Becoming a Citizen

[amal 4]

I was wondering if any of you have considered applying for citizenship to your SO's countries. I have been toying with the idea of applying for Jordanian citizenship (just coz i think it would be cool to have dual citizenship...and Jordan is freakin' awesome!)....

Have any of you considered it? Have any of you actually gone through with it? What did your SO think about the idea? Was it an easy process?

Just curious

amal

[MrsAmera 41]

Thought about it and tried to but it's such a pain in the butt. We haven't even been able to get our marriage registered let alone consider this path yet!

[Mithra 1,185]

No desire.

[Cheryl & Medo 3]

Medo and I have talked about this befor And I would like to get the Egyptian citizenship. Now if I could just get that creamy brown skin to go with it.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Have any of you considered it? Have any of you actually gone through with it? What did your SO think about the idea? Was it an easy process?

Yes. Yes. He was supportive but didn't see any reason or benefit for why I needed it. Fairly easy. It takes 4 letters, one written every six months by dh and sent into officials. Then there is a fee paid and it's done.

At "some offices", such as the one we learned from in 6th of October, if you're residing in the country with your spouse and you've already been married over two years you may just pay the fee and it's done.

[Liz Rodriguez 1]

I have thought about it. Not really talked about it tho. Just thought it would be neat to say I am a citizen in America and Egypt but he likes to say his american wife will safe him. Pssshhhhhh whatever. So I dont know what he would say if I told him I want to Egyptian too. Then he couldnt really use that saying anymore bc I could be both. And I have heard stories that if you go there on your egyptian passport they will give you more problems then if you just fly on your american passport so I think I will just stay American and say I love my Egyptian. LOL

[amal 4]

I don't think I'd ever use my Jordanian passport (if I ever did get dual citizenship). I would just love to say I'm a dual citizen lol!

Hubster wasn't too keene on my desire for Jordanian citizenship though. He told me it was worthless and wouldn't be any good to me so there was no reason to get it. He said "it isn't like it gives you any prestige to be Jordanian"...I'm like.."maybe no prestige to be Jordanian in a Jordanian country...but really cool to have dual citizenship....as an American aaaaaaaaaaand a Jordanian".....He finally said once that if we ever go there, he would be ok if I applied for it "even though I don't understand why you like to be Jordanian anyway" lmao.

[JeanneVictoria 55]

Occasionly we talk about me becoming a dual citizen. Who knows, maybe someday!

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

Heres something I read regarding Dual citizenship...

http://www.newcitizen.us/dual.html

On Being a Dual Citizen

As mentioned previously, the United States government does allow dual citizenship. They don’t approve of dual citizenship—they simply tolerate it. You need to understand this distinction so you won’t have problems with the US government at the border, at the airport, or abroad at one of their embassies or consulates.

In America

When leaving or returning to the United States always present yourself as a US citizen (show your US passport and declare yourself to be a US citizen). When inside the United States and dealing with the local police or any other local, state or federal official, if a question comes up about your citizenship, tell them you’re an American. It’s that simple. Don’t mention your dual citizenship or that you are a citizen of another country unless specifically asked. Ninety-nine percent of the time the police and government officials don’t care because in the eyes of US law you are an American first and foremost and subject to our laws.

In Your Native Country

When returning to or leaving from your native country, always present yourself as a citizen of their country (show them your native country passport, not your US passport, and declare yourself to be a citizen of your native country). When inside that country, be a citizen of that country. When dealing with the local police or any other local or federal official, if a question comes up about your citizenship, tell them you are citizen of that country. If they ask where you live, tell them in America. Don’t mention your dual citizenship or that you are an American unless specifically asked. In the eyes of that government you are citizen of that country first and subject to its laws and regulations even though you live in America.

If you go to a US embassy or consulate in your native country for help or assistance, represent yourself as an American. The embassy staff will probably ask about your dual citizenship. Why? Because as far as international law goes, your native country has legal claim on you first when you’re in that country. This may limit the kind of help the US embassy or consulate can give you, especially if you are in trouble with your native country’s laws and government.

[And_Sam 44]

Hmm that is an interesting article Tamara.

I never thought of becoming an Egyptian citizen. Guess it's because I am used to saying that I am married to an egyptian more. I don't know, it seems to me that it may be more trouble than not if it came to a point of getting help from the government if needed.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I forgot to add the only real benefit I could see for myself having dual citizenship is that if I apply to the AUC for graduate school they admit 60% Egyptian Citizens and the Egyptian Citizen doesn't have to pay the same fees that Americans or foreign students do which would really help with graduate school costs. One of the programs I've looked at is a two year masters in Middle East and Islamic Studies at the American University in Paris. One year is done in Paris and the the second year is done jointly with the American University in Cairo. The second year is a language component at AUC and dh could be in his home country and I could get to experience more of it and it would be less expensive for both of us. He's open to the idea. I could do both years at AUC but the idea of a year at the one in Paris and having a rail-pass to go to various countries on the weekend is very appealing. But then there are complications like him not being out of the US for more than 6 months at a time and having to make trips back to the US to keep his LPR. We could do those trips for the holidays I suppose. Then there is the delay of getting his naturalization but he'd have a 10 year green-card and he's not in much of a hurry. Then there is also the complication on him being an Egyptian Citizen and getting the spousal/companion visa to go with my student visa and getting visas as an Egyptian Citizen to travel to any other country we wanted to travel to on the weekend. It would all have to be planned out ahead of time and it could all get very expensive. That's the downside. Though we both agree that if we're going to spend the money then we'd rather spend the money on the experience we'd have together. The third complication is what it would do to his medical licensing plan. Would it delay it if he couldn't get a residency since I was studying abroad and he is with me? It would give him more time to complete the exams though. Then there is the children factor and well obviously we're in no hurry there. It's a doable dream it's just a matter of picking our priorities and somewhat of a complicated process that needs planning. Plus I have to check into AUC with what they would think of the dual citizen status and fees. That's about it.