Is it possible to be a citizen of two countries?
As a matter of policy, the United States does not favor dual citizenship, but in some cases dual citizenship is recognized. For example, individuals who are dual citizens from birth or childhood will ordinarily keep their US citizen status for life.
It is much more difficult for immigrants who go through US naturalization to obtain US citizenship and keep their original citizenship status in the country they arrive from. Naturalization to the United States requires individuals to renounce their old citizenship under oath.
If a US citizen lives in another country indefinitely, does that person lose US citizenship?
Not anymore. The laws that would cause a naturalized US citizen to lose citizenship status by living in a foreign country for extended periods were repealed by the United State Congress in 1978 and 1994.
I've heard of people who became US citizens via naturalization but then claim they still have their old citizenship too. How is this possible?
This could be true in a number of different situations. For example, a child who is naturalized with his or her parents doesn't take the oath renouncing citizenship in the original country, and is thus a dual citizen. Another example would include naturalized citizens from countries that do not recognize the renunciation of prior citizenship. Essentially, such persons are still considered citizens of the original country, as well as naturalized citizens in the United States.
Is it possible to lose my US citizenship if I seek dual citizenship with another country?
The United States may refuse to recognize the U.S. citizenship of individuals whose statements and actions indicate that their US citizenship was voluntarily renounced. However, where a U.S. citizen naturalizes in another country, the U.S. State Department will presume that such person intends to keep his or her citizenship in the United States, even if the individual subscribes to "routine" declarations of allegiance to the foreign state or accepts non-policy level employment with a foreign government, unless the person affirmatively asserts in a questionnaire administered to him or her by a consular officer that he or she intends to relinquish U.S. citizenship. But the presumption that someone intends to keep US citizenship does not apply to a person who takes a policy-level position in a foreign country, or who is convicted of treason against the US; or engages in conduct which is so inconsistent with the retention of U.S. citizenship that it compels a conclusion that such person intended to relinquish U.S. citizenship.
