change in citizenship of home country

[braindrain 0]

Hey Guys,

I recently migrated to USA under F11 category. My home citizenship if of country 'A' and I have been residing as a resident in australia since last 5 years. I am eligible to apply for australian citizenship. I wanted to know if I change citizenship from country 'A' to australia, would this effect my Green card of USA.

would highly appreciate if anyone can provide some links on USCIS website or any related documentation to better understand the immigration laws.

Thanks in advance.

braindrain

[Boiler 45,486]

No plus or minus, you are already eligible to use the Australian US Consulate.

Just google USCIS or look at the FAQ on here.

[braindrain 0]

No plus or minus, you are already eligible to use the Australian US Consulate.

Just google USCIS or look at the FAQ on here.

Hey boiler,

thanks for your reply. I'm not able to understand the first line, I have already got my green card. Only thing now happens is change of citizenship from my home country (which is different from australia) to australia. Am I allowed to do that according to USA laws??

I have been looking through the USCIS websites and and haven't found any concrete links.

Would appreciate your guidance.

Thanks,

Braindrain

[antda 13]

Hi Braindrain,

I don't know about the F11 category of immigration (btw..what is that?)...

But I do know that any former and current citizenships need to be disclosed of to the USCIS, regardless...

On a US green card, it will say "country of birth" on it...

So whatever that may be, that is what it will say on your green card...

Therefore, that is what it will say on your green card, regardless.....(sorry, you can't get that changed)

And on a US naturalization certificate, it will say "country of former citizenship" on it..

So whatever that may be, that is what it will say on a naturalization certificate...

I will explain further, using my situation too.....

Like you, I have multiple countries too...

I was born in "country x" (but I have no citizenship or residency or other rights to this country)

As a child I became a naturalized citizen of "Canada"

and then recently as an adult became a naturalized citizen of "America/USA".....

And on USCIS forms, I've always said 'country x' as 'country of birth' and 'Canada' as 'country of nationality/citizenship'

My green card still had 'country x' on it as a birthplace, despite me being a 'Canadian' citizen and having no other ties to my former birth country, and despite me telling the USCIS (and showing documentation) that I am a Canadian citizen.

But my naturalization certificate says 'Canada' on it as a former country of citizenship..

Regardless, I explained the situation fully and told them the truth about it......

And yes, multiple citizenships certainly did cause a lot of confusion for travel purposes and other purposes!

It is confusing that the USCIS still uses birthplace as a reference point, instead of country of citizenship on its green cards...

For 99% of cases, this is one and the same, as most people are born in the same country they are a citizen of...

But for us 1% of cases (such as in my case and maybe in your case), it causes problems.....And in many ways, is unfair, as one cannot choose where they are born, but can choose their country of citizenship.....

The main concern for you now and later on is:

a) Which country(ies) do you want to be a citizen of? Some countries allow dual/multiple citizenships, some don't.

b ) Which country(ies) are you going to be travelling to? This determines which passport to use when travelling...

c) Do you want to want to be a US Citizen later on (this can effect your other countries' citizenships too)....

Nevertheless, having multiple citizenships does not affect your US green card application, nor does it affect your US naturalization application (if you decide to go that route).

The important thing is that you tell the truth about your multiple citizenships and you should be ok there...

Hope this helps. Good luck in your journeys too.

Ant

Hey Guys,

I recently migrated to USA under F11 category. My home citizenship if of country 'A' and I have been residing as a resident in australia since last 5 years. I am eligible to apply for australian citizenship. I wanted to know if I change citizenship from country 'A' to australia, would this effect my Green card of USA.

would highly appreciate if anyone can provide some links on USCIS website or any related documentation to better understand the immigration laws.

Thanks in advance.

braindrain

Edited August 24, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[Boiler 45,486]

You never mentioned you had a GC.

People can have multiple Citizenships, I have come across 4, I am sure there are people out there with more than that. And they can come and go theoretically.

