How to travel with dual Citizenship ?

[B & G 200]

yes, it is easier that way, as I noted in my post. Because the OP has a US passport and is allowed into the Schengen area for up to 90 days (presuming no other travel there in the last 180) the airline employees can start asking questions about how you plan to leave if you are on a one way ticket or one that stays longer than 90. Some are more ####### than others about it. Some will pull Timatic and go by "the book" others with more experiance know better.

You can show them both if you like, again is fairly common.

Airlines are as you phrased it "#######" because if a passenger arrives in a country without meeting ALL the criteria, they are sent back on the next available flight as an Inadmissable and the airline gets fined a whooping 5000 euros.

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

Airlines are as you phrased it "#######" because if a passenger arrives in a country without meeting ALL the criteria, they are sent back on the next available flight as an Inadmissable and the airline gets fined a whooping 5000 euros.

I am more than well aware of that, which is why in my first response I noted the OP should check-in with the EU passport.

That is certainly what I do when flying to the EU...

However my "#######" comment was less about the fine than newer agents that do not understand the system and often go fishing (while they might have good intentions they are often misguided or completely wrong).

I've witnessed agents deny BPs to travellers on oneway tickets, even if they had land based travel out of the EU, which is permissable.

Proof of onward travel or intent to leave is not done simply by having a round trip ticket.

Most veteran CSRs at airlines know this.

[Bibiusa 1]

This is incorrect information.

You do not have to use your US passport outside the United States.

You should use whichever one gets you the easiest/visa free travel (outside of those areas where you are required to use one or the other e.g. Schengen and the USA).

I posted something on the thread about US passports and exiting the US that I will repost here since it is somewhat relevant on the US side. I do this having dual citizenship, and having worked with the US DoD, DHS/CBP, NATO and Schengen authorities arranging certain travel in said manner

From me:

The part at the bottom is key. Though I would tell you to take both passports at all times because you never know when plans could change.

On a roundtrip journey from the US to Germany it goes normally something like this, and I'll use a sample Houston (IAH) to Frankfurt (FRA) flight.

At Houston airline check-in show German passport. If names are different you can show the US one also. Airline staff are used to this.

At TSA ID check it is best to show US passport (without going on too much of an anti-TSA rant they sometimes get too confused by foreign passports)

At gate to board flight show German passport. If they ask for an I-94, state you don't have one as a US citizen also, though often they don't even ask.

Upon landing at FRA show German passport to the border authorities (they normally will not speak with you) Presuming nothing to declare, walk out green channel and you are done.

On return flight to US show US passport at check-in, and answer their inane questions about packing your own bags.

At exit control, show German passport, most likely getting a grunt or wave of the hand to move on (German polizei don't talk much)

At boarding show US passport.

At IAH point of entry give US passport to CBP.

Note-if you travel overseas get Global Entry, then you don;t even have to talk to the CBP normally. I have had it nearly 5 years now and love it.

Thank you for your post and your example.

But why would I show the german passport at the Houston airline check in, and not the american one???? Since in my case no I-94 is attached to my german passport and I thought they must see that, no...!?? There shouldn't be any questions, when I show the american one, or do they need to see some kind of visa or something for peple who just have an american passport??

I guess with TSA it doesn't matter, you can just show them you Drivers License, no?

At the gate before I enter the plane, I can show them whatever I want, because they just compare the name on the ticket with the name in your passport, no?

In Germany yes, will just show german one...

Flying from Germany to USA, do pretty much everything with US Passport...ok

Edited March 7, 2013 by Bibiusa

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

Thank you for your post and your example.

But why would I show the german passport at the Houston airline check in, and not the american one???? Since in my case no I-94 is attached to my german passport and I thought they must see that, no...!??

Unless you are checking in at the gate with a print at home boarding pass, and are not checking bags then you would have to show a travel document at the presecurity check-in desk/kiosk. They do not take I-94 normally, but if asked you can simply say you do not have nor need one as you have a US passport

There shouldn't be any questions, when I show the american one, or do they need to see some kind of visa or something for peple who just have an american passport??

Normally Americans do not need a Visa to enter the Schengen party countries but if a person is on a oneway flight or does get questioned about being admissible to the EU you just show the German passport.

guess with TSA it doesn't matter, you can just show them you Drivers License, no?

I never show the TSA anything with an address on it but yes you can use your license should you want to pull out another document.

At the gate before I enter the plane, I can show them whatever I want, because they just compare the name on the ticket with the name in your passport, no?

You can use either. But they are not checking names but admissibility so as to avoid being fined. Your name is already checked against the PNR list when the pass is scanned. This is where they could ask for an I-94 but you don't have to have one so you can proceed.

CBP does do random outbound checks in the jetway. It is easiest to show them the US obviously.

