|
Dual citizenship is the concept that enables a person to be a citizen of two countries at the same time. US government grants dual citizenship according to the first sentence of the 14th amendment of the constitution or the ‘citizenship clause’ as regulated by the governing laws. A person becomes a citizen of a country either by birth (ius soli or right of the soil) or via citizenship of your parents (ius sanguinis or right of the blood) or through your spouse who is already a citizen of US or through the process of naturalization. But it is the law of the country that ultimately decides your dual citizenship. There are certain countries which do not allow dual citizenship and would insist that you have to renounce your old citizenship. The present scenario of dual citizenship in the US is that according to US State department policy on dual citizenship you may not be favored for the same, but the concept of dual citizenship is still recognized. Even you won’t lose your US citizenship if you move to some other country and reside there for an extended period of time. Though it is legitimate to hold dual citizenship, still people who aspire to become naturalized US citizens have to take an oath renouncing their old citizenship. As a part of naturalization ceremony you have to renounce your old citizenship, which many countries do not recognize. According to current US law, you would lose your US citizenship if you serve a foreign military voluntarily as an officer or engage in aggression against the US and work with the intention of giving up your US citizenship. As a matter of fact when you go to your old country you may get drafted or you may be arrested and forced into the military forces there. So make sure about your current citizenship status in both the countries. Though the US government can not force you to give up your citizenship, yet you can not retain US citizenship if you have a taken a ‘policy-level’ position in a foreign country or if you are convicted of treason against the US or if you exhibit inconsistent conduct that it compels a conclusion that you are intended to relinquish US citizenship. Always remember that when you enter US claim yourself as the US citizen and produce only US passports unless the immigration officials ask for the other one.
|
Dual Citizenship 
