Renunciation and Relinquishment of United States Citizenship: Discussion thread (Ask your questions) Part Two
Ask your questions about Renunciation and Relinquishment of United States Citizenship and Certificates of Loss of Nationality.
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NB: This discussion is a continuation of an older discussion that became too large for our software to handle well. See Renunciation and Relinquishment of United States Citizenship: Discussion thread (Ask your questions) Part One
Youmight be flagged at the border <I if you had been charged or convicted of a crime. Since you have done everything in your power to comply, there is no chance of that and hence no border crossing problem.
You have calmed me Duke of Devon, as before. You’re an angel.
And Bubblebustin I fell into this mess in 2012 when Voluntary Disclosure was the subject and I decided to be forthcoming and be proactive and do FBARs. The opinions were all over the place on that. I did not become a citizen till 2013 and relinquished in 2014. Yes, I should have kept my head in the sand, I guess, but this is a journey with knowledge coming in bits and pieces (mainly through IBS). Shoulda, coulda, woulda….Like waiting for Streamline??? Hello. My accountant says they are having no problems. Again, I don’t know what I would have done without all of you. Calgary 411 too.
Today is a red-letter day – 41 years after taking my oath of Canadian citizenship, I had my appointment at the Montreal consulate and had my previous relinquishment acknowledged and the CLN is in the works (dated September 1974). I’ll write up a note for the Consulate report, but the highlights are that I had a letter from the Consul General written in 1974 stating I would automatically lose my US citizenship when I became a Canadian. The woman at the consulate today started the conversation with me by saying “so you thought you did this 40 years ago” – she absolutely “got it” – all I wanted was the CLN to acknowledge what I did in 1974.
A very big thank you to everyone on IBS – your information and support was invaluable. Now, I’ll have that glass of wine and say, I’m free at last.
Congratulations, Proud Canadian! So glad that you got this wrapped up — as there was such delay to get an appointment — and also that everything went smoothly.
Re: “all I wanted was the CLN to acknowledge what I did in 1974”
On a personal note, sounds like my motivation, which was primarily that a CLN would make the reality of my life as unambiguous as possible (to a third party, if needed – I of course knew the reality) and also a sense of “Hey, US, I was right all along and I made you admit it.”
@Swanee, re;
“..Shoulda, coulda, woulda..”
You’re not alone in having had trouble reading the murky crystal ball and tea leaves in order to see the future and choose a path through the quicksand back then.
If only all of us had known then what we know now. Would have saved many of us money, fear, sleep, and peace of mind.
That needless pain and suffering is what keeps us fuelling this pushback re FATCA and US extraterritorial CBT. To help others avoid what we endured. And to send a message to the Canadian government Cons who sold us down the river, and to the US who claimed it owned us – only in order to more severely abuse us from afar.
Very satisfying to be part of this group of people who have refused to surrender and cede all our rights and sovereignty without a fight.
Though I relinquished and I am done with the US forever, I will never ever forgive or forget what has been done to myself and to other law-abiding ordinary people outside the US in the name of US CBT, FATCA and FBAR – at the hands of the US – and now, with the collusion of, and betrayal by our local government.
Congratulations @Proud Canadian! Another one has made it across the river safely with a CLN to come. Thank goodness you had that letter! Lucky are those who can produce that kind of proof.
Sad though that all those years later it was necessary to go through all this in order to prove what you already had proof of, and sad that it will now cost 2350. USD in order to have expatriations officially attested to via a CLN despite people having actually relinquished years ago as you did.
I’m re-posting this under my IBS ‘name’…in my enthusiasm yesterday I used my own name…
Today is a red-letter day – 41 years after taking my oath of Canadian citizenship, I had my appointment at the Montreal consulate and had my previous relinquishment acknowledged and the CLN is in the works (dated September 1974). I’ll write up a note for the Consulate report, but the highlights are that I had a letter from the Consul General written in 1974 stating I would automatically lose my US citizenship when I became a Canadian. The woman at the consulate today started the conversation with me by saying “so you thought you did this 40 years ago” – she absolutely “got it” – all I wanted was the CLN to acknowledge what I did in 1974.
A very big thank you to everyone on IBS – your information and support was invaluable. Now, I’ll have that glass of wine and say, I’m free at last.
@Proud Canadian,
Congratulations! Yes, sit back and have that glass of wine and be patient for the CLN (it takes months – – let us know when it arrives).
Proud Canadian,
Sincere congratulations and thanks for reporting your good news. (I think I have reverted all references to your name back to *Proud Canadian*, a particularly good handle for you today.)
