Renouncing Other Citizenships

[celiothrkn 0]

We filed a N-400 in June 2013. Earlier this week, I received an email stating: On August 19, 2013, your N400 APPLICATION FOR NATURALIZATION was scheduled for interview. You will receive a notice with a time and place for your interview.

Let's assume that the interview occurs in either September or October. My spouse is from China, which does not allow for dual citizenship. At what point does my wife have to renounce her Chinese citizenship (and thereby Chinese passport)?

The reason I'm asking is because my wife is planning for a trip to China from mid-November to New Year. She'd like to go under her Chinese passport (as a US Passport won't be ready in time anyways). This will be her last time to China under that passport, and the purpose of the trip is to take care of loose ends (i.e. closing bank accounts).

Should we attempt to postpone the interview (although that doesn't seem wise)? Any advice?

[BigDaddy28 228]

You actually don't loose that citizenship. China revokes it from your wife once she is a citizen which is after she takes the oath. Then you can go to passport office (not USPS) and you can request a same day passport if your trip occurs within 15 days then you apply for a visa and she can go back to China and do what she has to do. If you think it will take a long time then postpone the interview date but that will make it longer for your citizenship process.

[Harsh_77 716]

Once she takes the oath and is USC, she is required to travel on US passport.

[celiothrkn 0]

At what stages are we allowed to postpone? Is the interview postponable? Is the oath postponable?

[Operator 1,925]

Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

Once she acquires her US citizenship her Chinese citizenship is automatically forfeited, there is no need for her to renounce it.

[Jamericanlove 31]

Keep your interview date and work the other factors around that. You're only a USC after you take the oath so if she has business to take care of under her Chinese passport have them schedule her for the oath at a later date if possible. If you reschedule the appointment you could be waiting a very long time.

[Harsh_77 716]

Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

Once she acquires her US citizenship her Chinese citizenship is automatically forfeited, there is no need for her to renounce it.

Don’t assume on that one different countries have different rules, for some countries the individual has to send the passport back and fill the paper work.

OP needs to check the rule of their home country.

At what stages are we allowed to postpone? Is the interview postponable? Is the oath postponable?

She can do the interview as some times there are couple months between interview and oath ceremony.

I guess you can always schedule her oath ceremony after she returns back from china.

[Operator 1,925]

Don’t assume on that one different countries have different rules, for some countries the individual has to send the passport back and fill the paper work.

I'm not assuming anything I'm referring to article 9 of the Nationality Law of the PRC. I am aware that different countries have different rules.

[celiothrkn 0]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I think we will stick with our interview date and ask for a postponed oath ceremony. I've heard that, after the interview (if you pass), you are presented with a choice of oath dates.

[Darnell 8,478]

I say - at the INTERVIEW, ask to be put on the CALENDAR for the Oath Ceremony in late March, 2014.

re: when to hand over the China Passport - when applying for a China Visa in the USA Passport at a China Embassy/Consulate in the USA.

[NickD 202]

Wife's family practically demanded she go down for a wedding, she said she is in the middle of her process for US citizenship. As it was we went down a couple of months later, took the couple out to dinner and gave them a nice wedding present.

Mom was sick for many years, beats the hell out of me, practically none of her relatives showed up while she was still alive, but all did, hundreds of that at her funeral. Darn it, she's dead! But if there is illness in the family and death is certain, a good reason to postpone the immigration stage.

After you receive your US citizenship, you are done with the USCIS, if you want to travel, a different agency takes over, the DOS. Can go to their site, look up your country and read the rules they already made up for us regarding what you have to do, to visit your home country. In our case, my wife had to renew her citizenship in her home country so she could get a passport to visit her mom. No choice, forget about the oath, seems like a strong contradiction, but this is the way it is. Or she will never see her mom again.