US citizenship anyone?

[Sprailenes 47]

Then again if you offered me bus fare I'd say anything so I am probably not the best person to even talk to regarding this subject.

Edited November 7, 2008 by Sprailenes

[ruby_mtl 0]

nope, most likely will not apply for citizenship. I just can't picture myself choking out the oath

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;

that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law;

that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law;

that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and

that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

I won't become a US citizen, as I could never "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen"....I love the U.S., would love to be able to vote here and my husband would love for me to become a citizen, but I will always, always have allegiance and fidelity to Canada. I couldn't make the above required statement in good conscience.

It is sad that Canadians have to renounce Canada to have dual citizenship, but Canada doesn't require American citizens to renounce the U.S. to be dual citizens.

PR will have to be sufficient for me.

Annie

I agree a 100%. same here...guess i'll have to forget working for the government.....

[~Nini~ 2]

I won't become a US citizen, as I could never "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen"....I love the U.S., would love to be able to vote here and my husband would love for me to become a citizen, but I will always, always have allegiance and fidelity to Canada. I couldn't make the above required statement in good conscience.

Yea, I think this pretty much sums it up for me too. I am conflicted, as I know my husband's family would really like for me to have citizenship in order to vote, but that sole reason isn't enough for me to want to get U.S. citizenship. I don't feel like I'm really missing out on much else by remaining as a permanent resident... maybe I'm missing something?

I feel in a sense that taking up citizenship here in America would be like turning my back on my Canadian citizenship, and I feel like I would be betraying my mother's efforts towards obtaining that years ago - maybe that sounds sentimental, I dunno As practical as it is for me to obtain U.S. citizenship (for ease of travel, moving, etc), I would also like to have the same loyalty to America that I have for Canada. At this point I don't feel that... then again, I have five years to reconsider my decision.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Some of us have no choice. All I can say about that,lol

There are other benefits to being a USA citizen. Yes when u do the oath you state u renounce all ur loyalties to other countries, BUT Canada doesn't recognize that!!

[Marilyn. 340]

I won't become a US citizen, as I could never "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen"....I love the U.S., would love to be able to vote here and my husband would love for me to become a citizen, but I will always, always have allegiance and fidelity to Canada. I couldn't make the above required statement in good conscience.

Yea, I think this pretty much sums it up for me too. I am conflicted, as I know my husband's family would really like for me to have citizenship in order to vote, but that sole reason isn't enough for me to want to get U.S. citizenship. I don't feel like I'm really missing out on much else by remaining as a permanent resident... maybe I'm missing something?

I feel in a sense that taking up citizenship here in America would be like turning my back on my Canadian citizenship, and I feel like I would be betraying my mother's efforts towards obtaining that years ago - maybe that sounds sentimental, I dunno As practical as it is for me to obtain U.S. citizenship (for ease of travel, moving, etc), I would also like to have the same loyalty to America that I have for Canada. At this point I don't feel that... then again, I have five years to reconsider my decision.

actually it is only 3 years if you are married to a US citizen...

and you are not giving up your Canadian citizenship if you become a US citizen...

[SapphireDreams 71]

I 100% plan to become a US citizen. I don't mind saying the oath, I'll just cross my toes or something

No but seriously, I really want to be able to vote. I planto have US born children, so I want to be able to travel as a family with all of the same passports. I want to be be able to move back and forth easily

Like Jedinite, I work in the tech industry, so I would never want to lose out on a job just because I wasn't.

Also - if they all of a sudden changes the laws/rules of permanent resident status, I don't want to be caught off guard. You know what if they changed the renewal to every 2 years and charges a ridiculous sum of money? I just don't want to risk that. or what if my 10 year green card expires and then I'm abotu to leave on a business trip or something and i don't have my paperwork in order..

My boyfriend's father is a PR and he's been living in the US for over 30 years now and everytime he comes back into the US from visits outside the country they always give him a hard time.

I figure if I'm going this far, I might as well go all the way so I don't ever have to deal with immigration here again.

[~Nini~ 2]

and you are not giving up your Canadian citizenship if you become a US citizen...

I only meant I would feel like I was figuratively turning my back on Canada, not literally.

Edited November 7, 2008 by ~Nini~

[Marilyn. 340]

and you are not giving up your Canadian citizenship if you become a US citizen...

I only meant I would feel like I was figuratively turning my back on Canada, not literally.

ok wasn't sure

[Reba 2]

See, my thing about the oath is twofold. One, I honestly wouldn't put it past some holier than George future president to make it mandatory for any immigrant taking the oath of naturalization to start to enforce the renunciation oath.

Two, I honestly cannot in good conscience say I feel any sort of allegiance to this country, nor do I believe in the country's laws and constitution (as it is currently interpreted by many muckety mucks who make the laws). It would be like saying marriage vows and having no intent to remain married.

I can't do it. I never wanted to come here in the first place. I just happened to fall in love with an American who just happened to have a criminal record for car theft, so Canada won't let him in That's the only reason I'm here.

[Sprailenes 47]

I'm here because my husband hated shoveling snow every day in the winter when he lived with me in Canada.

[Carlawarla 1]

I have to obtain at my earliest, my US citizenship for my husband's employ. Period. At first, I was told by his employ that I HAD to renounce my Canadian citizenship. We can all bander about all we want about whether or not we want dual, but can you imagine how I felt knowing I might have to officially renounce it??? I was SO angry! Anyway, because of this, I started to look at how I would have to do this, and it's very convoluted.

