Can any naturalized citizens share recent (past month or so) experiences with CBP arriving at Dulles?

[Anonymous]

If you have a US passport that's like 90% you'll be alright even with dual citizenship. Global entry prob 99.99% fine

I get it. I'm American born but Asian descent. If I were middle eastern from Palestine or Lebanon maybe I would just think the worst. Esp if I had dual citizenship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will be just fine with their US passports.

People are trying to have it both ways and use their foreign passport in the other country to avoid the line and then the US one to avoid the line back home.

Did I miss where OP's family had foreign passports. She only asked about naturalized citizens on a US passport.

I am a naturalized US citizen and travel with no issues. Naturalized doesn't mean dual citizen, which I point out incase some readers don't know.

[Anonymous]

Considering that Germany only allowed dual citizenship a year ago, I am wondering who these dual U.S. German citizens are and which laws they were breaking. German laws, I would presume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH came through on Monday night at Dulles no problem. He’s been a citizen for 10 years.

You can only enter the US as a US citizen with a US passport (so if you have dual citizenship and another passport coming back into the US CBP will only accept the US passport to get back in). So not sure why people are asking OP if her naturalized citizen DH has a US passport. If he doesn’t he can’t get back into the US, no matter who is president.

That is not true. If you have a German passport for example of course you could enter and don't need a visa. Plenty of other countries too. I wouldn't advise that especially if you have a US passport but it's simply not true that you can't enter the US with any other passport.

Let me repeat this again: if you are a US citizen AND also a citizen of another country, you must enter the US with a US passport. In your example, the person is a dual US/German citizen and let’s say that person goes to Germany; when that same person flies back to the US, they cannot present their German passport at Dulles to get back in. They just have their US passport with them and use the US passport at CBP to re-enter the US. if this person had simply been a German citizen and not a dual US citizen, then yes that person can use their German passport to enter.

My DH was born in a Western European country and is now a naturalized citizen of the US, and has 2 passports. When he was sworn in as a US citizen, the government immediately takes your green card and hands you a passport application form and clearly tells you that if you now are to leave the US you must have a US passport to re-enter now that you are a US citizen. I was there when my husband got sworn in and heard it myself.

This is actually not uncommon. My DH’s country of origins also requires him to use that country’s passport to enter (if he showed the US one it would scan I guess on their system that he is also a citizen of that country and needs that passport).

So you’re wrong. And it’s a really messy situation to get yourself in if you did this.

I'm not wrong. You just don't know how to express yourself. You should have said you can't travel on two different passports. Which is true and I wouldn't have disputed that. But you can enter the country on a non-us passport.

Seriously? GMAB. Posters asking OP if her husband has a US passport triggers the issue that he absolutely has to have one as a US citizen to enter the US. I was very clear. But you misread, that’s on you. Cheer up. Hope your day gets better and you aren’t so grouchy.

She never asked if he should enter the US with another country's passport. You introduced that concept for no reason. You clarified what you meant later, which is fine, but you absolutely did not state correct facts the first time. You just tried to sound smart by introducing a concept that was not relevant to the discussion at all.

Give it a rest, the other lady was correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH came through on Monday night at Dulles no problem. He’s been a citizen for 10 years.

You can only enter the US as a US citizen with a US passport (so if you have dual citizenship and another passport coming back into the US CBP will only accept the US passport to get back in). So not sure why people are asking OP if her naturalized citizen DH has a US passport. If he doesn’t he can’t get back into the US, no matter who is president.

That is not true. If you have a German passport for example of course you could enter and don't need a visa. Plenty of other countries too. I wouldn't advise that especially if you have a US passport but it's simply not true that you can't enter the US with any other passport.

Let me repeat this again: if you are a US citizen AND also a citizen of another country, you must enter the US with a US passport. In your example, the person is a dual US/German citizen and let’s say that person goes to Germany; when that same person flies back to the US, they cannot present their German passport at Dulles to get back in. They just have their US passport with them and use the US passport at CBP to re-enter the US. if this person had simply been a German citizen and not a dual US citizen, then yes that person can use their German passport to enter.

My DH was born in a Western European country and is now a naturalized citizen of the US, and has 2 passports. When he was sworn in as a US citizen, the government immediately takes your green card and hands you a passport application form and clearly tells you that if you now are to leave the US you must have a US passport to re-enter now that you are a US citizen. I was there when my husband got sworn in and heard it myself.

This is actually not uncommon. My DH’s country of origins also requires him to use that country’s passport to enter (if he showed the US one it would scan I guess on their system that he is also a citizen of that country and needs that passport).

So you’re wrong. And it’s a really messy situation to get yourself in if you did this.

Yes, this is all true. My cousin is an American born dual citizen with a South American country and currently lives there. Her children were born there. When she tried to travel to the US to visit her parents without getting her kids American passports first, she had a huge problem at immigration as the US insisted that her children were de facto US citizens and thus needed US passports to enter.

