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Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by unwind on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @08:45AM (#1690315)
A quick check of Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_nationality_law#Dual_ci...) seems to indicate that he's still a Finn, since Finland permits dual citizenship.

The USA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_nationality_law#D...) seems to permit it, too.

Of course I can't know if Mr Torvalds has done anything in particular to only be a US citizen, but at least that doesn't seem to be the default.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by forinti on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:17AM (#1690621)
But don't you have to renounce all other allegiances?

Uruguayan law says that even if you renounce your uruguayan citizenship, you still keep it. I think this was put in place exactly because lots of Uruguayans were leaving for the USA (lots of Uruguayans is something like 50).

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by portman on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:27AM (#1690651)
I'm a dual citizen of the UK and US.

Among my close friends, I know Canadian, Israeli, and Australian dual-citizens.

I've never heard of having to "renounce all other allegiances". (Note: it's entirely possible that there is some obscure method of obtaining US citizenship that requires it; but that's not the norm.)

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by logic on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @11:16AM (#1690839)
I'm a dual Canadian/U.S. citizen, although I was born so in both countries (born to American parents on Canadian soil). I've never once had to worry about this whole renunciation thing.

Additionally, my brother became a Canadian citizen (born U.S.), and again had no problems; Canada didn't care about his U.S. citizenship, and the U.S. doesn't care about his Canadian citizenship. He could officially renounce his U.S. citizenship by walking into a consulate and doing so, but there's no up-side to it.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by eru on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @12:14PM (#1691072)
There may be some upside to renounce a citizenship to do with avoiding extradition. But unless you plan to get involved in criminal investigations, it's probably not worth it.

If America would get a draft again, could a dual citizen be drafted?

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by logic on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @12:35PM (#1691175)
Yes; as far as the U.S. is concerned, you're a citizen, with the same rights and responsibilities as any other. If there's a draft, you'll be called upon.

If that were to happen, there would definitely be an upside to renunciation. ;-)

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by DougBTX on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @01:34PM (#1691428)
Just watch out for when both sides call a draft.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by kijinbear on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @01:55PM (#1691528)
And worse, go to war with each other. It happened back in 1812 you know...
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by lukeqsee on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @08:33PM (#1692849)
Then you are a double-agent -- for both sides.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by eru on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @08:20PM (#1692815)
This is a problem for Turkish man living in Germany with dual citizenship.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by kiuyhjk on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:55AM (#1690757)
Some countries don't allow dual citizenship. My German friends had to renounce their German citizenship when they became Americans (again for the green card). It made it very tricky tax-wise when their parents died and they suddenly became foreigners (to Germany) owning a lot of German assets.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by sasvari on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @11:02AM (#1690797)
as far as I know, it's possible to apply for keeping your German citizenship when gaining the one of another country. you have to justify it with family relations or something like that. at least it's possible, but I don't know about the trouble you have with that ...
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by trevi on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @11:41AM (#1690933)
Indeed. You also keep your German or Austrian citizenship if you did not apply for the other citizenship (e.g. if someone was born from German parents in Australia).

In general different countries have (very) different sets of rules, see e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_citizenship

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by dagw on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @04:46PM (#1692245)
If you're born a dual Citizen then it's not a problem. If on the other hand a non-US citizen applies to become a US-citizen then they will be asked to "renounce all other allegiances". However depending on what your other "allegiances" are the US will not bother too much about following up on it.

Also if you volunteer (as opposed to being conscripted) for military duty in your non-US nations then the US can kick up a fuss.

But basically if you're a dual citizen with a nation friendly to the US then you really have nothing to worry about.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by sbalea on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @12:40PM (#1691197)
I went through the naturalization process, most likely the same process that Linus Torvalds went through. When you take your Oath of Allegiance, you swear to renounce all foreign affiliations. However, the US government does not check that you actually go through with that formally. Since many countries do not revoke your citizenship upon you acquiring another, most naturalized people do hold dual citizenships.

As far as I know, Uncle Sam only gets pissed when you acquire another citizenship after you are already an American (either by birth or by naturalization). Even so, there are provisions in the law that account for the situation when a second citizenship is bestowed upon you without you actively requesting it (some countries do that automatically when you marry one of their citizens)

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by halostatue on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @12:56PM (#1691257)
Actually, Uncle Same doesn't care if you acquire a second citizenship. I'm American by birth and Canadian by naturalization, and I have responsibilities to both countries, but neither really cares that I'm a citizen of the other.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by compay on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:26AM (#1690648)
No, the USA does not require that.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by trustfundbaby on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:35AM (#1690685)
yes it does ... verbally ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Allegiance_%28United_St...