First, you have to make written application, and you HAVE to appear in front of a JUDGE, IN Canada. HE/SHE gets to determine whether or not your application gets approval, and I can't remember right now what the reasons are, but I could frankly say that from what it looked like to me, no one in VJ would EVER be given the right to formally renounce their citizenship. This is NOT taken lightly at all. This is NOT an everyday occurrance. Secondly, you can't just say, I don't want it because I don't want it...*sigh* You CAN'T have your citizenship renounced because you are GOING to be another citizen from another country. All it means is that the other country won't recognize it.

You will NOT be allowed to renounce your citizenship if you're not already a citizenship of another country. Not on the promise of it, not on "while I"m going to get it eventually...". You CAN'T be in limbo with no citizenship.

Sorry if I sound like I"m ranting, I kind of am. I had to seriously look at what I was going to do. My whole life I felt was on the line. Gene was SICK...SICK thinking I would have to choose. Call me a traitor, but I would have chosen him. I will ALWAYS be a Canadian in my heart, no matter what any damn papers say but no one was going to keep Gene and I apart.

Anyway, after all was said and done, I can have dual, which is what I'm going to do, and what I was prepared to do anyway.

Edited November 7, 2008 by Carlawarla

[Flames9_RN 358]

I have to obtain at my earliest, my US citizenship for my husband's employ. Period. At first, I was told by his employ that I HAD to renounce my Canadian citizenship. We can all bander about all we want about whether or not we want dual, but can you imagine how I felt knowing I might have to officially renounce it??? I was SO angry! Anyway, because of this, I started to look at how I would have to do this, and it's very convoluted.

First, you have to make written application, and you HAVE to appear in front of a JUDGE, IN Canada. HE/SHE gets to determine whether or not your application gets approval, and I can't remember right now what the reasons are, but I could frankly say that from what it looked like to me, no one in VJ would EVER be given the right to formally renounce their citizenship. This is NOT taken lightly at all. This is NOT an everyday occurrance. Secondly, you can't just say, I don't want it because I don't want it...*sigh* You CAN'T have your citizenship renounced because you are GOING to be another citizen from another country. All it means is that the other country won't recognize it.

You will NOT be allowed to renounce your citizenship if you're not already a citizenship of another country. Not on the promise of it, not on "while I"m going to get it eventually...". You CAN'T be in limbo with no citizenship.

Sorry if I sound like I"m ranting, I kind of am. I had to seriously look at what I was going to do. My whole life I felt was on the line. Gene was SICK...SICK thinking I would have to choose. Call me a traitor, but I would have chosen him. I will ALWAYS be a Canadian in my heart, no matter what any damn papers say but no one was going to keep Gene and I apart.

Anyway, after all was said and done, I can have dual, which is what I'm going to do, and what I was prepared to do anyway.

I was told I can't have a CDN passport, and will have to do an interview with her employer! whatever,lol

[Emancipation 2]

I have to obtain at my earliest, my US citizenship for my husband's employ. Period. At first, I was told by his employ that I HAD to renounce my Canadian citizenship. We can all bander about all we want about whether or not we want dual, but can you imagine how I felt knowing I might have to officially renounce it??? I was SO angry! Anyway, because of this, I started to look at how I would have to do this, and it's very convoluted.

Carla.. wow.. this was a HUGE decision for you to move, to marry to be your hubby's bride.. I never realized the implications of where he works till just now.. gal LOADS of respect for you.. LOADS..

[Gemmie 142]

I never wanted to be a US citizen because there are many laws that I don't agree with, and I feel they've put a large amount of stress on my life just because I happen to love one of its citizens. I constantly have to prove that I'm not trying to sneak into the country, that I'm not trying to break their laws, that I have genuine love to a citizen. To stand up and swear that I drop my alliegance to my own country made me angry...

Now that I've had time to think about it, I think I will go for dual.

Simply because I don't want to have anything to do with this ridiculous immigration system any longer, it's already getting tougher as we speak, with new laws coming into order from January. I want to be able to be done with it, and finally be free to live my life without having to prove anything to anyone.

I will always be BRITISH first and foremost, and simply 'have access to a US passport' second.

[warlord 72]

I think the big thing for a lot of people is feeling they're abandoning their former country be it Canada or England or Austria or Nigeria or whereever. It's the oath that you take that scares people in thinking they're somehow betraying their old country.

Think of it this way, when in a nation you just abide by their rules, the rules in one nation don't always pertain to the rules in another nation. So when you take an oath say in the US, it has no bearing on Canada. You aren't betraying Canada as Canada doesn't reconize you abandoning or betraying them since the oath in the US doesn't pertain to Canada. So the US will feel you are pledging your alligiance to them and only them. Canada knows you are still still pledging your alligiance to them regardless of what you say somewhere else. As in their minds you are originally from Canada and their rules of govenment are over those of any other nation.

Now of course theres a very few of us I think that would have renounced Canadian citizenship if we had to to become Americans (like Germany or Peru or India) and who have no alligance to their homeland regarless of what they think, but hmmmm, can't think who that could be hee hee.

Anyways hope that eases peoples fears that they're betraying their homelands...

Edited November 7, 2008 by warlord