In Germany yes, will just show german one...

Correct

Flying from Germany to USA, do pretty much everything with US Passport...ok

incorrect. Schengen party countries have exit controls. YOu need to check in with the airline using the US passport but showthe German one at exit control, then your US one at bordering and when you get home.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

According to some P.M.'s I received: I have two different names in my passports. I thus have a twist to my travels:

I am an American, and as such I use my US passport as much as I can get away with it. I purchase my tickets in the U.S. with my US name, check in with my US passport, go through TSA with my US passport, and only pull out my German one when I arrive in Germany. Even if I depart from Germany, I only show my US passport, because otherwise I would have a discrepancy between the name on my ticket and the name in my German passport. I could try to explain this, but why bother.

[NickD 203]

According to some P.M.'s I received: I have two different names in my passports. I thus have a twist to my travels:

I am an American, and as such I use my US passport as much as I can get away with it. I purchase my tickets in the U.S. with my US name, check in with my US passport, go through TSA with my US passport, and only pull out my German one when I arrive in Germany. Even if I depart from Germany, I only show my US passport, because otherwise I would have a discrepancy between the name on my ticket and the name in my German passport. I could try to explain this, but why bother.

Ha, you are not the only one in this boat, when I travel in the USA, I travel with my wife, but when going down to Colombia, I travel with my girl friend. More fun traveling with my girlfriend.

Could try to explain this, but would have to understand Colombian law, and that is written in Colombian Spanish Greek. All I know its a lot more expensive and time consuming and really of no benefit to us for those few trips we make. She just whips out that Colombian passport to enter and leave, rest of it, even at the Bogota airport is the US passport.

[Bibiusa 1]

Thank you FlyingLonghorn!! One more question - But when I book the flight I will give my US Address and pay with my US Credit Card linked to that address....does that matter in any way regarding to what Passport I use at check in? Thats why I thought I have to use (or should use) the american passport to avoid complications.....Or can / should I still check in at the airport with the german passport?? Or to sum things up, at the end, does it really matter which one? Can I mess anything up?

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

Thank you FlyingLonghorn!! One more question - But when I book the flight I will give my US Address and pay with my US Credit Card linked to that address....does that matter in any way regarding to what Passport I use at check in? Thats why I thought I have to use (or should use) the american passport to avoid complications.....Or can / should I still check in at the airport with the german passport?? Or to sum things up, at the end, does it really matter which one? Can I mess anything up?

The address doesn't matter.

If asked you can show both passports. It is not illegal and 100s of people fly on multiple passports everyday.

You should not have any problems. It is rare but sometimes, especially in Europe they can ask to see the credit card you bought the ticket with otherwise how you buy is a non-issue re:passports/ Plenty of people with US passports have overseas addresses (like me) and still buy tickets.

you will be fine!

[FlyingLonghorn 12]

According to some P.M.'s I received: I have two different names in my passports. I thus have a twist to my travels:

I am an American, and as such I use my US passport as much as I can get away with it. I purchase my tickets in the U.S. with my US name, check in with my US passport, go through TSA with my US passport, and only pull out my German one when I arrive in Germany. Even if I depart from Germany, I only show my US passport, because otherwise I would have a discrepancy between the name on my ticket and the name in my German passport. I could try to explain this, but why bother.

I have two different names in mine also, albeit a slight spelling variation and a slight suffix variation. My cousin has two different last names in hers.

It is a non-issue with polizei and CBP. The only folks who will be ####### are the contract security folks x-Europe if you are flying a US airline back to the States.

I've helped negotiate the treaties that and SOFAs for some of this we are discussing at a major European airport. As long as you can prove you are admissable you arelegal. Problems arise from contract staff that don't know better or who are trying to catch the "big fish".

[JB007 4]

I too had the same dilemma, my case being a bit different. Traveling to Europe entering with Romanian passport (can't use US passport as I have not given up on my citizenship) and exiting with US passport (can't leave without US passport otherwise I need a visa...glad to have the US passport now). More questions come to mind when I start thinking about inter-European travel, which passport to show to create less confusion for US and EU authorities.

Edited March 9, 2013 by JB007

[NickD 203]

Wife and I was totally ignorant on this subject, was told at her oath ceremony, she was a US citizen just like she was born here. But then, no longer dealing with the USCIS, but the DOS instead. They have completely different views on this subject.

And they lie like crazy when saying, no such thing as dual citizenship, prefer the phrase, dual naturalization instead. It's dual citizenship, no country will issue you their passport unless you are first a citizenship of that country.

USCIS also lied when they tell you, you are a citizen just like you were born here. It's not what you choose that makes a difference, its where you were born that makes the difference. And exactly who has a choice of where they were born?

It's not okay if we lie to these agencies, but okay if they lie to us.