I'm officially a KIWI

[mylittledemon]

The New Zealand immigration office has officially approved my permanent residency!

[EnchantedKiwi]

Woooo!


Your now part of a very elite group of people

Congrats!!

[Erin]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

The New Zealand immigration office has officially approved my permanent residency!

Your first official act as a Kiwi will be to destroy some pesky ring I keep hearing about.

Are you going for actual citizenship? I'm always curious about these things as the United States doesn't recognize dual citizenship.

[jenniferuk]

Good for you! I've been there as far as paperwork and waiting games and know what a relief it is to finally reach the target.

I've the same question as Erin: will you apply for citizenship? I'm not sure of the Kiwi process.

The US doesn't encourage dual citizenship but allows it and allows dual passports--I am a dualie as are my husband and children and several friends You'll never lose your US citizenship unless you attend a hearing to renounce it. It's worth looking into--esp if you plan to stay there for awhile.

[chiliD]

Now you can be the "third Conchord"!!!

[Erin]

Originally Posted by jenniferuk

Good for you! I've been there as far as paperwork and waiting games and know what a relief it is to finally reach the target.

I've the same question as Erin: will you apply for citizenship? I'm not sure of the Kiwi process.

The US doesn't encourage dual citizenship but allows it and allows dual passports--I am a dualie as are my husband and children and several friends You'll never lose your US citizenship unless you attend a hearing to renounce it. It's worth looking into--esp if you plan to stay there for awhile.

Right, I know they allow it but don't they not recognize it? What I mean is to the United States you are an American citizen and that's it, i.e. your UK citizenship theoretically doesn't exist to the U.S. now that you are a citizen here or something like that?

Or conversely if Brandon becomes a New Zealand citizen the U.S. will still consider him a U.S. citizen regardless of the Kiwi citizenship?

I thought there was some law like that in effect, but I could just be talking out of my a**, since I've never had to deal with any of this!

[Musicman408]

That's exciting!! Congrats!!

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by Erin

Are you going for actual citizenship? I'm always curious about these things as the United States doesn't recognize dual citizenship.

Erin,

From what the Immigration office told me here, that is incorrect. The US discourages dual citizenship because you are then bound by the laws of two (or more) governments. I will be going for citizenship, but I have to be here for another 4 years.

[jenniferuk]

Originally Posted by Erin

Right, I know they allow it but don't they not recognize it? What I mean is to the United States you are an American citizen and that's it, i.e. your UK citizenship theoretically doesn't exist to the U.S. now that you are a citizen here or something like that?

Or conversely if Brandon becomes a New Zealand citizen the U.S. will still consider him a U.S. citizen regardless of the Kiwi citizenship?

I thought there was some law like that in effect, but I could just be talking out of my a**, since I've never had to deal with any of this!

That's essentially correct but there isn't any law--no country really likes to acknowledge or recognise it but it's allowed (it used to be that it wasn't allowed but that was overturned some time ago). When Brandon becomes a NZ citizen the US government won't care--to the US gov he is American and always will be (unless he renounces). To the Kiwi's he'll be a Kiwi.

To the US, I am an American and to the UK/EU I am British/an EU citizen. I have to use my US passport when entering or leaving the US and use my UK passport when entering or leaving the EU: both countries insist upon that. I can vote in both countries, etc. However, my UK citizenship means nothing to the US and my US citizenship means nothing to the UK.

My husband is dual Aussie / British as he was born in Australia to British parents. He may apply for US citizenship next year if we end up staying here.

There are some cases in which dual citizenship can be a problem: certain Gov jobs will not give full security clearance if one is a dual, and becoming a US citizen brings a lifetime of filing US tax returns (even if you leave the US). There are lots of positives though, namely being able to move country without visas, work permits, etc.

[Erin]

Thanks! This is interesting. Note to self stick with one citizenship.

[chiliD]

Yep, a friend of mine was born in Panama (to US parents), so he has dual citizenship to both US & Panama. In all the years I've known him, I don't know of a time that he's ever "used" his Panamanian citizenship for any reason.

[iamnotafraid]

You Kiwi.

(never said those two words together before)

[mylittledemon]

Glad I could set that up for ya'

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by EnchantedKiwi

Your now part of a very elite group of people

Thanks Cheyne~! We're gonna have that pint one o' these days!