Dual Citizenship under U.S. Immigration Law

A common question of foreign nationals who are considering becoming Naturalized U.S. citizens is whether they are allowed to hold dual nationality and keep the nationality of their birth country, or any other nationalities that they may have. My answer is “it depends.”

First of all its important to understand that there are actually several questions within this question. Initially, I like to point out that as far as the U.S. government is concerned dual citizenship is clearly permitted and that no U.S. law will restrict or prevent them keeping their nationality (and their passport) from any other country in the world.

If you are asking this question, the real (and more important) question that needs to be answered is whether YOUR country of nationality will allow you to be a dual national and keep your citizenship AFTER you become a Naturalized U.S. citizen.

In order to assist my clients, I have produced a list of countries which allow dual citizenship (though with some conditions and restrictions) and a list of countries that do not allow dual citizenship. Keep in mind that this list is based upon very basic research and is not intended to be exhaustive or completely accurate, due to differences and nuances in law and application across the world. If you are considering applying to be a Naturalized U.S. citizen, it is recommended that you DO NOT rely on this list, but rather only use it as a guide or a starting point, and that you perform your own research and due diligence into your specific situation to confirm exactly how the laws of your country in question may apply to you.

Dual Citizenship is permitted:

Armenia
Australia
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
Canada
Czech Republic
Cyprus
Denmark
Egypt
France
Finland
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Kenya
Lebannon
Malta
Pakistan
Philippines
Portugal
Poland
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Slovenia
South Korea
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Thailand
Tonga
Turkey
United States
United Kingdom

Dual Citizenship is NOT permitted:

Andorra
Austria – except by birth
Azerbaijan – except for national importance
Bahamas
Bahrain – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Bhutan
Botswana – except by birth
Brunei
Burma
Chile
China
Congo – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Cuba – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Djibouti – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Ecuador
Estonia
Ethiopia – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Fiji
Haiti – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
India
Indonesia
Iran – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Japan – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Kazakhstan – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Kiribati
Korea
Kuwait – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
Mauritius
Mexico
Monaco – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Mozambique – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Myanmar
Nepal – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Netherlands
Norway
Oman – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Qatar – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Romania
Russia – unless signatory to reciprocal International Agreement
Saudi Arabia – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Singapore – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship
Slovakia
Solomon Islands
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Venezuela
Zimbabwe – automatic loss upon acquisition of U.S. citizenship

If you have questions about Naturalization in the U.S. call South Florida Immigration Lawyer Sean D. Hummel to schedule a consultation today (954) 385-3111.

Special Note. The information on this blog is of a general nature and is not intended to answer any individual’s legal questions. Do not rely on the information presented in this blog to address your individual legal concerns. If you have a legal question about your individual facts and circumstances, you should consult an experienced U.S. Immigration Lawyer.