In Alex’s mind, the United States was headed in the wrong direction. The government’s increasing violation of his privacy… a war he didn’t agree with… worsening economic prospects….
Unmarried and childless, with only an aunt as his next of kin, there were no personal ties or obligations standing in his way. With an advanced degree in hand, he crossed the border into Canada, landed an excellent job in his field, and quickly slipped into the cosmopolitan lifestyle of the fast-paced city of Toronto.
He had found a new home. But the thought of turning his back completely on his native US made him uncomfortable. So, when the time was right, Alex opted for dual citizenship.
And never looked back.
Today, he reflects on his move with few regrets.
“I feel much safer traveling with my Canadian passport,” explains Alex, a seasoned globetrotter. “It opens doors to places and cultures I could never access as a US citizen alone.”
Every year, my associates and I help clients get a second citizenship (and the passport that goes along with it).
And one of the questions that I hear most often is: “Will the US government know I’m doing this?”
Officially, the answer is “no.” You have no obligation to inform any US government agency when you acquire a second citizenship and passport. Nor am I aware of any requirement for any foreign government to notify the US when it issues citizenship or a passport to one of its citizens.
But that’s not a complete answer… even if it's the response most passport promoters give.
What You Need to Share – And When
No one needs to know any of this until it comes time for you to renew your US passport. At that point, however, you are required to prepare a sworn affidavit explaining your citizenship status with other countries.
There are several ways that you can lose your US citizenship, and thus, eligibility for a US passport. One of these “expatriating acts” is to be naturalized in a foreign country. Keep in mind, though, that the State Department can terminate your US citizenship only if you act “with the intention of relinquishing United States nationality.”
The State Department is doing this in an effort to head off legal challenges from people who hold dual citizenship with no intention of relinquishing their US ties. Rather than trying to guess, the State Department now asks for a sworn statement of those intentions.
So if you have a second passport, when you renew your US passport, be sure to include a statement that you don’t intend to give up your US citizenship.
No Reason to Panic
Having a second passport and citizenship is not a reason to panic when it comes time to renew your US passport. Nothing changes, really, except for the fact that you need to include the sworn affidavit with your US passport renewal application. You do not even need to come face to face with a State Department official unless you do not qualify to renew by mail.
Because these requirements are relatively new, I expect you’ll being seeing various fear-mongering articles in the blogosphere warning US citizens that they won’t be able to renew their US passport if they obtain a second passport from another country.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and the advantages of a second passport remain as compelling as ever.
Just ask Alex.
Mark Nestmann
Nestmann.com
