Consulate Report Directory (Brockers Describe their Consulate Meetings) and CLN Delivery Time Chart Part 2
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Wonder what really happens at the consulates? Find out in the Isaac Brock Society’s Consulate Report Directory, currently 279 pages of first-hand accounts of renunciation/relinquishment appointments, arranged by consulate location, along with further information and links to the required Dept of State forms and the Dept of State manuals used by the consulates in processing CLN applications, with an appendix containing a timeline chart (booking-meeting-CLN) as reported by consulate location.
The Directory is updated as consulate visit stories are posted on the website.
You can post here or elsewhere on the site (we’ll keep an eye out for them). Some comments may be excerpted or condensed slightly in the consulate reports. The original posts and comments remain on their threads are not edited.
Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences…and keep ’em coming! It’s a new experience for everyone and your information is really helpful.
To change or delete your report in the Directory, you can post the change as a comment on this thread or e-mail Pacifica@isaacbrocksociety.ca
Click here for the Consulate Report Directory
Notes:
Consulates are listed alphabetically by country and the Directory’s table of contents links to each section (they don’t look like links, but they are.)
This thread is a continuation of Consulate Report Directory Part 1, which contains earlier discussion on this topic, 929 comments from its inception in March 2012 through February 2013.
To Book an Appointment and/or Request Information from your Local Consulate:
This post by Eric, Almost No US Citizenship Renunciation Appointments Left During 2016 in Dublin, contains a chart of links to the consulates’ website pages on renunciation/relinquishment, for info on booking appointments and/or requesting information at your location. (The title highlights Dublin, but the charts, article and discussion cover consulates around the world.)
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Way to go, Tiger!
To all the well-wishers, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the support.
Pacifica, I love that – ‘now I am officially who I always was’.
Tiger
I agree with Pacifica-of all the folks who’ve had to deal with unbelievably ridiculous nonsense, your case takes the cake and I am sooooo delighted to read your news.
Hope you enjoy that deep relaxing sleep and wake up feeling blissfully free!
I know you are exhausted right now, tiger, so I’m doing a happy dance for you. This is great news. We are all pleased that you will never have to enter the Consulate of Dread, ever again. It must be a great feeling to have THEM recognize that you are exactly what you always knew you were — a Canadian. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! 🙂
@tiger, all the best wishes. And happy that they didn’t ask for an illustrated version of your birth certificate. Or the tag off your mattress, or the serial number off your appliances……..
@Dawid, congrats to you too.
Quite the journey and almost a herculean task.
YAY TIGER!!!!!!!!!!!
Like you, I was absolutely drained after that appointment. I’m very happy for you, and a couple months from now when you are actually holding that CLN – well there’s no feeling like it (except for maybe childbirth!)
A big woooooooof for Tiger!
Thank God your journey is almost done. Congratulations, Tiger.
@Woofy,
Yours is one of the best congratulations tiger has. I remember the woooooooof from you for my successful renunciation!! It was great — and a laugh along with the tears from all the well wishes I got.
Our hearts are lighter too, tiger.
@all,
I woke up this morning with a much lighter heart. (My head was heavy but I think that might be the wine I drank before I went to see Billy Elliott).
The comments and support from all of you is so appreciated. And Woofy, I think I heard that WOOF!!!
Good news at Tokyo. Around a year ago, Eido INOUE posted about his relinquishment experience at Tokyo. The consulate meeting itself sounded just fine, but to get to that point the booking process sounded pretty convoluted. Apparently they’ve straightened that process out and it’s now, according to Eido’s new post, “Slightly Easier to Lose U.S. Citizenship if In Tokyo“.
I feel blessed to have stumbled on this site back in mid December 2012 when I was searching for more info after calling a US accounting firm and finding out my situation for filing obligations, FBAR, etc….( a few sleepless night ). Then I started asking questions on IBS and began receiving key information for my case, ex….Immigration and Nationality Act section 349 (a) (4), …..searching for my Oath of Allegiance from Archives in Ottawa (pleasantly surprised it was there in my personal file since 1972),…..also found out I didn’t really need to have my “ Supplementary Statement Letter’’ notarized.
To give some history here are some main points which are part of my “Supplementary Statement”:
I was born in USA to Canadian parents (lived close to the border) in 1952 and was baptised 3 days later in Canada. I have a “Certificate of Birth Abroad” from Canada from 1953. I have always lived in Canada. I have worked for the Government of Canada for 36 years since 1972. After accepting this job I had to swear an Oath of Allegiance to the Queen and Canada. Before going to swear this Oath in front of a lawyer, my boss told me that by doing this I would be breaking all links I had with the United States. I told him that this was all right because I wanted to keep this job. This was my first job. In 1973 I swore another Oath of Allegiance when I changed jobs to a different Division in the department. I retired from the Government job in 2008.
I have never lived in the US, never worked there, never voted, filed taxes or owned property there, never had any bank accounts or income there and I don’t have any family or social ties there.
I have a Canadian passport only. I have always maintained ownership of a house in Canada since 1976. I am married to a Canadian and all my immediate family and friends live in Canada. I have voted in most Canadian elections at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. Preponderance of evidence shows that I have been a Canadian citizen only.
