Migrating elsewhere after removing obtaining 10 year GC

[shanna 0]

I meant to set the topic as "Migrating elsewhere after obtaining 10 year GC" Not "Migrating elsewhere after removing obtaining 10 year GC"

Hey everyone!

I've been away from VJ for 2 years and it's nice to remember what a helpful community we have here!! Anyways, I have a question. My husband and I are discussing to move outside the US either to Canada or Australia as permanent residents. We are currently pregnant and will have the baby by the end of the year. So we are planning to move in about 2 years' time. I am about to receive my 10 year GC anytime this week. I would also like to very much retain my citizenship in my birth country, Singapore.

1) Will the baby's status as a USC be affected in any way at all?

2) Will I be able to return to the US to live if we choose to do so in the future?

3) Has anyone done this before where you guys moved to live outside the US and not in the spouse's home country?

Thanks in advance!

Sha and Brent

Edited May 29, 2007 by shanna

[Peter T 0]

1) Will the baby's status as a USC be affected in any way at all?

2) Will I be able to return to the US to live if we choose to do so in the future?

3) Has anyone done this before where you guys moved to live outside the US and not in the spouse's home country?

1) Your husband is a US citizen, isn't he, who has lived in the US most of his life? Then the baby has a right to get US citizenship through application (or it even has US citizenship at birth) wherever it is born.

2) If you leave for a shorter time and intend to keep your status as legal resident, you can return. If you leave for longer (I think it's more than a year), your status expires (you might keep it though with special permission if you stay outside the US not longer than two years, I think). Afterwards, you would have to apply for a Green Card again. Only your own US citizenship can guarantee you to be able to return - are US and Singapore citizenship compatible?

3) I haven't done it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

After you receive your 10 year card, apply for US citizenship. It should fit into your 2 year time frame quite nicely. Then, if you choose to emigrate to another country or live abroad or in Canada for a while (make sure you check out Canadian residency requirements) you will be allowed to return to the US. If you decide to live in another country while still a permanent resident of the US there is a good likelihood USCIS will consider that you have abandoned your US residency and you will not be allowed to return to live to the US without going through the visa process all over again. I don't know if Singapore will allow you to retain citizenship when you also accept citizenship in another country. That is something you need to ask the Singaporean consulate or embassy. There are many US citizens who still hold citizenship in their birth country or another country so if Singapore allows it, you don't have to give up your Singaporean citizenship.

If your child is born in the US - and it sounds like that will be the case - he/she will be a US citizen. As well, since his/her father is a US citizen, even if he/she were born outside of the US, he/she could have derivative citizenship through your husband. Living in another country would not affect the baby's US citizenship and he/she could return to the US. Your right to live here is the one you need to protect - US citizenship is the only guaranteed option.

[shanna 0]

Hmmmmm.... plenty of food for thought! Yeah Singapore does not allow for dual citizenship and yes, hubby is USC.

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

Would they actually take away your status as Singaporian (sorry don't know if that is the correct term), even if you became a USC?

[KarenCee 3]

Would they actually take away your status as Singaporian (sorry don't know if that is the correct term), even if you became a USC?

I'm wondering if it's like this: When you take your oath here in the US I think part of that is publicly denouncing your citizenship of your other country but that doesn't necessarily mean the other country recognises that . Like Canada...they don't recognise that statement and one can retain their Canadian Citizenship.

Did that make sense? I haven't had my coffee yet...it's not even 7am yet here.

[Mary Lou 673]

Would they actually take away your status as Singaporian (sorry don't know if that is the correct term), even if you became a USC?

I'm wondering if it's like this: When you take your oath here in the US I think part of that is publicly denouncing your citizenship of your other country but that doesn't necessarily mean the other country recognises that . Like Canada...they don't recognise that statement and one can retain their Canadian Citizenship.

Did that make sense? I haven't had my coffee yet...it's not even 7am yet here.

Yep it made sense to me Karen

Same holds true for UK citizens, like it does for Canadian citizens.

[shanna 0]

Yup, if I became a citizen of the US, officially I am denouncing my Singaporean citizenship. Sigh! So it sounds there's no way around retaining US PR and then migrating elsewhere then.... Looks like becoming a USC, giving up S'porean citizenship and then migrating elsewhere is the only choice.

The reason we are wanting to move is that we want to start a life outside the US. We've given it a try for 3 years or so and we don't really like who we are here as a couple. It's gotten heaps better than when I first moved out here. I've had a few jobs and made some really good friends but deep down, amidst the bursts of happy events and experiences, there's always that feeling of unhappiness. It's not the country, it's me LOL

Anyways, cheers to those who replied to my queries!

Sha

[femailpal 0]

Hi Shanna,

I'm a fellow Singaporean who exchanged notes with you many moons ago. First, let me congratulate you on the good news of starting a family.

Not many people realize or understand that Singaporeans cannot hold dual citizenships. All I ask is for you to think carefully before giving up your SG citizenship as that will involve not just your IC but your CPF, Medisave (for emergencies), ER Shares, etc. Think long term and that when you visit family, you enter as a visitor.

Can hubby get a posting or assignment out of the US as a test period to see if you will be happier? If so, you might be able to seek a waiver for the annual return to the US. Or you can go to US territories like Guam, Puerto Rico, etc which also counts as US soil and it allows you to keep you 10yr GC.

Whatever your choice, I sincerely wish you all the best.

warmest rgds

vin

[homesick_american 1]

The reason we are wanting to move is that we want to start a life outside the US. We've given it a try for 3 years or so and we don't really like who we are here as a couple. It's gotten heaps better than when I first moved out here. I've had a few jobs and made some really good friends but deep down, amidst the bursts of happy events and experiences, there's always that feeling of unhappiness. It's not the country, it's me LOL

Sha

If it's you and not the country, do you think Canada or Australia will be any better? Geographical cures usually only work in the short term...then the novelty wears off and you're stuck with yourself again.

Maybe you should talk to a therapist about why you're unhappy instead of moving to another country? I'm serious. If you're unhappy now, moving to a different country is unlikely to make you happy.

[shanna 0]

If it's you and not the country, do you think Canada or Australia will be any better? Geographical cures usually only work in the short term...then the novelty wears off and you're stuck with yourself again.

Maybe you should talk to a therapist about why you're unhappy instead of moving to another country? I'm serious. If you're unhappy now, moving to a different country is unlikely to make you happy.

You are absolutely right in that a geographical cure may not be a long-term solution and the problem may persist. But I have lived in Australia for very many years and I am very certain that my life there would be a much happier one than it is here. When I said that "it's not the country and it's me", I meant that the many American sensibilities and ideologies are intirinsically great and many people who move here grow to cherish em but for me, I just don't seem to click with them. My goal of that statement was not to present a simplistic view of "I hate this place and I just can't live here." That is not it at all cos I love this place. It is not a matter of blind preference/escapism to live elsewhere but it is a preference based on fact and experience that my husband and I are wanting to choose for our growing family. But thank you for advice and perspective on this. Perhaps a therapist may be good after all... we shall see.

HI VIN!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! It's been a long long time!!! How are ya? Yeah of course, I shall not give up the Singaporean citizenship as best as I can...... So we shall see. Thank you for you wishes. Time does fly like crazy. Just been back to Sing in Apr this year for a mth and gorged on all I could get. The guy at the Prata Stand even knew what we wanted before we said anything cos we there practically everyday!!! :-) Your help was priceless in helping us get the I129F. Phew! what an ordeal that seemed like but on hindsight, it was more the missin of each other that made it stretch even longer lol :-)

What are you up to these days? :-)