Dual Citizenship Questions and How to Obtain it

What is Dual Citizenship?

If an individual is a citizen of two different countries, then he is said to hold dual nationality. There are some countries that allow the citizens to be dual nationals and certain countries do not allow dual nationality. The United States is a country which allows its citizens to hold dual citizenship. A foreign national who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States is allowed to become a US citizen, if he satisfies the eligibility requirements for Ciudadania Americana, through naturalization.


How to Obtain Dual Citizenship?

Some people become dual nationals by automatic operation of laws. If a child is born in foreign soil to US citizen parents, the child will be a citizen of the country where it was born and will also be a US citizen. Similarly a child born in the United States, to foreign nationals will automatically become a US citizen, though its parents are not US citizens. Some people become dual nationals by choice as they become US citizens through naturalization though they are citizens of some other country. A person who holds dual citizenship must abide by the laws of both the countries, as both the countries have the right to enforce their laws whenever the individual enters that particular country.  


Though the United States recognizes dual citizenship, there are no specific applications to apply for dual citizenship. If you are a foreign citizen, you may apply for Ciudadania Americana, on satisfying all the eligibility requirements for US citizenship through naturalization. Some foreign nationals are found to become dual nationals through their marriages, as they apply for US citizenship through naturalization after they are granted Green Cards and on meeting the eligibility requirements. The US government does not revoke the nationality of a US citizen who becomes a citizen of some other country. Hence the US law allows its citizens to be dual nationals. If you are a citizen of a foreign country and if you seek to become a US citizen, you may file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to become a US citizen. By becoming a naturalized US citizen, you may hold dual citizenship.