on.

Answer 8

Yes, of course, they recognize dual citizenship.  I know people, on a personal level, who have dual.