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AIBU?

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Original poster

Being a duel citizen...

112 replies

Truestar8 · 11/07/2022 13:36

Is being a dual citizen a position or a negative. For example, holding a British passport and a American passport? I'm thinking being a dual citizen would give more opportunities and choices in life.

What are your thoughts?

OP posts:
Brimborium · 12/07/2022 06:53

Sorry my previous post was a reply to the pp who said they would feel like a fraud/fake citizen

FinallyHere · 12/07/2022 07:24

First thing I did after hearing the results of the Brexit referendum was to finally apply for an Irish passport.

Demand for Irish passports shot up as lots of people did likewise.

Having joint UK/EU passports makes up for some of the losses caused by Brexit.

Bubblebubblebah · 12/07/2022 07:28

Penfelyn · 12/07/2022 03:09

It always annoys me when people gain citizenship (usually because their great something was from that country) just for the passport. More often than not they know NOTHING about the culture, don't even speak the language, and most definitely won't pay any taxes. They're basically fake citizens.

Obviously not including people who actually care about their roots and actually bother to learn the language and culture, but those are a tiny minority.

This is one reason I never want another citizenship, I'm happy with mine, I like our culture and our language (though I also speak other languages), and I'd feel like such a fraud if I had a passport from another country.

Do you mean just those eligible by heritage? Because... Hella lot of people can't gain citizenship like that. They actually have to reside in the place and pass tests etc

JustSmallFry · 12/07/2022 07:29

JennieTheZebra · 11/07/2022 13:54

Generally I’m glad of mine and I would never ever give it up, but right now it’s a bit of a pain. I’m dual German/British, and as my other citizenship is EU, I, up until recently (thank you Brexit!) obviously automatically had the right to live here and, due to this, I’ve only ever held a German passport, even though I’ve lived in the UK since I was 10; there was never really any need to apply for a British passport so I didn’t. Now, my German passport no longer counts for anything. I can’t prove right of residency, right to work, anything. I recently started a new job and getting that paperwork proved was a nightmare. I even got declined from student finance as I can’t prove legal residency-I’ve lived here 32 years! Everyone says to apply for a EU residency number but as I’m British I can’t. I’m now hurriedly applying for a British passport so I’ve got sucked into that quagmire…
So, yeah, most of the time dual citizenship is a good thing, but not always.

To be fair that’s a problem that’s related to the UK way of doing things, not to dual citizenship

Hoppinggreen · 12/07/2022 07:43

FinallyHere · 12/07/2022 07:24

First thing I did after hearing the results of the Brexit referendum was to finally apply for an Irish passport.

Demand for Irish passports shot up as lots of people did likewise.

Having joint UK/EU passports makes up for some of the losses caused by Brexit.

DH applied for his EU passport before Brexit just in case. It was actually the lady at the consulate who suggested we apply for the DC as we had no idea they would be eligible

SerendipityJane · 12/07/2022 07:51

This policy is against international law though.

I believe the UK has signalled that international laws are for other countries these days

I think if the affected people were able to get before the European Court of Human Rights the UK Government would be found in breach of its international human rights obligations.

To which the UK response would be "So what ?"

TooBigForMyBoots · 12/07/2022 11:41

It's not cheap or easy to get to the ECHR. It's particularly difficult if you are stateless, homeless, skint and unable to work. You're going to find it hard to get somewhere to sleep, nevermind a team of International Human Rights Lawyers around you.

Skydaze · 12/07/2022 12:02

Dual US/NZ here (birth/naturalisation) and in queue to dump US citizenship due to crazy tax laws, unnecessary and punitive reporting to US, unreasonable search & seizure of our financial and personal information through FATCA, crap protection of said personal data, being treated like a criminal due to residing outside the US, and banking / financial investment restrictions and invasive control that mainland Americans would be in an uproar about if they were subject to these laws. I could see that dual citizenship would be nice for countries that are actually reasonable about it - the US is not, so only worth it if you plan to live there, have close family there or want to travel extensively. Just educate yourself about the pitfalls first so you know what you're getting into. You have to buy your way out if you end up not liking it.

bellabasset · 12/07/2022 12:12

My df was born in Leitrim so I'm an Irish citizen by birth and were I younger and travelling I would certainly get an Irish passport.

mjf981 · 12/07/2022 12:38

I have 3 citizenships. The only PITA part is having to renew passports regularly and the expense that goes along with it.

BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 12/07/2022 12:55

Hoppinggreen · 11/07/2022 19:44

That’s interesting
We are off to Germany soon and I am hoping to get waved through both entering and leaving by hanging onto my German passported family

Show quote history

It was actually in Germany and my DD and DH are German!

Hoppinggreen · 12/07/2022 13:01

Excellent @BlackLambAndGreyFalcon
fingers crossed I get the same treatment

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