dual citizenship

[meauxna 15]

Sigh indeed.

I can come and go as I please from the UK, and I'm not a citizen. My husband can come and go as he pleases from the US, and he's not a citizen. So...let's set that argument to one side because in our case it is irrelevant.

It's very relevant. Neither of you can come and go as you please; you're always at risk of being denied entry to your spouse's country.

[gag54611 1]

There is another reason that I haven't seen mentioned so far. I have heard (haven't managed to confirm it, and haven't experienced it personally) that non-US Citizens are not entitled to inheritance tax relief. Therefore, if you are, for example, a UK Citizen (and green card holder) married to a US Citizen, living in the USA, and the US Citizen spouse died, then the UK Citizen would pay tax on the full inheritance amount. Whereas, US Citizens only pay tax over a certain (very large) amount. I don't recall what the threshold is.

This would be a good enough reason for me to take dual citizenship.

Anyone else heard about this?

G

[truffles 2]

It appears to be a very emotive subject for some....whilst i appreciate homesick american may have some "issues" with the system in the UK - and i am not sure why but when i read her posts i get the feeling there is someone who really does not like living in the UK - the best way to get advice on this i suspect is to contact the relevant official departments. Personally - and i am biased - i am a patriot i would prefer to retain my UK citizenship but will consider US citizenship when the time comes - as for swearing oath to the queen homesick american - we live in a democracy you are at liberty to choose - i dont imagine anyone else will care whatever your decision but yourself!

[lucyrich 20]

There is another reason that I haven't seen mentioned so far. I have heard (haven't managed to confirm it, and haven't experienced it personally) that non-US Citizens are not entitled to inheritance tax relief. Therefore, if you are, for example, a UK Citizen (and green card holder) married to a US Citizen, living in the USA, and the US Citizen spouse died, then the UK Citizen would pay tax on the full inheritance amount. Whereas, US Citizens only pay tax over a certain (very large) amount. I don't recall what the threshold is.

This would be a good enough reason for me to take dual citizenship.

Anyone else heard about this?

G

Yep, it's been discussed here. But note that an estate usually won't pay estate taxes if its value is less than a million dollars, regardless of who is inheriting the estate. If it's transferred between US Citizen spouses, there's no limit to the value of the estate that may be transferred tax free. In addition to the estate tax issue that only arises upon death, there's another issue. While both spouses are alive, there's a limit to how large a gift a US Citizen can make to a non-citizen spouse without paying gift tax. A few articles Google dragged up...

http://www.fpanet.org/global/planners/esta...nning_Jan02.cfm

http://www.advisortoday.com/archives/2001_...feigenbaum.html

http://www.pmstax.com/estate/nraliens.html

http://www.hg.org/articles/article_1031.html

[homesick_american 1]

Sigh indeed.

I can come and go as I please from the UK, and I'm not a citizen. My husband can come and go as he pleases from the US, and he's not a citizen. So...let's set that argument to one side because in our case it is irrelevant.

It's very relevant. Neither of you can come and go as you please; you're always at risk of being denied entry to your spouse's country.

LOL...sure, there's always a risk but it's so miniscule as to be ridiculous. I'm not going to take UK citizenship to mitigate such a tiny risk; I feel it's stupid and a waste of time. And being denied entry to the UK would not exactly break my heart anyway.

[homesick_american 1]

It appears to be a very emotive subject for some....whilst i appreciate homesick american may have some "issues" with the system in the UK - and i am not sure why but when i read her posts i get the feeling there is someone who really does not like living in the UK - the best way to get advice on this i suspect is to contact the relevant official departments. Personally - and i am biased - i am a patriot i would prefer to retain my UK citizenship but will consider US citizenship when the time comes - as for swearing oath to the queen homesick american - we live in a democracy you are at liberty to choose - i dont imagine anyone else will care whatever your decision but yourself!

Truffles, loyalty oaths to the Queen have been required as part of the naturalization process in the UK for several years now.

I do realize that I have a choice whether or not to become a citizen of the UK, and despite having been eligible to apply for citizenship since 2004, I have elected not to. I think that pretty much speaks for itself.

You would also be correct that I do not like living in the UK...I wouldn't call myself 'homesick' if I loved it here. We've been planning this move for three years now and I am ready to leave the UK today. This minute. This second.

[truffles 2]

Homesick American - Thank you for the clarification on your feelings in regard your current host country - as you have declared openly that you have such feeling - any further opinionated " barbs" you throw out regarding the UK can now be disregarded as having any value to anyone except yourself. Seems you use this forum to slide into your posts your clear and distinct dislike for my country - ggod luck with your move - i too hope it is soon - like they say in your country " dont let the door hit your ### on the way out". I intend to embrace the differences between my home country and USA - to accept the way things are done there may differ from the way i am used to - that way i have more chance of getting the best out of the experience.

[homesick_american 1]

Homesick American - Thank you for the clarification on your feelings in regard your current host country - as you have declared openly that you have such feeling - any further opinionated " barbs" you throw out regarding the UK can now be disregarded as having any value to anyone except yourself. Seems you use this forum to slide into your posts your clear and distinct dislike for my country - ggod luck with your move - i too hope it is soon - like they say in your country " dont let the door hit your ### on the way out". I intend to embrace the differences between my home country and USA - to accept the way things are done there may differ from the way i am used to - that way i have more chance of getting the best out of the experience.

Yeah, that was how I felt at first myself. It took a while for me to grow to dislike the UK. It's easy to act high and mighty when you haven't been through the immigrant experience yourself.

