Do I have to become a US citizen?

[Galateia 1]

I'm not sure where to ask this, but I've been sailing along assuming that I could (file the K-1) marry my fiance, get a green card and work in the US, and not need to become a US citizen.

It occurred to me that I should double-check that. I am very happy to be a Canadian citizen and am going through this process so that I may marry my sweetie and live and work in the US while he is doing his PhD, then we'd head up to Canada while I did mine, and then we'd bicker over where to settle from there, but that's a good 10+ years down the road. I am not intending to give up my Canadian citizenship and/or become a US citizen with the right to vote, etc. I had it in my head that I could be a 'green card holder' which gives me the right to work and live there (and pay taxes) but that I was not required to become a US citizen.

Is this true? Does this affect anything?

Thanks in advance!

[cdnchris 0]

A green card just makes you a resident NOT a citizen. You don't have to become a citizen. If you wanted to you could become a citizen eventually after getting your residency (green card) but you have to wait 3 years (5 if you're not married to an American) after getting your green card.

As well, you can become an American citizen and keep your Canadian citizenship as Canada allows you to do this. In the eyes of Canada you would be both an American and a Canadian. In the eyes of the USA, though, my understanding is you would be considered an American first and I'm not sure if they would recognize your Canadian citizenship, but Canada does recognize both.

Edited January 18, 2007 by cdnchris

[cdnchris 0]

And you're from Waterloo? Cool, I come from the same area

[Galateia 1]

And you're from Waterloo? Cool, I come from the same area

Thank goodness. That's a huge relief. I thought I wasn't required to become a citizen but it never hurts to be sure. I knew that the US at one time required all citizens to renounce their native citizenship, so I imagined that there was an expectation in the case of a dual citizenship that the US citizenship would be 'primary'.

And yep, I'm in Waterloo. I came here for school, and am still gamely trying to finish a thesis while working full-time. Are you from KW itself or from the general area?

[John & Annie 0]

just remember that as a greencard holder you do have certain residency requirements here in the US and if you violate them, you will have abandoned your residency.

[kim&james 0]

Also as a greencard holder and not a citizen, if... god forbid.. anything happens to your husband, you will get slugged with extra taxes etc.

You can hold dual citizenship.

Here is a good thread that talked about whther or not it is worth becoming a citizen.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22114

[cdnchris 0]

Thank goodness. That's a huge relief. I thought I wasn't required to become a citizen but it never hurts to be sure. I knew that the US at one time required all citizens to renounce their native citizenship, so I imagined that there was an expectation in the case of a dual citizenship that the US citizenship would be 'primary'.

And yep, I'm in Waterloo. I came here for school, and am still gamely trying to finish a thesis while working full-time. Are you from KW itself or from the general area?

Nope, don't have to become a citizen.

There are benefits to being a citizen, though, especially since Canada allows dual-citizenship. If you decided to move back to Canada you can lose your green card if you stay out of the US for more than two years (1 year if you don't get some sort of re-entry permit), and would have to go through some trouble to get it again. If you become a citizen it's not an issue. You could live in Canada for 10 years and if you both decide to move to the States again, it wouldn't be an problem. You could move back and forth. And if your spouse got a residency card in Canada, it can be renewed, even if you aren't living in Canada, as long as the two of you are together. That's one advantage out of many. The disadvantage of course is you'd have to do your taxes in both countries while living in Canada. But hey, you'd have two passports

The whole "renouncing" citizenship isn't real in the sense that that's it once you're sworn in. When you become a citizen in the US they do more or less make you say you renounce your citizenship to other countries in an oath (I can't remember the wording) and this isn't actually the case. What it is is the American government won't recognize your Canadian citizenship (or at least won't acknowledge it). As far as they're concerned you're an American. Canada recognizes both, which is all that matters. The only way you could truly lose your Canadian citizenship is if Canada takes it away from you (which they won't) or if you renounce it officially (which I think requires a bit of paperwork.)

Anyways, I didn't live in KW (I worked there, though) but lived outside Stratford. But it's close enough. Nice to see someone else from there on here.