I'm about to be a US citizen, do I have to renew my UK passport?

[PoohBear72 22]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm reading lots of articles about dual citizenship US/UK and lots of questions being answered about renewing UK passports from the US etc.  My question is slightly different.  I have no plans to travel outside the US for the foreseeable future.  If I did I would apply for a US passport and use that at both ends - do I HAVE TO renew my UK passport?

 

I'm treating the Oath ceremony as a personal cutting of all my ties with the UK and I am not interested in collecting passports. 

 

(Just for clarity, my passport is currently in date for a few more years)

 

Thanks

 

Poohbear72

Edited October 30, 2018 by PoohBear72

[debbiedoo 2,339]

no, you do not have to renew your passport. although, i personally would never be without a valid one. you never know why you may need one. so id keep the UK one valid until you get the US one just in case of emergency or other sudden situation

[Boiler 45,486]

Nope

[mtempelaar 190]

50 minutes ago, PoohBear72 said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm reading lots of articles about dual citizenship US/UK and lots of questions being answered about renewing UK passports from the US etc.  My question is slightly different.  I have no plans to travel outside the US for the foreseeable future.  If I did I would apply for a US passport and use that at both ends - do I HAVE TO renew my UK passport?

 

I'm treating the Oath ceremony as a personal cutting of all my ties with the UK and I am not interested in collecting passports. 

 

(Just for clarity, my passport is currently in date for a few more years)

 

Thanks

 

Poohbear72

You don't have to, but think long term.   

 

I know for my husband, if he fails to renew his passport, he forfeits his citizenship to The Netherlands.   Not sure if UK is similar now or would be in the future. 

 

None of us can predict what will happen in the coming decades (i.e. healthcare costs, laws, politics, climate change, etc) and at some point you may change your mind and want that dual citizenship and passport. I've also found that when traveling, that Dutch passport my husband has is a benefit to both of us (I get to go in the EU passport lines, for example, even though I am USC).    Please think long and hard before you make your final decision.    

[Boiler 45,486]

Highly unlikely not renewing a Passport would have such a dire result, anywhere.

 

Certainly UK and USait is a long process to give up your Citizenship.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

I have entered the UK as both British and American. You get in the shorter line in the UK if you have a British passport and your American spouse can go through that line with you. 

 

Even if you fail to renew your passport, you're  still a British citizen.

[Diane and Chris 651]

Is there a possibility that you could receive any retirement benefits from the U.K.?  If so, you may want to keep your citizenship there as well, so that when you reach retirement age you can draw your benefits from the U.K. as well as the US. However, you do not need to renew your passport. Congratulations on your soon to be US Citizen status!  

[Boiler 45,486]

15 minutes ago, Diane and Chris said:

Is there a possibility that you could receive any retirement benefits from the U.K.?  If so, you may want to keep your citizenship there as well, so that when you reach retirement age you can draw your benefits from the U.K. as well as the US. However, you do not need to renew your passport. Congratulations on your soon to be US Citizen status!  

 

Begs the question where did the OP suggest interest on giving up UK Citizenship?

[SalishSea 17,828]

54 minutes ago, Boiler said:

 

Begs the question where did the OP suggest interest on giving up UK Citizenship?

Probably the comment about cutting all ties with the UK after taking the oath......

[lierre 224]

14 hours ago, mtempelaar said:

You don't have to, but think long term.   

 

I know for my husband, if he fails to renew his passport, he forfeits his citizenship to The Netherlands.   Not sure if UK is similar now or would be in the future. 

 

None of us can predict what will happen in the coming decades (i.e. healthcare costs, laws, politics, climate change, etc) and at some point you may change your mind and want that dual citizenship and passport. I've also found that when traveling, that Dutch passport my husband has is a benefit to both of us (I get to go in the EU passport lines, for example, even though I am USC).    Please think long and hard before you make your final decision.    

 

I second this. I have friends who kept their EU country citizenship with the intention of retiring in Europe rather than staying in the US.

 

Just check if forfeiting your passport somehow means forfeiting your citizenship. If it doesn’t, then it shouldn’t matter.

