Loss of birth country citizenship

[Iris1954 9]

On 2/5/2023 at 9:25 AM, OldUser said:

The questions for you to think about:

1. Do you have any property in Laos?

2. Do you have business in Laos?

3. Are you about to inherit something in Laos?

4. Do you travel to countries visa free that Laos offers (US passport offers access to way more placea)

5. Is loss of citizenship automatic? Or even if you notify it takes time and will of officials to renounce your Laos citizenship?

6. Any penalty in law for dual citizenship?

 

I can see one obvious downside of losing Laos citizenship - on USA passport you will need visa to visit family and friends back in Laos.

 

If you have property, business or about to inherit something - losing Laos citizenship would be a downside.

 

Do you know for sure loss of citizenship occurs in practice and what does it take?

For example, I know some countries do not allow other citizenships, but involuntary loss is almost never enforced. Even when somebody notifies the government, they have go through lengthy procedure lasting several years and president of the country personally has to sign decree to take citizenship away, which happens to 1% of those who emigrated and naturalized elsewhere.

 

Another thing to remember, until you renounce or lose Laos citizenship, you will be their citizen. Even with US passport. You cannot ask US embassy to help you in that case if Laos detains you for example, or doesn't let leave the country.

 

This quote

 

"INVOLUNTARY: The following are grounds for involuntary renunciation of Laotian citizenship: Person voluntarily acquires a foreign citizenship, though persons in this situation should not assume Laotian citizenship would simply be lost by default."

 

suggests to me you will remain Laos citizen once you naturalize in the US until you undergo a special prodecure to document loss of citizenship in Laos.

 

Also, US would not tell Laos you naturalized. It's up to you to follow Laos laws and not to do anything illegal.

You asked many of the questions that I want the answer to as well.  It appears there is no mechanism for the American to inform the Laotians that one of their citizens has taken USA citizenship.  

On 2/5/2023 at 9:25 AM, OldUser said:

 

 

 

[OldUser 6,979]

46 minutes ago, Iris1954 said:

You asked many of the questions that I want the answer to as well.  It appears there is no mechanism for the American to inform the Laotians that one of their citizens has taken USA citizenship.  

 

Hi these questions for you to think about, you don't have to reply unless you want any input. You're the only person who can make the right choice here based on your circumstances.

Edited February 8, 2023 by OldUser

[top_secret 2,458]

1 hour ago, Iris1954 said:

This is exactly what I am thinking.  He could fly into Thailand on his Lao passport and then cross by land into Laos.  I also think before his Laotian passport was about to expire he could travel back and request a new one to be issued.

 

Another idea would be just to use his USA passport while going back and worth.  If he ever decided to live in Laos again I assume no one would put two and two together.

 

Be aware that on the land borders between Laos and Thailand there is a very high level of interest, awareness and actively putting two and two together regarding ones immigration status in both Laos and Thailand. Expats in Thailand for years had been making visa runs to Laos as well as looking for ways out of Thailand when they have issues in Thailand.  Pretty much all loopholes are closed and both sides of the Thai Lao land border VERY much know exactly what is going on with the other side.  There is also all kinds of illegal Lao migration in Thailand which often requires that the right guys were paid properly. 

 

The USA passport only idea seems somewhat more plausible.  US Citizens are also less subject to (but not immune to) corruption that is still endemic there than Lao citizens are.