Advantages of dual citizenship usa/canada

[KingCan 0]

Hello all, I have a question here for the ones who know about this matter. I am soon to make a decision about applying for American citizenship or just keeping my 10-years resident GC. But first I would like to know all the advantages and benefits of having Dual citizenship vs permanent residency.

Can I get back my canadian health insurance?

Can I go live in Canada for a long period of time without being penalized on the US side?

Can I get both retirement social security benefits (Can and US) when I retire?

Please add any advantage you might know about

Thank you.

[Emancipation 2]

Correct me if I'm wrong folks.. but you can do 1 & 3 with either option.. 2 is the only one that you'd lose US Perm Residency over if you stayed in Canada for long periods of time without returning to US.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Emancipation

[scandal 951]

Hello all, I have a question here for the ones who know about this matter. I am soon to make a decision about applying for American citizenship or just keeping my 10-years resident GC. But first I would like to know all the advantages and benefits of having Dual citizenship vs permanent residency.

Can I get back my canadian health insurance?

Can I go live in Canada for a long period of time without being penalized on the US side?

Can I get both retirement social security benefits (Can and US) when I retire?

Please add any advantage you might know about

Thank you.

I am a dual US/Can citizen (hence my VJ name uscandual )

But I've been dual from birth, I am not naturalized in either country.

Yes, you can choose to live in either country without jeopardizing your citizenship in the other. I've lived extended periods in both.

I worked for years in Canada and made CPP contributions, but I don't think I worked enough to qualify for benefits.

I now work in the US and make Social Security contributions, I do expect to earn retirement benefits here (assuming SS is still solvent when I retire!!)

I believe it is possible to draw both CPP & SS payments if you've worked enough in each country. However I am guessing that the benefits are harmonized meaning you can't "double" your payout by doing this (though I may be wrong). An accountant familiar with both countries can give better advice.

If you go back to Canada and re-establish permanent residence you will become eligible to reinstate your provincial health plan (e.g. OHIP in Ontario) but I believe there may be a waiting period to do so.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

There are a number of benefits to having dual citizenship - the main one is that you are now free to live in either country at will. If you live anywhere else as a permanent resident you lose your green card in the US and if you wish to come back have to go through the whole process all over again. The other main benefit is tax related, especially as the spouse of a US citizen. If your spouse dies and you are a permanent resident, all tax on the estate immediately becomes due to the IRS - you don't get to inherit tax free as the US spouse would. This can cause severe financial hardship if you aren't in the position to deal with it., The IRS is more concerned that the non-US spouse will leave the country and they will lose the tax revenue due from the estate so they tax it at the death of the US spouse assuming the non-US spouse will leave. There are other tax incentives - inheritance taxes are lower for US citizens than for PRs. I don't recall all the rest I have heard but there are others. You are also eligible for certain means tested benefits as a citizen than as a PR, heaven forbid you are ever in the situation to require them. The biggest liability is that you will have to file an income tax return with the US every year even if you don't live in the US. Tax treaties generally insure that you are not subject to double taxation so it is just the matter of filing the return, not necessarily paying taxes, if you live outside of the US.

I thought long and hard about pursuing US citizenship and the tax and residency implications are the main factors in my decision. Also, I really believe that in a democracy you should have a say in the government, and as a PR you have no vote. As a citizen, you do. You can even run for office if you wish (except for the Presidency).

[Hugglebuggles 60]

As a student of politics a potential drawback to duel citizenship is always pointed out- if you ever want to run for office in any country, the fact you hold the citizenship of another state can be considered a conflict of interest or loyalty and cause you political hardship. If you never intend on running for office (as most people do not!) then that's really a non issue. I'm not so sure how truthful it is either.

[Texanadian 10]

Kathryn pretty much nailed it.

You have to file US tax returns anywhere in the world as a citizen or green card holder. If you give up your green card, no problem. If you keep it, they may not let you back into the country with it if you've lived somewhere else for awhile. As a US citizen you need to file. For most it should mean little to no yearly tax though (unless you're making more than $90,000/year in Canada)

Once you're a citizen, you don't have to pay to get your green card renewed every decade. (You know the cost will only go up). Heck, I hate paying for a new driver's license. And they're only $24 here.

You can vote as a citizen. You also have the chance of getting jury duty as a citizen.

Spouse estate taxes may not be something on your mind now. But in the future.....

No problems getting SS and CPP as long as you've worked in both countries. The payouts are not harmonized. They're treated as separate. SS is also not included in the Canada "clawback" rule.

