What Are the Pros and Cons of Giving Up American Citizenship...?

Question

In order to claim citizenship in another country (preferably economically good)?

Answer 1

you really on are your own here - as the judgement concerns your own assessments of the two nations and what they have to contribute. The areas to take into account I guess could include:

day to day pleasures in living there

feeling of belonging to the culture or wanting to belong to that culture

material chances in life - jobs, wages, education, health services

system of government  - which then inversely also means what kind of citizen do you prefer to be?

severing ties;  will any decision make you closer or not so close to friends and relations?

limitations to living in either country: what kind of future restrictions will you face in terms of visas?

taxation systems:

climate:

national security:

conscription for military service:  for you or your children

sense of community: is it stronger in one country or the other?

everyday sense of safety:

levels of social inequality in the society: are they acceptable  for your sense of 'self'?

there are probably several others but these come to mind immediately

Answer 2

Ther are NO cons.

All Pro!

Steak every night.

Tons of beautiful women at your door every day.

And the best part.

You will never be unhappy again.

So, when are you leaving?

Remember to not let the door hit you in the "assets" on your way out.

Answer 3

honestly, the so call american dream only sounds good but in reality, its bull

Answer 4

pros, is Susie Sarandon leaves we won't be embarrassed by her anymore....

cons, i will have to get back to you, still trying to come up with one.....(she cannot vote anymore)...kind of belongs in the pro category..

Answer 5

cons... none

pros..  you will get to keep your head if you are captured by al-queda

Answer 6

One pro would be the perception we give others of thinking we are better than they are , and living among Hippocrates. The cons, being a citizen of a country were we have many freedoms. consider the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Though this country has it down falls, I think it is the best country and I would never leave it nor would I give up my citizenship.

Answer 7

Some countries require ethnic association to become a citizen.  Germany, for example, has an enormous Turkish population, none of which can get citizenship but are welcome to stay there forever.  Japan is the same way.  On the other hand, if you are Jewish then you are almost automatically Israeli.  Further, it often isn't required that you give up your American citizenship to acquire an additional citizenship.  If you move to Belgium and became a Belgian, you would have to surrender your American citizenship, but if you move to the Netherlands that is not true.  Further, being a subject of the British Crown by living on the Isle of Man does not grant you EU citizenship, but living on Aruba, not part of the the EU grants you Netherlands citizenship and hence EU citizenship even though you are almost in South America and Aruba is not part of the EU.

Finally, American citizenship is conceptually different than the citizenship in some other countries, so you may be thinking of a "citizen," differently than legally or culturally exists elsewhere.

The pros are fewer than you would think because American tax law grants the IRS the right in some circumstances to treat you as an American for life and the right to have you extradited and returned to the US should you evade US taxes.  You are required to go to an American Embassy and renounce your citizenship in the presence of an Ambassador or Consul.  You must be able to show that there is no tax reason involved.  However, if you do move to a jurisdiction with much lower taxes and acquire citizenship there you may save money.

Any other pros are personal.  Since many countries will only grant citizenship because of marriage, that could be a "pro," or a "con," depending on who she is.   It really is personal.  If you give up your US citizenship they generally will not allow you to visit again.  You are usually locked out for life.  If you have family or friends here you may never see them again.  You are, after all, a security risk.