How to Become a Dual U.S. Citizen
You can obtain dual United States citizenship in a variety of ways. The two most common methods are applying for U.S. citizenship while you are a citizen of another nation, or applying for citizenship in a foreign country as a current U.S. citizen. In either case, be aware that each nation in the world has its own laws regarding dual citizenship and that you run the risk of losing citizenship in one country by becoming a citizen of another. The U.S. has very few restrictions regarding dual citizenship, but your native country may.
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Things You'll Need
- USCIS or former NIS number
- Social Security card
- Permanent resident card (or official date when you became a lawful U.S. citizen)
- 2 photographs of yourself
- Check, money order or credit card (if filing online)
Instructions
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Read the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services guidelines and requirements for citizenship. It’s a seven-page set of instructions (see References).
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Read the laws of the country in which you currently hold citizenship. More than half the world’s countries do not recognize dual citizenship and others place restrictions on the conditions of dual citizenship. Nearly 60 percent of nations will revoke your citizenship upon becoming a U.S. citizen, mostly in Africa, southeast Asia and South America. (see References)
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Gather all pertinent papers and information that you’ll need to complete the application. Among the things you may need are your USCIS or former NIS number, Social Security number, birth date, permanent resident card (or official date when you became a lawful U.S. citizen), country of birth, country of current residency, photographs, marital status and parents’ names and status. The guidelines will detail all the things you need.
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Complete the application form supplied by the USCIS. It’s a 10-page document (see References). The fee is $595 plus an $85 biometrics fee. People over age 75 do not pay the biometrics fee. Military personnel can apply for free. When your application is complete, you can file it online or mail it to one of two addresses, depending on the state in which you live.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure you’re not already a dual U.S. citizen before applying for citizenship. For example, if your parents are foreign-born, and you were born in the United States, you are a dual citizen by birth of both the U.S. and the country of your parents’ birth (unless that country has restrictions).
If you don’t have access to forms and instructions online, you can call the USCIS at 800-870-3676 to order them by mail.
Do not assume you are a citizen of the country in which you were born. More than half of the world’s nations do not recognize citizenship based strictly on birth within a country’s borders.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit national flags image by Dumitrescu Ciprian from Fotolia.com