This is their duty, and they were doing their jobs. If there is any reason to believe her children are U.S. citizens, they cannot use tourist visas to enter. This is the law and has been the law for decades. She needs to resolve the issue of whether her children are U.S. citizens. Only if they are determined not to be can they apply for visas. CPB officers can see if they applied for citizenship and were refused and, hence, proceed accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH came through on Monday night at Dulles no problem. He’s been a citizen for 10 years.

You can only enter the US as a US citizen with a US passport (so if you have dual citizenship and another passport coming back into the US CBP will only accept the US passport to get back in). So not sure why people are asking OP if her naturalized citizen DH has a US passport. If he doesn’t he can’t get back into the US, no matter who is president.

That is not true. If you have a German passport for example of course you could enter and don't need a visa. Plenty of other countries too. I wouldn't advise that especially if you have a US passport but it's simply not true that you can't enter the US with any other passport.

Let me repeat this again: if you are a US citizen AND also a citizen of another country, you must enter the US with a US passport. In your example, the person is a dual US/German citizen and let’s say that person goes to Germany; when that same person flies back to the US, they cannot present their German passport at Dulles to get back in. They just have their US passport with them and use the US passport at CBP to re-enter the US. if this person had simply been a German citizen and not a dual US citizen, then yes that person can use their German passport to enter.

My DH was born in a Western European country and is now a naturalized citizen of the US, and has 2 passports. When he was sworn in as a US citizen, the government immediately takes your green card and hands you a passport application form and clearly tells you that if you now are to leave the US you must have a US passport to re-enter now that you are a US citizen. I was there when my husband got sworn in and heard it myself.

This is actually not uncommon. My DH’s country of origins also requires him to use that country’s passport to enter (if he showed the US one it would scan I guess on their system that he is also a citizen of that country and needs that passport).

So you’re wrong. And it’s a really messy situation to get yourself in if you did this.

Yes, this is all true. My cousin is an American born dual citizen with a South American country and currently lives there. Her children were born there. When she tried to travel to the US to visit her parents without getting her kids American passports first, she had a huge problem at immigration as the US insisted that her children were de facto US citizens and thus needed US passports to enter.

Just to add, you wrote without getting them U.S. passports first, which means that they are U.S. citizens and therefore qualify for U.S. passports. This is advertized on travel.state.gov and your cousin knew it. Let's don't act like she and her kids were victims, they were the rule breakers and CBP followed the law.
Requirements for U.S. Citizens Holding Dual Nationality

While the United States allows for dual (or multiple) nationality, there are some requirements that U.S.-citizen dual nationals must follow, regardless of whether they hold another nationality:

You must enter and leave the United States on your U.S. passport. You are not allowed to enter on your foreign passport, because U.S. law requires all U.S. citizens to enter and depart the U.S. on a valid U.S. passport. U.S. citizens are not eligible for a U.S. visa.
If your child is a U.S. citizen, they are not eligible for a U.S. visa. This is true even if you have not taken steps to document them as a U.S. citizen. If you want to enter or depart the United States with your child who is a U.S. citizen, you must obtain a U.S. passport for your child.
You may need to file your U.S. tax returns, even if you do not owe any taxes. Your worldwide income is subject to U.S. taxation. You may also need to file a tax return in the State where you were last resident. You may want to consult a tax advisor experienced in dual-national filings.

[Anonymous]

China does not allow dual citizenship. If you are born in China, you will need to provide us with your Chinese citizenship. Plenty try to game the system, but that is not easy, is it? If you are entering China and there is no stamp anywhere, and you have no U.S. or Canadian, etc, visa, how are you explaining where you are coming from and how did you enter your destination?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse is a dual citizen and only uses their US passport and let the other lapse decades ago. Stop trying to game the system just be a US citizen or not, it would be weird if your US passport wasn't stamped because you used your non US passport somewhere else.

See this doesn't actually work for some countries though. The country I'm from won't let me enter unless I have a current passport for that country because to them I can't renounce my citizenship to that country at all. It doesn't exist in their government for me to choose to not be a citizen of their country if I was born there. I can't use my American passport and apply for a visit to be a tourist there, it's simply not an option to them.

Why do people always think the rules that apply to their particular situation apply to the whole world?

You're absolutely right that some countries don't let you renounce citizenship or require you to enter using their passport—but let's be clear: that's not a global norm, and the list of countries that enforce that kind of policy is very specific.

We're talking about places like:
Iran
Russia
China
Venezuela
North Korea
Syria

These are authoritarian regimes or adversaries of the U.S., and frankly, if you're a U.S. citizen and traveling to any of them, I would hope that triggers some level of attention. Not only are they high-risk, but the U.S. State Department often has standing travel advisories warning against even going there.

So yes—if you're from one of those countries, your situation is unique and tightly restricted. But that’s not most people.

The rest of the world—Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, Australia, the UK, and dozens more—do not require you to use their passport, and many dual nationals use only their U.S. passport without any issue, especially if they haven’t lived abroad in decades.

So no, people aren’t assuming "their rules apply to the whole world"—they're just following what applies to the vast majority of dual citizens in democratic, allied nations. Your case is the exception, not the standard.