 

 

[Scandi 4,166]

No, you don't have to keep a valid UK passport. For myself, I will keep both passports valid. I'll use the US passport on US territory, and the Swedish on Swedish territory. It's just a matter of what one prefers.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Scandi

[kzielu 1,149]

22 hours ago, PoohBear72 said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm reading lots of articles about dual citizenship US/UK and lots of questions being answered about renewing UK passports from the US etc.  My question is slightly different.  I have no plans to travel outside the US for the foreseeable future.  If I did I would apply for a US passport and use that at both ends - do I HAVE TO renew my UK passport?

 

I'm treating the Oath ceremony as a personal cutting of all my ties with the UK and I am not interested in collecting passports. 

 

(Just for clarity, my passport is currently in date for a few more years)

 

Thanks

 

Poohbear72

I am not sure UK's approach to this but Poland requires its citizens to use PL passport traveling into and out of country (and you are a citizen until your renounce it). I very very rarely fly directly into PL so I go through passport control there (typically either CDG or AMS - so it's not an issue), but when I do - they are picky about using non-PL passport - specifically - they will not let you out if you don't have one (happened many times).

 

Again - I am not familiar with UK laws (and how upcoming Brexit is going to affect that) but I would guess you won't be able to cut off ties until you renounce UK citizenship. Until that happens, it is smart to have a valid passport - IMO.

[mtempelaar 190]

23 hours ago, Boiler said:

Highly unlikely not renewing a Passport would have such a dire result, anywhere.

 

Certainly UK and USait is a long process to give up your Citizenship.

Per Netherlands Government website, just as an FYI:  

Validity of passports and identity cards

Passports and identity cards are valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 18.

Do you hold another nationality besides Dutch? If so, you could risk losing your Dutch nationality if you do not apply for a new Dutch passport or identity card or a Dutch nationality certificate before the validity period (10 years) expires.

 

Also:

 

Dutch passports and citizenship

In order to obtain a Dutch passport you must be able to prove that you hold Dutch nationality. In certain cases, you could lose your Dutch nationality if you do not apply for a new passport or Dutch nationality certificate before the validity period of your current one runs out.

Edited October 31, 2018 by mtempelaar

[PoohBear72 22]

Thank you to all of you for your responses.  Considering that there is a fee to fully renounce UK citizenship I'm not going to do that there seems very little point really.  I do have a pension and possibly the state pension if they would allow me to claim the latter.  From what Wuozopo said it seems to make sense to keep UK citizenship seeing as I won't lose it at any point unless I choose to pay to lose it (!) so, ultimately, even if I don't renew my UK passport I can still apply for a new one even if the old one runs out.  I could even enter the UK on an American passport and go to the British Embassy and get one if I had to.   I am sure that in the UK you don't have to have a passport to be a citizen,  I have my birth certificate to prove citizenship.  

 

Bottom line is no I don't have to renew it, but I might want one in the future.  - thanks everyone.  🙂

[mtempelaar 190]

6 minutes ago, PoohBear72 said:

Thank you to all of you for your responses.  Considering that there is a fee to fully renounce UK citizenship I'm not going to do that there seems very little point really.  I do have a pension and possibly the state pension if they would allow me to claim the latter.  From what Wuozopo said it seems to make sense to keep UK citizenship seeing as I won't lose it at any point unless I choose to pay to lose it (!) so, ultimately, even if I don't renew my UK passport I can still apply for a new one even if the old one runs out.  I could even enter the UK on an American passport and go to the British Embassy and get one if I had to.   I am sure that in the UK you don't have to have a passport to be a citizen,  I have my birth certificate to prove citizenship.  

 

Bottom line is no I don't have to renew it, but I might want one in the future.  - thanks everyone.  🙂

Once you move the the US and have worked long enough you become eligible for Social Security in your older years.    Familiarize yourself with how your state pension from the UK and Social Security payouts are impacted.   Some countries don't allow you to double dip without repercussions to payouts or taxes.    Hubby and I were struggling with this a while ago in retirement planning, particularly if we move back to the Netherlands some day.

Edited October 31, 2018 by mtempelaar