What Are the Top 5 Benefits of Dual-Citizenship
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Top 5 Benefits of Dual-Citizenship
With the way that the political and economic climate seems to be heading these days, it is not uncommon for U.S. Taxpayers to want to consider obtaining citizenship in a second country or even a third country. This is referred to as dual citizenship. There are many reasons why a person may want to consider having dual citizenship. And, when it comes to dual citizenship there are generally two key factors to consider:
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Immigration Benefits
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Tax Implications
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In order to ensure that Taxpayers receive all the benefits of having dual citizenship, it is important to evaluate the tax and immigration implications before acquiring the different citizenships. For example:
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Would a non-U.S. person Taxpayer be better off with a B1/B2 tourist visa?
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Has the Taxpayer assessed potential U.S. or foreign tax implications?
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If the Taxpayer wants to obtain dual citizenship because they want to travel the globe on a passport different than the U.S. passport, then will the passport provide the travel benefits they prefer — such as easy travel to the Schengen zone?
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For the purposes of this article, let’s focus on the five benefits of being a dual citizen — when one of those citizenships is the United States.
Easy Travel to the US
Taxpayers who enjoy traveling to the United States but do not want to deal with the headache of having to renew a visa or maintain permanent residency status can become a citizen of the United States while keeping their foreign country citizenship — unless their foreign country of citizenship does not authorize dual citizenship such as Singapore.
No ‘Big’ risk of Removal/Deportation
When a person is not a U.S. citizen but has established their life in the U.S., sometimes there is an overriding concern for themselves and their children that potential deportation or removal is a risk if a mistake results in a possible criminal or quasi-criminal scenario. While naturalization can be stripped, it is much rarer than it would be to be removed as a permanent resident.
No Need to Renew Citizenship
It is just overall easier to not have to worry about whether the Taxpayer will be stopped at the border if they remained outside of the United States too long, or if they were concerned about having to obtain a re-entry permit because they wanted to take a break from traveling to the United States, or their visa is about to expire — it just makes the Taxpayer’s life easier overall.
Citizenship Countries with No Extradition
Some U.S. Citizens may be concerned about potential extradition from a foreign country to the United States. And, while obtaining dual citizenship in a second country does not guarantee against extradition, if a taxpayer is a citizen of a different country that does not have an extradition law with the United States and is not known to cooperate with the United States, that is another reason why some people may obtain dual citizenship.
Easier to Expatriate
For taxpayers who are considering formally expatriating from the United States, they are required to have second citizenship before the United States will approve any application to renounce U.S. citizenship. By obtaining a second citizenship, the taxpayer has the opportunity to be able to complete the expatriation more easily and on their own timeline than if they have to wait to try to purchase a second citizenship or apply for lineage.
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