British Expatriate Network

Can someone tell me if it is possible to have both US and UK Citizenship... I will be able to become a US Citizen in 1 year and want to know if i need to give up my British passport...(which i will never do)

Apparently the UK does not recognize you as an American even if you take American citizenship so you can call yourself dual nationality and technically you are. The only caveat is that the US expects you to renounce your UK citizenship but it's more of an honour thing I gather. You just have to make sure you use the right passport to exit/enter the relevant country. You don't give up your UK passport.

Thanks , your help is much appreciated

Here's the definitive answer to your question--from the British Embassy in Washington, DC

http//www.britain-info.org/consular/dualnata.asp

PeterB

This is very interesting. Thank you.

Maybe it's a personal thing but I was curious as to who is going to apply for citizenship when they are eligible.

I know I am going to apply. I will be eligible to apply after April 2003.

Mark...

It's so funny - I was just thinking the same thing - I have been eligible for about 8 years, and have never really thought about up until the last election and realised how much I enjoy american politics and how flippin' irritating it was that I couldn't vote. mad

So I have printed off all the .pdf from the INS website, and will most likely be sending them off within the next couple of weeks.

My GC is up for renewal in Nov of next year, and I think it would make economic sense to "upgrade" now!

Andrew

..don't think there's much chance of it coming through before November, Andrew sad Here it's taking about two and a half years from when they receive the forms.

I know I should probably know this already, but exactly how many years residence in the US are required before you are able to apply for citizenship?

thanks
Simon

Oh I know - wishful thinking maybe, in CA, they have a fastrak system (apparently) so the waiting list is pretty short (comparitively), max 12 months..

Who knows...

Andrew

Depends on how you got here mate.

If you're married to a US citizen, I think you can apply afer 3 years (again, check the INS website), the rest of the options, 5 years.

Andrew

I keep reading here about green cards expiring. Mine has no expiry date on it - do you know if it will expire anyway? I have it because I'm married to a ctizen & it was issued in 1989. Maybe I'm already on borrowed time.

Janet - yours will not expire. When I came over at the end of 92, married to a citizen, I was given one for two years, then had to go for the "let's make sure you're still married" interview, after which I got the permanent one which you keep until you decide to be come a citizen.

Janet,
I believe the law changed shortly after you got your green card....you were lucky, ones issued later (like mine from Spring 1992) have to be renewed every 10 years!

Jan

Green Cards *do* expire!

They never used to, (and if you were Grandfathered in on that program you have no need to worry about it), BUT, they expire every 10 years after you receive full resident alien status, a in my case once the "conditonal" status was passed (we'd been married less that 2 years before I immimgrated).

Mine expires (needs renewing) next November.

Andrew