dual citizenship

[kmineo 0]

ok guys, as far as i understand, when u become a us citizen, you can visit any country in the world with your us passport and enter to usa with your us passport, but when you enter your original country, you can use both either , us passport or your original passport...am i right? by the way my country recognizes dual citizenship ....

I think the same way.

You are right!!!!

Most likely you are wrong. Typically (Not in all cases but I haven't heard of any cases to the contrary yet), you will have to enter your home country with a passport from that nation. Just like in the US, if you have a US passport you have to enter as a US citizen and can not choose the shortest, I have been tempted before. Anyway it has never been a big deal.

It is definitely true for South Africa. you have to travel on the South African passport entering that country.

[NickD 203]

It is definitely true for South Africa. you have to travel on the South African passport entering that country.

Or I assume you have to get a visa to visit that country with a US passport.

I don't need a visa to visit my in-laws in Colombia or Venezuela, but they sure need a US visa to come visit me. I have no idea who makes these rules or why. I actually love my mother-in-law, such a sweet gentle lovable old lady, got to to come visit us, but it took her almost a year to get a US visa, and when she did, our DHS put her through that four hour interrogation strip search thing. It's not a racial thing, she is just as white as our past 43 US presidents. Maybe our DHS in their paranoia are now suspecting sweet old ladies as possible terrorists, I have no idea.

Anyway, she says, you come down and visit me, do you blame her the way our country is treating these people? Ha, would be better for her to cross our Mexican border with their shuttle service, least no hassle in that, for some reason our DHS has it in their tiny brains that terrorist will only enter this country via the airlines.

See I do need a visa to visit Japan, would like to go directly to Toyota and Sony to complain about some of their ####### they sold to me. And see you also need a visa to visit China with a bunch more amount of ####### from that country. Never had these problems when dealing with an American company.

It really bugs me when buying a Japan or Chinese made DVD or video game as to what lengths our FBI is going through to protect them, but what about protecting us when you buy a piece of ####### from them and can't even return it if you opened the package? How do you know it's a piece of ####### until you open the package?

It just makes me wonder who exactly our leaders are protecting and working for, but it certainly is not us. If we do have terrorists in this country, they are at the top.

[kmineo 0]

"It is definitely true for South Africa. you have to travel on the South African passport entering that country.

Or I assume you have to get a visa to visit that country with a US passport."

Yes many places you would have to get a visa, but I am referring to if you have a passport (lets say from South Africa and the US) and you traveled to one of those countries (SA) you would have to show them your SA passport. They wouldn't accept a visa in your US passport if you are a citizen of their country. SA visas are like most others with the US passport, you get a stamp (actually a sticker) when you enter the country. However to get a visa for the US, my inlaws had to jump through some hoops, but the good thing is, it lasts for 10 years.

[churipu 4]

I am a dual citizen of Italy and the US, as far as my native country country (Italy) is concerned they do not recognize my US citizenship. There is a difference between "allowing" and "recognizing" a second citizenship. This means Italy allows me to have American citizenship but it does not recognize it, to Italy I am Italian only, therefore when I travel to/from Italy the only valid passport I can use is the Italian one. It works the same for the US...to them I am only American(the actual certificate of naturalization states "former nationality: Italy" - that pretty much explains it) and they do not recognize my Italian citizenship although they let me have it. Therefore whenever I leave/enter the US the only valid passport is my American one (well the one I am about to apply for ) I can choose which one to use whenever I travel to/from any other countries other than the US and Italy.

That's exactly how it worked when I travelled to Italy with my son who is dual as well.

Edited May 13, 2008 by churipu

[NickD 203]

Ha, Welcome to Colombia, have a good time and spend some of your money here, ha, ha, ha.

Ha, Welcome to Venzuela, have a good time and spend some of your money here, ha, ha, ha.

No ha, Welcome back to the USA, we have to check your underwear, what's this, a Bic lighter, you can't have that, we are going to take that from you, what's this, a bottle of perfume with over a half an ounce left it in, or something like that, we are going to have to take that away from you.. Turn on your cell phone, turn on your notebook computer, what your notebook won't turn on? The battery is dead, do you have a place where I can plug it in? Have to go over there, if it doesn't turn on, we will have to take that away from you too. Welcome to the USA.

[sib 7]

I am born in Germany and naturialized American. I applied to keep my German citizenship (possible under certain circumstances) and still have that. so I am dual citizen. My son is dual citizen by birth (born in US (and American father)) and German mother. I was travelling with him for years between US and Germany on his American passport. After getting my American passport I alsways carried both to go to Germany. When I applied for my son's German passport (he doesn't really have to have one, but ...) the embassy advised me that if I am travelling to Germany we have to enter on the German passport.

Sometimes it is useful to have both, some countries require visas for American but not for European.

Don't know what the consular of the embassy in Frankfurt will tell me when he sees no entry stamps to Germany in my US passport!

There are advantages and sometimes conflicts with dual citizenship (or triple ...).

Sib

[Global Traveler 0]

Someone posted earlier that you can't visit Cuba with a U.S. passport. That is nonsense. You can. What the U.S. government currently forbids is visiting without permission and if you do you risk paying fines / jail time (usually fines). You can visit Iran, Syria, Russia, and many other countries with a U.S. passport as long as those countries grant you a visa. Visit the U.S. State Department web site for entry requirements for U.S. citizens to the different countries of the world. Go to travel.state.gov

As far as dual citizenship, I currently have dual U.S. / Peru citizenship and the only requirements placed on me by the U.S. are that I enter and leave the U.S. on my U.S. passport. Peru allows multiple citizenships and I can enter the country using either passport though if I enter as a U.S. citizen I enter as a tourist for a maximum of 90 days and can not work while if I enter as a Peruvian I enter as a citizen and can stay as long as I like and work. Many countries have similar arrangements but you need to check with the embassy / consulate of that country.

Note: If you apply for certain federal jobs in the U.S. government they may request that you renounce your other citizenship (this depends on the organization as some request it and some do not and also on the type of work / clearances).

Cheers

[lucyrich 20]

What the U.S. government currently forbids is visiting Cuba without permission and if you do you risk paying fines / jail time (usually fines).

True enough, and note that the prohibition and penalties are the same for permanent residents as for citizens. It doesn't matter what passport you use.