Based on reading the rules governing loss of US citizenship as laid out in the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 349 (a) (4), it is my firm belief that on January 24, 1972, I had voluntarily and with full intent relinquished any US citizenship and that I took this action of my own free will.
I am therefore seeking a backdated Certificate of Loss of Nationality by virtue of having relinquished my US citizenship back when I swore this Oath of Allegiance in 1972.
About the Consulate:
Finally on March 19th I felt ready and I e-mailed the Halifax Consulate for an appointment. Received feedback on March 21st with forms to be completed and necessary documents and guidelines. I faxed the forms back on the 22nd along with my Supplementary Statement and photocopies of Birth cert., Canadian passport, etc.
On March 27th I e-mailed again to ask for acknowledgment of receipt of my forms.
I received an answer right away confirming this and that I would be receiving a phone call in the near future. I got the call on April 5th from a very polite and professional lady from the Consulate asking if I could make it for an appointment on April 8th. I said yes. ( I was pleasantly surprised with the quick scheduling). She went over some of the forms with me on a couple of items ( nothing major). She asked if I could bring the Originals and the Cert. of Birth Abroad, Passport, proof of my gov’t job, etc….I also reminded her that it was for a Relinquishment because on their e-mail correspondence they would only say Renunciation. She understood why I wanted to clear that up. So then I said I will not have to pay 450 dollars. She said: “That’s right”.
The meeting was scheduled for 3:30 pm. I arrived there at 3:00. Went through security no problem; sat down and waited for 10 minutes; A woman (not the same that had called me) who was behind a bullet proof window asked for me and took all my Originals and Birth cert., passport, etc…; waited back in the chair for 15 minutes; another lady asked for me (she was the one that had called). She gave me back some forms, ex…proof of gov’t job and pension, 35 years Recognition Certificate signed by Stephen Harper, she gave back one of my Oaths,( said she only needed the first one from 1972), she got me to sign my Statement Letter and she talked about my CLN being dated back to 1972. She said it should take at least 3 months for me to receive it. I then asked her if I was going to get any proof on paper that I was there at the Consulate. She said yes I would be receiving a receipt with 0.00 owed to have if needed until I receive the CLN. But anyway she said since they had received my faxed forms she had already put in a lot of info on their site so the border Officials would have it. She told me to wait again and the Consul would ask for me shortly; waited another 15 minutes; When he came it only took about 10 minutes.
He gave me back my Passport, got me to sign DS-4079 and before making me sign DS-4081 he said “ it appears you know all about this”, I said yes. When he pushed it over to me I thought he must have noticed that I had crossed out in blue ink the word “renunciation” everywhere it said “renunciation/relinquishment”. Then he handed me the receipt and commented it was for 0.00 owed. He then said that it should be 3 months before I get the CLN but that lately they were better than in the past for time. He said to give them a call if I didn’t receive it in 3 months. I then told him that this was their approval and that Washington will approve it also. Well he said that he had never seen a refusal since he had been there. I then said: And you have been here for a long time. He said: Well not that long. We laughed. I thanked him and I was out in just about an hour (which was half an hour after my scheduled time).
Walking slowly away from those twin towers, Purdy’s Wharf, taking it all in, it would not have taken much more for my wet eyes to run tears down my cheeks.
There is no price we could put on Freedom. I will be forever indebted and grateful to everybody on this site. Yes to everyone who answered my questions but also to all who posted anything at all. I read during almost 4 months here and it paid off. Big Time. I acquired a lot more knowledge on this site than any high priced accountant would have given me. I will try and do the same and help others as much as I can.
THANKS AGAIN EVERYBODY.
@Authentic123,
You sound like one of the most authentic Canadians in this country!! Congratulations and thanks for your thanks to all here. We’re all contributing by telling our own stories, our consulate experiences — and your report re the Halifax experience will be an important one for others who can relate to yours — many!!
No one understands the absurdity of what we are going through but the ones going through it — I am convinced. That your accidental birthplace in th US caused all this for you makes no sense. There have been many tears shed here — yours would be for really knowing and appreciating being Canadian compared to the alternative. Many Canadians don’t have the opportunity to really, really understand that.
Authentic1213,
Glad you have made it through this ordeal, and are now free of the US formally, with your CLN to come in the near future. Happy for every single one here who makes it out, and who successfully gets that CLN in their hands to confirm forevermore that they are no longer, or have not been for decades, US citizens.
Authentic,
Thanks very much for sharing your experience. It’s a great report, with so much concrete detail and also such a sense of the more intangible, the mood at the consulate. The personal feelings you express so well are really touching. I was really moved reading the end because it brought back the feelings I had on my consulate day, the freedom and the joy. It is indeed priceless.
I simply can’t believe it but my CLN arrived today!!! 😀 :D. My renunciation took place during the second week of March with it being officially approved less than three weeks later…so has only taken around a month!!! First contacted embassy late December 2012; they contacted me within a week to arrange my first interview which took place in early March with my actual renunciation a week later. So the whole process has only taken me a mere three and a half months….I must be one the fastest ones!!
