US citizen entering the US with foreign passport

[daveh99 0]

Hello,

I have recently become a US citizen and I am planning to travel overseas. Unfortunately, due to an ongoing

issue with the USCIS bureaucracy, I really don't want to apply for a US passport. I am wondering what would

happen if I use a foreign passport to reenter the US? I have heard one might get fined or have citizenship

revoked, is it true they would do that?

Thanks.

[Boiler 45,468]

US Citizen has to enter on a US passport.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Unfortunately, due to an ongoing

issue with the USCIS bureaucracy, I really don't want to apply for a US passport. I

Passports are issued by the State Department, not USCIS.

Boiler is correct, if you are a US Citizen, you must enter the US using a US Passport; period, full-stop.

[daveh99 0]

Thank you guys for the for the fast reply. It seems that USCIS has done more damage than I thought .

What happened was that during my N-400 interview the USCIS officer maliciously mislead me into believing

that my citizenship certificate name must match my birth record name which is a English transliteration of my

Chinese name and I was denied me the opportunity to make a name change on the spot. I was not allowed to

use my English name, "David" which I have been using officially in Canada and on the greencard.

Having lost faith in the federal government, I would be happier to travel with a Canadian passport. I deeply

regret my decision to apply for US citizenship.

[Hypnos 6,576]

You can always renounce it.

[Boiler 45,468]

You can always renounce it.

I was thinking the same.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Renounce it, or just do a legal name change.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Thank you guys for the for the fast reply. It seems that USCIS has done more damage than I thought .

What happened was that during my N-400 interview the USCIS officer maliciously mislead me into believing

that my citizenship certificate name must match my birth record name which is a English transliteration of my

Chinese name and I was denied me the opportunity to make a name change on the spot. I was not allowed to

use my English name, "David" which I have been using officially in Canada and on the greencard.

Having lost faith in the federal government, I would be happier to travel with a Canadian passport. I deeply

regret my decision to apply for US citizenship.

It really does not matter what your name on other documents is. As a US citizen, traveling with a US passport you will not need to present any other document upon arrival in the US.

If you no longer wishes to be a US citizen you can always renounce it and apply to revert your status to LPR.

Good luck!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Does anyone know what happens once you renounce? Do you become an LPR (which sounds ridiculous)? or does your connection to the US end there and you need to start from the start again (if you so desire)?

Sounds like the OP's best bet is to apply for a legal name change and get the passport that way. I don't believe the officer was malicious, perhaps ill-informed but doubtfully malicious (and there's no way to prove it).

Good luck!

[Ryan H 3,812]

For the posters who were advocating renunciation, it can only be done outside the US. The OP would likely encounter issues if they tried to return to the US after having renounced US citizenship.

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_776.html

[Harsh_77 718]

I believe on documents like Passport or GC you cannot use a nick name, you have to use the legal name either from birth certificate or the one where you got it changed by court.

[hmh33 117]

If you did try to enter without a US passport, CBP still have to let you in. They won't revoke your citizenship for it. But it will be a big hassle and they'll probably fine you.

[aaron2020 11,651]

A US citizen is REQUIRED to use a US passport to enter the US.

Since you don't want the "hassle" of getting a US passport, then be prepared for wasting more of your time, energy, and money when CBP stops you and hold you for violating US laws when you attempt to enter the US.

Bite the bullet and get yourself a US passport. Save yourself a lot of grief. This is grief that is preventable by you.

If you insist on using a non-US passport to enter the US, then you will be the cause of any problems you will have. Don't blame anyone else when CBP stops you.

Edited May 15, 2013 by aaron2020

[Hypnos 6,576]

To my knowledge there is no automatic "reinstatement" of a green card if you renounce US citizenship, you would need to restart that process over again (or plan to live outside the country).

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Hello,

I have recently become a US citizen and I am planning to travel overseas. Unfortunately, due to an ongoing

issue with the USCIS bureaucracy, I really don't want to apply for a US passport. I am wondering what would

happen if I use a foreign passport to reenter the US? I have heard one might get fined or have citizenship

revoked, is it true they would do that?

Thanks.

When you became a citizen, you declared allegiance to the US. Showing up with a non-US passport could be interpret as going against that, and that would be a problem to say the least.

Get your passport, you are asking for trouble if you travel without it.