But hey, good luck. You'll need it.

[truffles 2]

I have no idea what little ole england did to offend you so badly but i hold firm to the adage " people can only get to me if i let them" i have no high and mighty views - i have resided in germany/holland for 3 years and spain/gibraltar for approx 3 years so when it comes to living in different cultures and socialising accepting differences i think i may actually have an idea what i am talking about dont you think? perhaps ? maybe?........i decided i had 2 choices in each of these countries - i could be negative resentful and whinge or i could view it as an chance to learn new things including the language and come away better for it ! and suprise suprise I DID! I thank you for your good wishes but i think i will be just fine in the good ole US of A !

[homesick_american 1]

I have no idea what little ole england did to offend you so badly but i hold firm to the adage " people can only get to me if i let them" i have no high and mighty views - i have resided in germany/holland for 3 years and spain/gibraltar for approx 3 years so when it comes to living in different cultures and socialising accepting differences i think i may actually have an idea what i am talking about dont you think? perhaps ? maybe?........i decided i had 2 choices in each of these countries - i could be negative resentful and whinge or i could view it as an chance to learn new things including the language and come away better for it ! and suprise suprise I DID! I thank you for your good wishes but i think i will be just fine in the good ole US of A !

Tell me, truffles...do you get lonely up there on your pedestal?

You have never been an American residing in Europe during the Bush administration. You do not and will never understand the ####### I've had to put up with, and sounds to me like you don't even want to try; that's very tolerant of you. Sure, the British aren't well-liked in Europe but you guys have it easy compared to us. Also, you'll have it easier in the USA than I did here, probably because Americans aren't nearly as xenophobic.

Have a nice life.

[truffles 2]

No pedestal here - no room or time for self pity - so am i right to interpret what your real beef is that as an American in England you feel you have to answer for your government decisions and behaviour?

Are you saying every single British person you meet gives you a hard time for being American? I dont think that is so......are you tarring everyone with the same brush?

If you dislike the Bush adminstration so much i am puzzled to the eagerness to return to it?

If you recall my response was intially triggered by your constant denegration of UK, i see it in nearly everyone of your posts irrespective of the topic in question so i would ask you to reconsider who thinks she is sitting on a pedestal?

I have been fortunate to travel extensively France Germany Holland Malta Gibraltar Spain and a few others - noone has seriously held me responsible for the actions of the British Government - yes - sometimes someone will ask my view and we may debate the whys and wherefores but i am unaware that the British are unwelcome anywhere in Europe? They ask because they are interested and it gives both parties to get a view from the other side.

As for xenophobia- the British cannot afford to be that way with our european neighbours - we have traded with other, married each other, fought together long before the USA existed. We are famous for having digs at our european neighbours and they likewise do the same! Most people are more tolerant than you think.

As for not understanding the ####### you have to deal with - well - I have a work colleague who is american - and we often discuss the american policies how he dislikes the Bush adminstration and he has with help from the natives learnt that when we discuss the differences we are not holding him soley and individually responsible for his countrymen maybe we are just interested in getting his view?- he is actually very happy here!

[warlord 72]

Why take up British USC? Well I'm not totally sure, but doesn't that cause an issue with being a USC? I thought it did on some level.

Anyways, why take it up if you could? Simple, the freedom as mentioned to work anywhere in the EU. To me pledging to the president I just had to pledge to for my USC is no different then pledging to the queen. So what, no biggie...

[homesick_american 1]

Why take up British USC? Well I'm not totally sure, but doesn't that cause an issue with being a USC? I thought it did on some level.

Anyways, why take it up if you could? Simple, the freedom as mentioned to work anywhere in the EU. To me pledging to the president I just had to pledge to for my USC is no different then pledging to the queen. So what, no biggie...

In theory it could, in practice it almost certainly would not jeopardize anyone's US citizenship. I've never heard of anyone losing their citizenship because they were naturalized as a British citizen. I just don't want to do it.

My refusal to swear an oath to a monarch is simple, and there are two basic reasons for it.

A.) Regular, everyday UK citizens are not required to do so

B.) I'll be dead in the cold ground before I pledge an oath to someone whose major accomplishment in life was emerging from the correct #######

It has nothing to do with Queen Elizabeth II or the British royal family specifically...that goes for all monarchs. If you're OK with pledging your loyalty to the US and its leaders, great. Take the oath. I'm not comfortable with pledging loyalty to a queen, so I decided not to take UK citizenship. It's my right not to. I'm OK with people living the rest of their lives in the US without taking citizenship if that's what they want to do; there's no rule that says they have to. Doesn't make me think less of them as people.

[meauxna 15]

You have never been an American residing in Europe during the Bush administration. You do not and will never understand the ####### I've had to put up with,

Well scoot Ms Truffles over and make room for me then. I've been an American residing in Europe during the Bush administration. My parents have been Americans residing in Europe druing the Bush administration. While I'll never know what ####### exactly you've had to put up with, I wouldn't use that as your excuse for hating the UK. Maybe it's personal?

[warlord 72]

I think the point is it's not a requirement to get dual citizenship if you live in another country. I know many people that refuse to get American citizenship because they would rather just stay on the green card. They don't want to swear allegiance to the president or the flag or bear arms for the country etc.

As stated, it's just a matter of personal choice. Some people do and some people don't.

I'm dual and I kind of like it, and if I ever get to be triple citizenship, then I'll welcome that on as well. That of course is my choice...