Thanks @calgary411
@ Proud Canadian: Congratulations! So happy to hear that you are now “officially” free. I’m looking forward to taking my first free breath….
Heads up for those booked soon, booking soon, or awaiting a CLN. Possible government shutdown Oct. 1. IIRC the last one was 16 days.
After 7 months, I still hope to find my CLN every time a I check the mail box even though I it tshould be delivered to my front door.
I, too, started checking the mailbox every day with a racing heart after about 7 months, even though I told myself to expect 10 months. In the end, it was 16 months. Relinquishments based on foreign naturalization are typically much faster.
Mine is a straight forward renunciation. There’s nothing for them to decide really.
Ah, OK, that is usually the fastest of all. Seven months seems long so maybe it will indeed arrive any day now! 😉
Hi there,
I have a question about entry into the USA. I got a new job and have to go there for 3 days of training.
I was born in the USA to Can parents and moved to Canada at 1 years of age in the early 70’s.
I have only been to the USA a handful of times since to visit/shop – nothing recent. I only have a Canadian Passport but it lists my US place of birth. I was not aware of any of this stuff until a couple of days ago as I see myself as a Canadian only.
Will I have any issues getting on the flight?
James,
We can’t answer that question. You won’t know the clear answer until you make your travel reservation.
There are reports of that very thing being a problem for travel into the US.
Your facts are the same as the two plaintiffs in the Canadian litigation, http://www.adcs-adsc.ca/, except that you are choosing to work in the US, and thus now just realize the consequences of US place of birth in US law (US has citizenship-based taxation VS Canada has residence-based taxation).
Someone here may have a better answer for you. Could you report the answer to the question you ask here — to inform others like you as they find out what is happening? I wish you good luck.
Only a tiny few people have had problems . Most notably Boris Johnson.
The border guy may tell you you should have a US passport. However she won’t prevent you from boarding. Reply ‘ thanks for this information, I wasn’t aware.’ Think long and hard before applying for a U.S. passport. There are lots of miserable unintended consequences.
You won’t know the answer until you go through customs and immigration. Of the thousands of border crossings in our situation, only a handful have had problems. We have been crossing the border with a Canadian pasport and U.S. PoB several times a year for 35 yrs with no problems. Think about the purpose of your visit. If you say you are going there to work you probably won’t be allowed in. Make sure you can document that it is training only.
@James
It’s not likely you’ll encounter any problems, but that’s no guarantee. There are incidences where people like you have been told by border guards that you are required to get a U.S. passport, and have even been denied entry (Boris Johnson’s case in point). Whatever you do, don’t do anything to establish US citizenship like get a passport until its been determined whether you may have relinquished US citizenship along ago! I assume your parents registered you as a Canadian when you moved here at one?
@Calgary411
James is only entering the U.S. for training – not work. It could get complicated, though if the border guard thinks he’s going there to work on a Canadian passport.
Perhaps this would help.
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/619/~/visiting-the-u.s.—documents-required-for-canadian-citizens-%2F-residents-%2F
The burden of proof that the Canadian citizen is not an intended immigrant (plans to make the U.S. their primary residence) is always on the applicant. There is no set period of time Canadians must wait to reenter the U.S. after the end of their stay, but if it appears to the CBP Officer that the person applying for entry is spending more time over-all in the U.S. than in Canada, it will be up to the traveler to prove to the officer that they are not de-facto U.S. residents. One of the ways to do this is demonstrate significant ties to their home country, including proof of employment, residency, etc.
@James I have been traveling to the US by both plane and car several times a year since 1974 when I became a Canadian. I never have problems when entering by car. I have been questioned when entering by plane, questions such as “do you know you’re probably still a US citizen?” Up until recently I would thank them for the info and promise to look into it. I haven’t been asked for about a year now, but had I been I was ready to say “I’m in the process of getting my CLN”; I actually didn’t request an appointment until recently, but in my mind, I was in process.
I think you may have more difficulty if you say you’re going to”work” in the States. There are rules about this and I have been questioned when I’ve gone on business. I would avoid the term “work” and position the training as if you’re going to a conference, I e. it just happens to take place in the States but you’re not working.
@James, your greatest problem might be with the airline. THEY might not let you board. Thats how Boris Johnsons problem all started….
@James “Will I have any issues getting on the flight?”
You have to be aware that it’s not just the border guards who can hassle you.
Boris Johnson was turned back by over-zealous airline staff, not the border guards.