Place of birth, well you can by definition only have one.

[antda 13]

People can have multiple Citizenships, I have come across 4, I am sure there are people out there with more than that. And they can come and go theoretically.

Place of birth, well you can by definition only have one.

Broiler-

Ahh...Yes, that is true that one can have multiple citizenships...(but that's another story).....

However, for the USCIS to assume that one's birthplace is one's country of citizenship is one and the same is incorrect...

As some people do have different countries of birth as opposed to coutries of citizenship....

Again, one can choose as to which country(ies) of citizenship they want, but one cannot choose their place of birth...

Which in ways, is unfair....As one cannot have a choice in this matter.....

That is why I don't agree with the place of birth being placed on any documents.....

As for place of birth...It all depends....On how specific one wants to get..

Lol..Do they mean country? Do they mean hospital? Do they mean something else? Seems kind of vague here...lol....

But yeah, having birth country on any documents is unfair, regardless....

Ant

[braindrain 0]

Broiler-

Ahh...Yes, that is true that one can have multiple citizenships...(but that's another story).....

However, for the USCIS to assume that one's birthplace is one's country of citizenship is one and the same is incorrect...

As some people do have different countries of birth as opposed to coutries of citizenship....

Again, one can choose as to which country(ies) of citizenship they want, but one cannot choose their place of birth...

Which in ways, is unfair....As one cannot have a choice in this matter.....

That is why I don't agree with the place of birth being placed on any documents.....

As for place of birth...It all depends....On how specific one wants to get..

Lol..Do they mean country? Do they mean hospital? Do they mean something else? Seems kind of vague here...lol....

But yeah, having birth country on any documents is unfair, regardless....

Ant

Hey Ant, Boiler..

thanks a lot for your replies.

Makes a lot of sense. Eventually I plan to take citizenship of USA but that will happen 5 years down the line. For me it doesn't matter if place of birth on my green card remains as it was. Here is a more detail insight of my story...

1. I was born in zambia, africa (country of birth)

2. My citizenship at birth was not of zambia but of country 'A' as my parents were on workpermit in zambia...

3. I am still a citizen of country 'A'.

4. Since last 5 years I have been living in australia so i've applied for citizenship there

5. I got my immigration of USA done which was F2A category(sorry Ant for confusing you with F11) and got my green card couple of days ago

6. I migrated to USA using passport of country 'A' and the first USA immigration visa stamp was also on passport of country 'A'.

7. Now when I'll leave USA and go and get my australian citizenship, my passport will change to australian and I will have to give up the passport of country 'A' as they don't offer dual citizenship.

8. So next time that I enter USA will it be a problem with the Bordor Protection people at the POA?? as the passport of country 'A' will be cancelled and australian passport will be used to travel??

I hope this provides some more insight.

I'm not worried about 5 years down the line when I'll have to give up australian citizenship to naturalize in USA.

Cheers,

Braindrain

[Boiler 45,486]

I was born in England.

But my Mother is Welsh

So that makes me Anglo Welsh

But I am a British Citizen

And my country is the United Kingdom

But the US seems to use a random selection of the above depending on which forms you fill out. Go figure.

There are not many countries that do not allow dual citizenship, I would usually say go for it as far as Naturalisation is concerned. Not sure however if you have to give your own one up. That would be a hard choice.

[cartaverde 12]

Place of birth, well you can by definition only have one.

Actually even that depends. Take for instance a case of a Finnish mother and a child that is either a) born anywhere else than in the city where the mother was resident on the day the child was born, and/or b) whose father is non-Finnish. Both will usually cause different birth places than where the child was born.

Examples: mom always Finnish.

a) she is resident in Helsinki, child is born anywhere else in Finland than Helsinki. By Finnish law, child is born in Helsinki

b) she is resident in NYC, child is born in Helsinki. By Finnish law, child is born in NYC

c) she is resident in NYC, child is born in Tokyo. By Finnish law, child is born in NYC

d) she is resident in Helsinki, child is born in Rome, father is Italian: the child's Finnish passport lists the child born in Helsinki, AND the same child's Italian passport lists the place of birth as Rome, Italy.

