Renunciation is an act of formally renouncing or giving up American Citizenship. Renouncing United States Citizenship is not an irreversible process and it is irrevocable. It is usually done before a diplomatic or a consular officer of the US, outside the US. Once you renounce your United States citizenship, it can never be re-obtained, even through naturalization.
What is the reason to renounce US citizenship?
The U.S. is the only industrialized country that asks its citizens to pay income tax on their offshore income. US citizens who live abroad feel that the cost of maintaining their U.S. citizenship is burdensome. New laws have worsened the condition where it has made it difficult for Americans to handle their funds while living abroad.
US citizens who work and live abroad are required to pay their taxes in the US to retain their Citizenship. Though they invest abroad and they do not get any profit from the US, they are still required to give a portion of their earnings to the US. This is considered to be unjust. It is also said to be a form of slavery as the US Citizens are forced to give a part of their income and moreover they receive nothing in return. Most people think that they can focus on improving their businesses rather than worrying about the taxes that they must pay to the US, by renouncing US Citizenship.
There are also people who renounce American Citizenship in order to fulfill their political dreams in other countries. Eric Sandrin, a basket ball player, renounced his US Citizenship, in order to play for the National team of another country.
Few people who renounce US Citizenship are those who received two citizenships at birth and they may be forced by the non-US country to choose one country at a certain age. Korea is a country where dual nationality is not allowed after 21 years of age.
Renounce American Citizenship
To renounce your US Citizenship, you must contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in a foreign country and you must inform them about your intention to renounce your US Citizenship, as you cannot renounce US Citizenship while you are in the US. It is mandatory to establish proof of your foreign residency while you apply for renunciation. You will be asked reasons for renouncing your citizenship. To renounce your American Citizenship, you must sign a renunciation oath. On signing the oath, in front of a U.S. consular or diplomatic officer, you declare that you are renouncing all the rights given to you as a U.S. citizen. Then your application will be forwarded to the US Department of State. You must also submit your US passport to the US consular officer for cancellation. On the approval of your application, your name will be put on a list with the U.S. Department of State and you will never be able to get a US passport again.
On giving up your Citizenship, you will lose protection of the US Government. You will also not be required to pay taxes to the US government.
Entering the US after renouncing Citizenship
You can always enter the US, with the passport from a visa waiver country, though your citizenship is renounced. If you are from a non-visa waiver country then you can apply for a US visa, through which you can enter the US. You can enter the US by obtaining a tourist visa. The tourist visa can be extended and you can stay in the US for 90 days with the tourist visa. But if you are ineligible for a travel visa, you cannot enter the US.
People seeking renunciation must be aware of the fact that renouncing American Citizenship will not allow them to escape from any criminal prosecution which they have committed in the US or repayment of financial indebtedness incurred by them in the United States. It must also be noted that if a person wants to renounce US Citizenship he cannot retain some of the advantages of Citizenship, which is against the concept of renunciation.
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