I suppose if you're traveling around the world, you'd have access to US and Canadian embassies.

[Emancipation 2]

Thanks Kathryn.. you just sealed my decision.. I was holding back but now i read the tax implications it makes total sense to go through with citizenship.. thanks for that point of view..

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

By the way, one major benefit of having US Citizenship:

Never having to deal with the USCIS again! What a nightmare!

And here are some other benefits for US Citizenship, that I can quickly think of at the moment:

US Citizenship=

No need to renew your green card every 10 years with the USCIS (very costly, indeed!)

No need to inform the USCIS if you ever do move/change address

Freedom to live in the USA for as long as you want to, without fear of deportation

Tax benefits and Other benefits (as further explained by previous posts)

The right to vote and the right to run for political office

Dual Citizenships/Two passports....Canadian and American....Oh what interesting travels that shall be!

Being better treated as a "Citizen" and feeling more of a sense of "belonging" in a country one is living in

I'm sure you can all think of additional reasons too...Why not go for US Citizenship?, after all.

Nevertheless, being a US Citizen does not mean that you are not a Canadian Citizen, as dual citizenship is legally allowed between these two countries.

Forever we will be both Canadian and American, right?...

Ant (Soon to be American/Canadian.....Dual!..)

Edited June 9, 2009 by AntandD

[TimandJoyce 1]

Very good insight to this. Although I won't be able to file for naturalization for a few years yet, what helped to make up my mind is just not having to deal with USCIS. I'm just not really a form filler out type of person!!

And of course, no chances of denial, getting deported, that kind of thing. Not that it would happen.

I've a few years yet ahead of me to read up on all the other benefits.

[antda 13]

P.S. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention (lol...my husband brought this up actually...):

US Citizenship= Termination of the I-864 Sponsor Affidavit of Support agreement.....

(I'm sure your sponsor and/or co-sponsor will be happy to "not be responsible for the immigrant" anymore)

Note: Termination of such an I-864 agreement is when:

-The immigrant becomes a US Citizen

-The immigrant moves out of USA permanently

-The immigrant dies

-The immigrant works 40 quarter hours (the equivalent of working for 10+ years or more)

Just another thought...Why have them be responsible when they don't have to be?

Ant

Edited June 9, 2009 by AntandD

[warlord 73]

Yeah pretty much what everyone else stated. And definatly if you are ever considering moving outside of the US you would need citizneship because you'd risk losing your Green Card.

Just in addition, though rare, you still could get into trouble and have your citizenship revoked. Extreme cases, but recently an ex SS nazi guard here in his 80's or 90's was just shipped back to Germany. A grandmother in her 80's or 90's who worked at a concentration camp was sent back not too long ago either after being discovered. And yeah as also mentioned working in politics in another country could jeapordize it as well (including working for the government who is an enemy of the US).

Pretty much I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to get it as you get to have 2 countries you could possibly live in if you wish or if something bad happened to one of them (war, burried in eternal snow, massive drought, killer zombie beaver infestations, etc)...

[Saddle Bronc 124]

There are also some travel advantages. A dual can travel to Cuba (against which US has had embargo since JFK's time) or Iran (Canada neither initiated nor received diplomatic-relations severance from there, unlike US) by using roundabout route and both passports.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

There are also some travel advantages. A dual can travel to Cuba (against which US has had embargo since JFK's time) or Iran (Canada neither initiated nor received diplomatic-relations severance from there, unlike US) by using roundabout route and both passports.

I wouldn't push this one - especially IRAN - maybe all fine on your Cdn passport, but I'd be curious of the US reaction even if you had used your Cdn passport - why tempt the gods

[JillA 2]

There are also some travel advantages. A dual can travel to Cuba (against which US has had embargo since JFK's time) or Iran (Canada neither initiated nor received diplomatic-relations severance from there, unlike US) by using roundabout route and both passports.

I was wondering about that.... as a PR of the US, can I travel to Cuba with no reprecussions coming home? I have a friend getting married there next year, and I'm not sure if I can go to the wedding

[Emancipation 2]

I was wondering about that.... as a PR of the US, can I travel to Cuba with no reprecussions coming home? I have a friend getting married there next year, and I'm not sure if I can go to the wedding

As a PR everything I've read is that you are not legally supposed to go to Cuba.. you have to abide under the same laws as a US citizen... would you get caught? probably not.. but should you legally.. from what I understand.. no.