I know though that life will become much simpler going forward… I still have to wait till next year though to file my final F-bar, tax return and 8854 to officially log out. That will be when I’m finally free.
I feel a mixture of relief and sadness so it’s a bittersweet feeling. Life will get easier though I feel resentful that I’ve had to give up my birthright to lead a normal life. I feel that they just think we’re a bunch of whiners so are callous to all the collateral damage they’re causing.
As people will know, I have been so frightened and worries through this whole process. However, I give thanks to God that I am going to be a survivor, though with lifelong scarring from the trauma. I hope others like me can enjoy a similar result.
Congratulations Mona Lisa!
Wow – that was really quick indeed. I know the entire situation is causing you considerable distress, so I’m really happy for you. Enjoy your freedom. 🙂
God Bless you both with many thanks for your kind wishes; and, again, so grateful to Isaac Brock for all your continuing support!!!
@authentic Congratulations! I am considering relinquishing because I worked for the federal government many years ago. I am wondering what you used as proof that you worked for the government.
@Mona Lisa, This is a red letter day! I am so happy for you! I knew your CLN would come, of course, but there’s something about the concrete certainty of actually holding it in your hand … I’m sure you feel a real sense of relief! It must be the fastest (or tied for the fastest) and I know you’ve had a lot of problems and worries with this situation, so I’m really really happy it came so fast!
@ Mona Lisa
Congrats on your CLN!
For the benefit of others looking at London, their process has changed. Previously they had a phone interview followed by an embassy visit. They now have an “informal renunciation acknowledgement” which asks you to answer yes/no to a page full of questions about the consequences of renunciation. Once you fill that in and send it to them, you go to the waiting list for an embassy appointment. The waiting list is about 2 months, or double the waiting list compared to this time last year.
Amongst the questions on the “informal renunciation acknowledgement” is this gem: Do you understand that if the Attorney General determines that your renunciation was motivated by tax avoidance purposes you may be found excludable from the United States?
Again, Thanks everyone!! I am indeed hugely relieved but will still not be completely off the hook till all my statutes of limitations have finally run. I am at a higher than average risk of being audited because I, rather unusually, wound up owing substantial taxes because of how I’d invested. But at least I know that my tax preparer can represent me and argue reasonable cause if there are any disagreements because she is quite confident in dealing with the IRS. In spite of the huge fees, I feel much safer with her expertice and realize that after next year, I will Hopefully be finally released from all this. My Sols for the IRS will close sometime in 2017 while for F-bar, July 2020. But would have thought that I’d be through the danger period within two or certainly three years. Still a long time but not THAT long.
I will also hopefully get a decent refund by spring 2015; once that final check is cashed, will probably close my U.S. account so that I will no longer have any low hanging fruit!
@monalisa1776
Congratulations – I am a new here as I just recently discovered I had to file US tax returns – I suspect there are many EU persons with problems similar to Canadians, but most are probably just as ignorant as I was -especially those of us that are not part of US expat circles since we are totally integrated in our EU life and languages. Thank you so much for your input here on IBS – the whole nightmare is an ongoing process and it is important to let newbies know that others have moved on. I always said that if I hadn’t ended up in the EU I would have moved to Canada – which I have visited several times.
@Allou, I am now actually quite optimistic that things will work out OK but two years ago, when I first realised the what was potentially at stake, I was desperately frightened that I’d be completely wiped out by fines and legal costs. Like yourself, I’d moved abroad as a young woman and was still just a student.
Where I differed from most here is that I’d already been filing but, as a DIY filer and investor, had been oblivious to all the anomalous tax treatment on non-U.S. mutual funds and personal pension plans so wound up having to file delinquent f-bars and amend several years’ tax returns showing all my U.K. tax-free investment income and gains.
In fact 90% of my double taxation had been from phantom gains in mutual funds I hadn’t even sold, plus were in what to the U.K. are tax-free investment vehicles. I owed a five figure sum so was terrified I’d be thought of as a tax evader, especially as the U.S. is desperate for inflows now. I was desperate not to funneled into O.V.D.I. because all the taxes, accounting and legal fees, plus the miscellaneous F-bar penalty would bankrupted me. I was bewildered with how I’d unwittingly created such a monster of a problem when being completely legally compliant in my country of residence.
Anyhow, I feel that I’ve been so very lucky because I’m aware that my case might have appeared muckier due to the omissions in my earlier returns but had genuinely thought for expediency sake that I only had to declare my passive income to the U.K..
I feel that to not have known you had to file might sound more believable then to have been filing but incompletely. Though income ways, I suppose the non-filer is actually in a more vulnerable position because they will have open statutes of limitation for All years whereas my past returns will at worst have a six year statute of limitations. Thankfully my accountant believed I’d filed in good faith, taking reasonable due diligence and care. The bloody forms are so obscure for PFICs and foreign pension plans…I don’t even think that Pub. 54 adequately addresses these issues.
It’s why I’ve concluded that anyone with any sort of investment or private pension plan needs to rely on a specialist tax preparer, as the stakes are too high if you don’t include all the required forms. My accountant is essentially a negotiator on my behalf. The system is set up whereby you need professionals but it’s caveat emptor out there!!