American Obtaining a Brazilian Passport/Duel Citizenship

[Fetta 1]

My wife is a Brazilian citizen and recently got her green card through CR-1. My mother is a Brazilian citizen as well. How can I get my Brazilian passport/duel citizenship being a American Citizen?

Thanks for any help!

[YuAndDan 153]

Moving to regional forum... Not a topic about getting a spouse visa to come to the USA..

[sarah278 0]

My wife is a Brazilian citizen and recently got her green card through CR-1. My mother is a Brazilian citizen as well. How can I get my Brazilian passport/duel citizenship being a American Citizen?

Thanks for any help!

I may be way off base, but I'm pretty sure you can't. When my mother moved the the UK she was told she could either hold a US passport or British but the American's would not let her maintain dual. But the kicker is, your wife can have dual. Its a US thing.

[Fetta 1]

I may be way off base, but I'm pretty sure you can't. When my mother moved the the UK she was told she could either hold a US passport or British but the American's would not let her maintain dual. But the kicker is, your wife can have dual. Its a US thing.

I am sure that I can obtain duel Citizenship. I know some people that have Brazilian and American Passports.

[YuAndDan 153]

I am sure that I can obtain duel Citizenship. I know some people that have Brazilian and American Passports.

Could have been born in Brazil, immigrated to USA, and then naturalized. In this case would be a dual citizen.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

My wife is a Brazilian citizen and recently got her green card through CR-1. My mother is a Brazilian citizen as well. How can I get my Brazilian passport/duel citizenship being a American Citizen?

Thanks for any help!

First off, a duel is if two guys look at each other, turn around, then take 100 steps, turn around again and pull the trigger. Afterward one of them should be dead and that has nothing to do with citizenship.

If your mother was a Brazilian citizen when you were born, you are already a Brazilian citizen as well.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Just Bob

[K and L 27]

@JustBob: in theory, yes. But in practice, just like in the US, citizen births abroad must be registered to have the citizenship recognized, and if it's not registered, Brazil does not consider them a citizen. And if you cannot prove that one (or both) of the parents was Brazilian, they will not allow a registration to happen.

@Fetta: Did your mother register your birth with the consulate? If so, you are done. You're already a citizen. And you may be in a little trouble, because you haven't registered for the military, filed taxes, or voted, but that should be readily fixed (but may cost some money to regulate your siutation).

If not, do you have your mother's Brazilian documentation?

Since you are over the age of 18, you may self register (or at least, that's what the Chicago consulate says), with your mother's documentation.

You will need to fill out the application for the registry of your birth (which would be signed at the consulate). You would need a certified copy of your American birth certificate. You would need your American passport. You would need the ORIGINALS of two Brazilian documents proving your mother's identity and nationality (passport, national driver's license, ID card, birth certificate, state ID card). You would need a certified copy of your father's birth certificate and either a passport or driver's license. If either parent changed their names at any point in their life (including their marriage, subsequent divorce, and/or remarriage),you'll need the documents pertaining to those as well.

If your mother is alive, and is lacking her passport or what not, she will have to go to the consulate and procure a new passport and attempt to procure a new birth certificate from Brazil (family in the area of her cartario may be able assist - L's father procured his 2a for his birth certificate for us), as well as regularize her situation if she's not been voting and what not.

If your mother is dead, you will need to go to Brazil, to her cartario to procure her birth certificate. I do not know how you can procure any ID if you no longer have her Brazilian ID and she's passed away -- you may be unable to register yourself in that case.

Edited April 5, 2011 by K and L

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

The proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes. Onc can be a citizen based on clear legal concepts such as jus sangious, but unless he or she has proof of it, they won't get any documentation to that effect. For that very reason it makes a lot of sense to report the birth abroad as early as possible and then apply for the all-important information afterward.

Someone who was born to an American Indian mother near the south pole and never got in contact with civilization until both parents were dead, buried, and decayed, may have a hard time proving that he's half Indian, even if he looks like a Navajo. Agreed.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Just Bob