Re: She has Indian blood.

"James Silverton" <not.jim.silverton@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

I was not aware that multiple citizenship existed when I became a
citizen of the US. I took 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." Strangely
enough, I don't think the words have been changed.

They haven't, although they apparently almost got changed recently to

Solemnly, freely, and without mental reservation, I hereby
renounce under oath all allegiance to any foreign state. My
fidelity and allegiance from this day forward is to the United
States of America. I pledge to support, honor, and be loyal to the
United States, its Constitution, and its laws. Where and if
lawfully required, I further commit myself to defend the
Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic, either by military, noncombatant, or
civilian service.

But the way it was explained to me, what you renounce is "allegience"
and "fidelity", not citizenship or other affiliation. Basically, it
boils down to "If we go to war against your old country, you've
declared that you're on our side." Along, I guess, with the notion
that "We don't have to treat you as a national of your old country
when it comes to things governed by treaties between the two
countries". (For example, we don't have to notify their embassy if
you get arrested.)

But you can remain a citizen of the other country as far as the other
country is concerned. You do have to enter and leave the US under
your US passport, but you can use any passport outside the country.

My wife was born American but I had registered my son at the British
Embassy to obtain a British birth certificate, just in case he might
decide to move to Britain. My daughter was born after I became a US
citizen and I did not register her. However, when it became difficult
to obtain a European permit for her to work in a German bank after
graduation here, we investigated and found out that, despite the oath,
not only was I a dual citizen but so was she and could obtain a
British passport, which made easy getting a work permit.

The US takes the same view if you become naturalized elsewhere. Even
if the naturalization requires you to renounce your former allegience
or nationality, their presumption is that you mean to retain it unless
you tell them otherwise.

--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
HP Laboratories |The mystery of government is not how
1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |Washington works, but how to make it
Palo Alto, CA 94304 |stop.
| P.J. O'Rourke
kirshenbaum@xxxxxxxxxx
(650)857-7572

http://www.kirshenbaum.net/


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