But it doesn't mean that you actually renounce citizenship of your home country.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by xpaulbettsx on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @12:20PM (#1691093)
It does actually, but many countries such as Canada do not recognize it - they have their own process to renounce Canadian citizenship, and since you didn't follow it, you're still a citizen.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by pbhjpbhj on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @03:44PM (#1691993)
>But it doesn't mean that you actually renounce citizenship of your home country.

Well from the linked Wikipedia page it does mean that you actually renounce citizenship. It's pretty clear in having you state that is the case. If you actually don't then you are lying.

>"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;

For example if your former country required you to submit a form renouncing citizenship / sovereignty then taking the Oath and not having done that seems a highly dishonourable thing to do (ie IMO you're lying).

From that Oath (granted my first viewing of it in full) it seems that no truthful person could become a citizen of both America and some other place unless they were American first and no longer made that Oath on any occasion.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by nkassis on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @09:37AM (#1690463)
That's interesting. I've heard that dual citizenship wasn't exactly liked by the US government. I was under the impression that US citizens that move to other countries had to renounce their US citizenship before becoming citizen of the other country.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by vessenes on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @09:39AM (#1690470)
That might be so, but you're definitely not required to drop your citizenship elsewhere if you become a citizen here: the US just wants to be your 'number one' squeeze, as it were.

Also, the US really hates it when you change your nationality for tax purposes. That is, when you change it AWAY from the US for tax purposes.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by statictype on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @11:06AM (#1690811)
Not true. You can hold US Citizenship and gain citizenship of other countries as well. The question is whether the other country will allow you to keep your US citizenship or not.

For example, I believe Singapore requires you to renounce any other citizenship you have if you are eligible to become a Singaporean.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by ojbyrne on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @09:47AM (#1690504)
http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html#noway

Struck down by the courts a very long time ago.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by kevindication on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:00AM (#1690558)
Right, you can still do it but there can be some awkward consequences.

This is highly unlikely, but for instance if you're eligible for a draft, and both countries draft you, one of them is not going to be happy with your response.

There are probably some more likely scenarios where your obligations to one of your nations are in conflict with the other.

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by duke_sam on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:10AM (#1690592)
It also has security clearance implications. Also if he moves back to Finland but remains a US citizen won't the IRS still be able to go after him for tax?
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by tokenadult on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:18AM (#1690625)
Yes, United States citizens are liable for taxation on their worldwide income (unless there is a tax treaty between the United States and the other country in question).
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by volkadav on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:50AM (#1690743)
Only over some threshold (iirc, though it has been some time, around 80k USD equivalent). So maybe yes for someone with a comparatively high income, but not so much a worry for a reasonably large segment of the population. Naturally if this happens to apply to anyone reading I would urge consulting a professional for current advice. ;)
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by ojbyrne on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @11:57AM (#1691000)
The US has tax treaties with most developed countries, including Finland.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by dtegart on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @05:03PM (#1692310)
You still need to file tax returns, even if you are under the limit to prove that you owe no tax.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by tokenadult on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:17AM (#1690622)
Read that more carefully: "The Supreme Court chose to leave in place the requirement that new citizens must renounce their old citizenship during US naturalization." Presumably, Linus was naturalized, rather than having a claim to United States citizenship from birth.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by ojbyrne on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:47AM (#1690730)
I did read it more carefully. The next sentence says essentially says that that has no effect (in the vast majority of cases), because other countries don't recognize it as renouncing citizenship. It's essentially ceremonial.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by russell_h on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:28AM (#1690659)
Be that as it may, dual citizenship is definitely allowed, and not at all uncommon in the U.S., especially among European immigrants from what I've seen.
Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by billmcneale on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @10:17PM (#1693066)
> I've heard that dual citizenship wasn't exactly liked by the US government. I was under the impression that US citizens that move to other countries had to renounce their US citizenship before becoming citizen of the other country.

Definitely not true, or at least not mandated by the US (the other country might require it, though).

Re:Linus Torvalds became US citizen by kloncks on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @09:44PM (#1693002)
That totally depends on the country. I'm a dual citizen of the United States and Egypt.

Most countries allow dual citizens. Also, I do know that some people have triple citizenships.