Well I got my CLN today. My passport was of course with it but it wasn’t punched full of holes. There was not one additional hole that was added. The only alteration that I could see was the note regarding the day of my expatriation.
My CLN now rests comfortably inside my bank’s safety deposit box. I did make a copy before hand though and had it witnessed by a Commissionaire of Oaths.
Congratulations. You must be so thrilled that the wait is over.
*@recalcitrant: Congratulations! I know it was not an easy decision to bite the bullet and do this, but given the US policy of citizenship based taxation you really had no other reasonable choice.
*Congratulations! That is great news. How long did it take? Was it out of the Calgary consulate?
@iamquincy- I renounced on Feb. 1st at the Calgary consulate and it took until today to get the CLN. When I was at the interview I was told that it would take 6-12 mos. before it came. In the end I got it in just over 5 mos. and over a week short of the 6 month mark.
@johnnb- I am thrilled.
@rogerconklin- You are correct, that there was no other choice. The two states of existence are incompatible. I and my economic life can now be lived as one and not in a bifurcated fashion. I no longer will be alienated from myself.
@ recalcitrant
Its obviously been a long slog for you. Many congratulations!
Congratulations!
@Recalcitrant: It will be a fabulous Canada Day for you! Oh Canada!
Better than you think…more than a week under five months by my calculation.
@johnnb- I guess your’e right. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that it didn’t go on until the end of the month of June.
Happy CLN Day to you! I’m really happy for you but I’m also slightly jealous. Who would have thought that such a certificate would be a status symbol—-well, maybe just on this site.
I had my relinquishment meeting at the consulate on 23 Jan. I’ve been almost counting the days since.
*Congratulations, recalcitrantexpat! I too, went to my bank this afternoon and deposited my CLN into my safety deposit box, after having three copies notarized. Seems more precious than gold!
@dawid
The CLN has become the “golden ticket” for ex-pats. I never thought I would see the day either.
But its here to stay, thanks to the numerous anti-expat laws dreamed up by phony Americans like Carl Lenin, Charlie “the tax cheat” Rangel, Chuckie Schumer etc, etc.
“Give me liberty or give me death!”
PS — ha, ha, Schumer probably wouldn’t even know who said that.
@dawid- it is indeed a shame when the citizen of any nation can proudly say that his/her happiest day is the day when said citizenship is lost. In former times such occassions for joy were associated with those who fled Communism or other oppressive regimes. But even then those who fled Communism were not subjected to the systematic abuse that must be born by U.S. persons who live abroad or immigrants who live at home. Probably the closest that the Russians ever came to oppressing their none residents on a similar scale was with the Communist’s governement exercising control over the contracts of their professional hockey players who played in the West along with their heavy taxation of these player’s foreign earned income.
One would think that the U.S. legislators would get it but they either don’t want to or are too ideologically incapable of understanding their own acts of injustice. Personally I believe it is a combination of both. When all statements of dissatisfaction are ground through the meat grinder of partiotism, then there can be no possibility of serious self examination and no actual opposition. All those who oppose you are considered to be your enemies and not your friends.
Congratulations Mate…
and they are writing about you just today. Must have known your CLN was in the mail. Of course, the headling will piss you off, but don’t let that detract from the celebration. 🙂
More U.S. Citizens Jumping Ship to Avoid Taxes
Great news, recalcitrant, and Happy Canada Day (and Happy War of 1812 Day, belated — I think it’s June 18). Just under 5 months from Calgary; I think we have to knock Toronto off their previous pedestal, they’ve been very polite and nice, but lots of folks there are still waiting while Calgary somehow is getting CLNs out the door a lot faster, for whatever reason. My wife went through Toronto, I’m hoping their backlog will be dealt with soon.
@just me- I see that the narrative is still the same. We’re all rich people trying to avoid paying U.S. taxes. No mention of the oppressive nature of U.S. double taxation. No mention of the investment restrictions or the way that being a U.S. citizen abroad disadvantages you with regards to retirement.
They should know that I am not rich nor are my children. But when the tax free income of a government check for the disabled become taxable once that same money goes into a investment that the IRS says is not allowed then why would anyone want to stay?
This author knows nothing of what it is like to be hobbled by a government system of taxation that makes your life abroad a living %&*@. Why would I pay taxes to a treasury that I have no account with? I may as well be paying taxes to the Russians just as well as the Americans. I get no benefit from either government so why not? The requirement is totally arbitrary.
*@recalcitrantexpat,
I left them a comment with a link to here. Let’s see if they allow it the light of day.
Belated Congratulations to you, recalcitrant — from me and from my husband too. We are so very happy for you having completed the process from Calgary. Getting to meet you was a bonus.
I know it is bittersweet that you were not also afforded the right to renounce on behalf of your developmentally delayed son. But, it is a great step into freedom for you.
Thanks for reporting. I’ll update the database reflecting your good news.
My special thanks to you for all of your support online and offline, recalcitrant!
From the transcript
I think I can speak to who is scheduled right now. In terms of Washington, we have the IMF. We are looking for congressional visits in the afternoon. We do have one visit scheduled with Representative Barney Frank, specifically talking about Dodd-Frank, obviously. We have a meeting at the U.S. Treasury. We have a lunch with at least one member of the House Committee on Financial Services, Republican Congressman Huizenga. In terms of New York, confirmed we have Mr. Paul Volcker, which frankly is an outstanding meeting for us to get. Also, we have Mr. William Dudley, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Those are two excellent meetings already.
I encourage members if they have suggestions to get them in today, because we are filling this agenda up. It’s been out for some time in terms of who we are proposing. The embassy in Washington and the consulate in New York are working very hard to fill the agenda with what has been agreed on in the past. If you have any suggestions—Mr. Brison had another one today—we need those in today in order to pass them on to the embassy and the consulate. It looks to be a very fruitful two-day visit, frankly.
Recalcitrant,
Can you confirm — is your CLN dated the date of your Calgary appointment? Thanks. (And, again, congratulations!)
Congratulations, Recalcitrant! I relinquished last November, but no CLN yet. I’m celebrating for you as I anxiously await mine to arrive.
Happy Canada Day, and belated Happy War of 1812 Day, @recalcitrant!
*So glad to hear you’ve finally got that treasured confirmation of freedom! You’ve earned it – celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!
Every time a CNL arrives, an angel gets its wings. It’s a wonderful life for you now and hopefully someday for your son too. Congratulations recalcitrantexpat!