renouncing US citizenship

Visas, Permits, Passports and Naturalization
1
Dear all,

I am thinking of renouncing my US citizenship and I had a few questions for you:

- Have you done it? of know of any one who has? and if so how long it took for them to process after you filed your request?

-On the questionnaire, they ask "do you wish to add a written explanation of your reason for renouncing?" Did you provide a reason or chose "no."

- They also ask "do you wish to swear or affirm?" Is there a difference between the two?

Thank you very much in advance!

2
Did it in 2009, when doing so was still free.

Had to wait three months for an apointment.

Tom

3
Check out Andrew Henderson from Nomad Capitalist on Youtube, he has a detailed video explaining his experience with it.

4

When I did it back in 2013 most people were giving “to simplify my life” as their reason.

I don’t think there’s much difference between “swearing” and “affirming”. I take swearing to mean you’re religious and so swear on the Bible the old fashioned way; I affirmed since I’m agnostic.

I applied in December 2012, renounced March 2013 and had the certificate by mid-April 2013.

5

Here’s the epic thread that contains most everything on it.

https://www.englishforum.ch/showthread.php?t=169536

Issac Brock Society is a good source as well.

6
Does anyone know how renouncing US citizenship works for minors? I believe our kids will have to wait until they turn 18. Are they subject to the same fee even though they only happened to have been born in the US to parents who are not US citizens and have no memory of living there?

7
They will not let you renounce unless you have acquired citizenship in another country, presumably Switzerland. You are not allowed to be state-less. Acquiring citizenship in another country is reason enough to renounce.

8
Only adults (18+) can renounce.

Yes.

Tom

9
We have German citizenship. The kids were born in the US which is how they became US citizens.

10

Well, could be exceptions Tom, but I expect very rare if they ever happen.

"F. RENUNCIATION FOR MINOR CHILDREN/INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Citizenship is a status that is personal to the U.S. citizen. Therefore parents may not renounce the citizenship of their minor children. Similarly, parents/legal guardians may not renounce the citizenship of individuals who lack sufficient capacity to do so. Minors seeking to renounce their U.S. citizenship must demonstrate to a consular officer that they are acting voluntarily, without undue influence from parent(s), and that they fully understand the implications/consequences attendant to the renunciation of U.S. citizenship. Children under 16 are presumed not to have the requisite maturity and knowing intent to relinquish citizenship; children under 18 are provided additional safeguards during the renunciation process, and their cases are afforded very careful consideration by post and the Department to assess their voluntariness and informed intent. Unless there are emergent circumstances, minors may wish to wait until age 18 to renounce citizenship."

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra…20renunciation

11
I think there used to be a much lower fee for cases like ours but our kids were to young then. Unfortunately, this seems to have changed and now the fee is the same in all circumstances. It feels unfair since our families have no ties to the US

12
Considering how much they will save over a lifetime, it’s a bargain.

13

With WWIII looming just around the corner, is it actually a good idea to renounce?

or could that be exactly the reason?
https://ch.usembassy.gov/message-for…liechtenstein/

14

Answering my own question, there is an association called “Accidental Americans” that is challenging the renunciation fee for individuals whose acquired US citizenship through birth on US soil but lived elsewhere for the majority of their lives and never benefitted from being US citizens.

https://americanexpatfinance.com/new…o%20expatriate .

15
Yes, but none of them can vote in the US.

16
If they are US citizens, of course they can!

Tom

17
I think the answer is it depends. Last I looked it up, it was dependent on the various state laws. If such state laws required previous residence and / or ties to vote, the offspring born abroad and never resident could not qualify. Some states passed laws to get around it by qualifying the next generation from the state of the parent, but last I knew not all states had such a fix.

18
That is only for state elections, any US citizen can vote in Federal elections!

Tom

19
Not if the have never registered. Even if they have, there wouldn’t be enough of them in any particular area to catch anyone’s attention.

20
I am just bothered that our kids have to renounce at all. Their US citizenship was "granted" to them based on their place of birth. We had perfectly fine citizenships to pass on to our children so never needed US passports for them.

We happened to be living in the US when the kids were born and they are now stuck with this souvenir. I lived in five different countries on three continents throughout my life. I left the other countries taking nothing with me but good memories. Only one country is forcing us to take more.