Citizenship and dual nationality

United States Citizenship

Those who are born in the United States are issued automatic U.S. citizenship. Due to a misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment, those born to illegal alien parents are also issued United States citizenship.1

Foreign nationals - aliens - can also apply for U.S. citizenship via the process of naturalization.2

Dual citizenship / dual nationality

A person is considered a dual national when he or she owes allegiance to more than one country simultaneously. A dual national may, while in the jurisdiction of either country that considers that person its national, be subject to all of its laws. However, there is no internationally agreed upon principle governing dual citizenship.3

Although U.S. naturalization requires that a foreigner renounce foreign citizenship,3 other countries such as Mexico ignore such renunciation and consider the naturalized U.S. citizen a citizen of both countries. In practice, the Oath of Citizenship is even disregarded by the U.S. Government. Indeed, the United States Consulate states that "Being a dual national and carrying the passport of two countries is perfectly legal. Under U.S. law, naturalizing as a citizen of a foreign state will not in and of itself cause you to lose your U.S. citizenship."4

The Mexican Constitution declares that Mexicans by birth include individuals born abroad if one or both of their parents was a Mexican national.5,6 In 1997, the Mexican Constitution was amended to allow any Mexican who obtains another nationality to retain his or her Mexican nationality.7

The following countries allow dual citizenship after U.S. naturalization:8

Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Antigua
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Botswana
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cote D'Ivoire
Croatia
Cyprus
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
France
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Hungary
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel Jamaica
Kiribati
Latvia
Lesotho
Libya
Liechtenstein Maldives
Mali
Mexico
New Zealand
Nigeria
Morocco
Namibia
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Romania
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
Slovenia
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
United Kingdom
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen

More information

1. Anchor babies, birthright citizenship, and the 14th Amendment. Also see 14thAmendment.us.

2. A Guide to Naturalization, U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Services.

3. Dual Nationality, Federation for American Immigration Reform.

A person is considered a dual national when he or she owes allegiance to more than one country at the same time. A claim to allegiance may be based on facts of birth, marriage, parentage, or naturalization. A dual national may, while in the jurisdiction of either country that considers that person its national, be subject to all of its laws, including being conscripted for military service. There is no internationally agreed upon principle governing dual citizenship. Each country is free to determine how it will treat an individual who is a national of both that country and of another.

According to the State Department, dual citizenship remains more tolerated than explicitly accepted by the U.S. government, and by many other countries...

The State Department then notes that: "[w]hile recognizing the existence of dual nationality and permitting Americans to have other nationalities, the U.S. government does not endorse dual nationality as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries upon dual-national U.S. citizens often place them in situations where obligations to one country are in conflict with the laws of the other...

By allowing Mexicans in the United States to remain Mexicans if they become Americans, the Mexican government would be attempting to maintain the allegiance of a huge voting bloc in U.S. elections especially at the state and local level where immigrant populations are concentrated. It would also encourage even more migration north by those who might otherwise be reluctant to sever ties south of the border and build constituencies in the U.S. for other political issues in which Mexico takes interest...

The Oath of Citizenship:

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

4. Dual Nationality, Consulate General of the United States, Guadalajara, Mexico:

"Being a dual national and carrying the passport of two countries is perfectly legal. Under U.S. law, naturalizing as a citizen of a foreign state will not in and of itself cause you to lose your U.S. citizenship. General information about dual nationality is available on the Department of State website Dual Nationality section."

5. Mexican nationality law, Wikipedia.

6. Mexico: Dual Nationality, Politics, Migration News, U.C. Davis, March 2000.

"Beginning March 20, 1998, changes in Mexico's nationality laws took effect. Henceforth, Mexican citizens who naturalize in the US or elsewhere will generally retain Mexican nationality. Mexicans who had already naturalized abroad before March 20, 1998 could re-acquire rights as Mexican nationals... Until March 1998, Mexicans who became naturalized US citizens lost their Mexican nationality. This is no longer the case: Mexican-born people as well as their children born abroad can maintain their Mexican ties if they wish..."

7. Former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo at the National Council of La Raza (The Race) Soiree, Chicago on July 23, 1997. (Watch video.) Zedillo stated:

I have proudly affirmed that the Mexican nation extends beyond the territory enclosed by its borders and that Mexican migrants are an important - a very important - part of it. For that reason, my government proposed a constitutional amendment to allow any Mexican with the right and the desire to acquire another nationality to do so without being forced to first give up his or her Mexican nationality. Fortunately, the amendment was passed almost unanimously by our present congress, and is now part of our constitution."

8. Dual Citizenship, City University of New York. Includes full list of countries allowing and not allowing dual citizenship after U.S. naturalization.

9. Memo From Mexico | Mexico's Nationality / Citizenship Shell Game, Alan Wall, VDare, 2003.

10. Remittances - a massive transfer of wealth out of America.

11. Zogby America Poll, June 6, 2002.

Part II. Mexico Poll

Zogby International conducted interviews of 801 adults chosen at random throughout Mexico, from Friday, May 25 to Saturday, May26, 2002. Slight weights were applied to age and education to more accurately reflect the population. The survey has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.5%. Margins of error are higher among sub-groups.

POLL QUESTIONS

Do you agree or disagree that the territory of the United States' Southwest rightfully belongs to Mexico?

Agree 58%
Disagree 28%
Not sure/Don't know 14%

By two to one, more Mexican respondents agree (58%) than disagree (28%) that the territory of the United States' Southwest rightfully belongs to Mexico. One in seven (14%) is not sure.

Do you agree or disagree that Mexicans should have the right to enter the U.S. without U.S. permission?

Agree 57%
Disagree 35%
Not sure/Don't know 7