I guess this could happen with other countries too if their definition of "place of birth" is as stupid as the Finnish definition of it - but with this particular example it just annoys me every time as I have to list a place of birth where I wasn't born. Oh, and guess how many examples of these Helsinki/Rome and similar I know in the real life?

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Interesting to hear all of your stories....

And yes, "country of birth", or any listing of the like sure is confusing.....

And in fact, I think it is irrelevent, and shouldn't be listed at all..

Blame the government on that one....lol...

What should really matter is one's country of citizenship...And what they feel is right there..

As again, in most cases, citizenship is a choice made out of free will (as it it chosen by the person themselves), whereas birthplace is not (as it is chocen by the parents).....

Therefore one would have more connection to their citizenship instead of their birthplace...

To the OP...I understand your situation too, as likewise, my situation is just (if not more) confusing that yours....

This is my situation....

1. I was born in "country x", but the citizenship at birth was of "country y", and that is what is listed on my parents' former passports. However, I do not have "country y"'s citizenship rights, as my parents did not renew their passports to establish their rights for "country y"....So I don't have "country y" citizenship rights, nor do I have any passports or other documents from this country. However, I found out that I have some rights to "country z" (which I do not want to be a part of), due to birth, but at the same time there are contradictions, as country z does not allow multiple citizenships....(that's another story...lol..)

I am further inquiring about this, and hopefully can one day legally 'renounce/revoke' my rights to my birth country......

3. My citizenship as a minor was "Canada", as that is the country I naturalized in..

4. I migrated to USA using passport of "Canada".....

5. However, my US Green card still had "country x" as my place of birth...

And in the past I used to travel by land to Canada with the following:

US Green Card (with country x listed on it) and a Canadian Passport

6. My citizenship as an adult is the "USA/America", as that is thr country that I naturalzied in...

7. My US citizenship/naturalization certificate says "Canada" as my former country of citizenship..

8. I still have and still travel with my Canadian passport, as Canada allows dual citizenship and Canadian passports allow a 'blank' for the place of birth on it....(it's much easier for me to travel this way)...

9. As a current US citizen, I'm deciding whether or not to get a US passport....(but that's another story....)

And currently I travel by land to Canada with the following:

US NYS Enhanced Driver's License and a Canadian Passport...

So in your situation...(to the OP...)....

Travel in the passport that can be the best for you travel and visa wise.....

It all depends on the country you are visiting and other requirements regarding that...

For example, some countries need visas to get into other countries, and some countries don't....

Personally, I think you would be better off travelling with an Australian passport...As you are/will be a current citizen of that country, that is more valid, and Australian passports are more acceptable and easier to get travel visas....

The CPB is only concerned with US-only documents....They don't care which other country passport you have...

As long as you have a US Green Card, and a valid passport to prove any citizenship, then so be it....

They see you as "US Permanent Resident" only, and don't care too much about any other passports/citizenships....

I don't know about Australian citizenship...But if they accept dual/multiple citizenships, then you can still keep your Australian passport, if not, then you will have to surrender it...It's up to Australian officials to decide....

And when you naturalize in the USA....You will have to have a US passport to travel overseas, regardless, as a US citizen you are seen as 'American only' and nothing else....So then you will 'trade in' your US permanent resident card for a US passport for overseas travels...

Hope this helps (or at least doesn't confuse you..lol..). Good luck on your journey and travels too.

Ant

P.S. Btw..What is an F2A visa? Sorry...Can you please explain more about that......

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

P.S. Btw..What is an F2A visa? Sorry...Can you please explain more about that......

I'm guessing Family Second Preference, category A - spouse or child of an LPR.