You are horrible. I'm a Chinese born American and took my 2 kids who have a Caucasian American father to see a beautiful country called China last summer. It's not a political thing, it's an educational one. I bet you don't even know how amazing in certain respects China is as a country and government. Not suggesting their govt is awesome but let's face it the US govt currently is not exactly on moral high ground nor does it have a great track record.

Exactly as a free Dem society, no US citizen should ever have toner about what countries they may want to visit on holiday. Without proof of shadiness, the US passport should ensure a certain amount of liberty in global travel.

The fact you could even suggest anyone who travels to some list of "enemy" states of IS is mortifying. There's a clear difference between a family who goes on vacation to see the world v some political person with ulterior motives traveling!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH came through on Monday night at Dulles no problem. He’s been a citizen for 10 years.

You can only enter the US as a US citizen with a US passport (so if you have dual citizenship and another passport coming back into the US CBP will only accept the US passport to get back in). So not sure why people are asking OP if her naturalized citizen DH has a US passport. If he doesn’t he can’t get back into the US, no matter who is president.

That is not true. If you have a German passport for example of course you could enter and don't need a visa. Plenty of other countries too. I wouldn't advise that especially if you have a US passport but it's simply not true that you can't enter the US with any other passport.

Let me repeat this again: if you are a US citizen AND also a citizen of another country, you must enter the US with a US passport. In your example, the person is a dual US/German citizen and let’s say that person goes to Germany; when that same person flies back to the US, they cannot present their German passport at Dulles to get back in. They just have their US passport with them and use the US passport at CBP to re-enter the US. if this person had simply been a German citizen and not a dual US citizen, then yes that person can use their German passport to enter.

My DH was born in a Western European country and is now a naturalized citizen of the US, and has 2 passports. When he was sworn in as a US citizen, the government immediately takes your green card and hands you a passport application form and clearly tells you that if you now are to leave the US you must have a US passport to re-enter now that you are a US citizen. I was there when my husband got sworn in and heard it myself.

This is actually not uncommon. My DH’s country of origins also requires him to use that country’s passport to enter (if he showed the US one it would scan I guess on their system that he is also a citizen of that country and needs that passport).

So you’re wrong. And it’s a really messy situation to get yourself in if you did this.

I'm not wrong. You just don't know how to express yourself. You should have said you can't travel on two different passports. Which is true and I wouldn't have disputed that. But you can enter the country on a non-us passport.

Seriously? GMAB. Posters asking OP if her husband has a US passport triggers the issue that he absolutely has to have one as a US citizen to enter the US. I was very clear. But you misread, that’s on you. Cheer up. Hope your day gets better and you aren’t so grouchy.

She never asked if he should enter the US with another country's passport. You introduced that concept for no reason. You clarified what you meant later, which is fine, but you absolutely did not state correct facts the first time. You just tried to sound smart by introducing a concept that was not relevant to the discussion at all.

Give it a rest, the other lady was correct.

Eventually 🙄🙄🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse is a dual citizen and only uses their US passport and let the other lapse decades ago. Stop trying to game the system just be a US citizen or not, it would be weird if your US passport wasn't stamped because you used your non US passport somewhere else.

See this doesn't actually work for some countries though. The country I'm from won't let me enter unless I have a current passport for that country because to them I can't renounce my citizenship to that country at all. It doesn't exist in their government for me to choose to not be a citizen of their country if I was born there. I can't use my American passport and apply for a visit to be a tourist there, it's simply not an option to them.

Why do people always think the rules that apply to their particular situation apply to the whole world?

You're absolutely right that some countries don't let you renounce citizenship or require you to enter using their passport—but let's be clear: that's not a global norm, and the list of countries that enforce that kind of policy is very specific.

We're talking about places like:
Iran
Russia
China
Venezuela
North Korea
Syria

These are authoritarian regimes or adversaries of the U.S., and frankly, if you're a U.S. citizen and traveling to any of them, I would hope that triggers some level of attention. Not only are they high-risk, but the U.S. State Department often has standing travel advisories warning against even going there.

So yes—if you're from one of those countries, your situation is unique and tightly restricted. But that’s not most people.

The rest of the world—Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, Australia, the UK, and dozens more—do not require you to use their passport, and many dual nationals use only their U.S. passport without any issue, especially if they haven’t lived abroad in decades.

So no, people aren’t assuming "their rules apply to the whole world"—they're just following what applies to the vast majority of dual citizens in democratic, allied nations. Your case is the exception, not the standard.

You are incorrect but appear to think you know more than you do. An Australian citizen must enter Australia on an Australian passport. Anybody entering on a non-Australian passport must have a travel authority or visa. Obviously you cannot apply for these if you are already an Australian citizen. But you’ll probably just say Australia is another exception, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse is a dual citizen and only uses their US passport and let the other lapse decades ago. Stop trying to game the system just be a US citizen or not, it would be weird if your US passport wasn't stamped because you used your non US passport somewhere else.

See this doesn't actually work for some countries though. The country I'm from won't let me enter unless I have a current passport for that country because to them I can't renounce my citizenship to that country at all. It doesn't exist in their government for me to choose to not be a citizen of their country if I was born there. I can't use my American passport and apply for a visit to be a tourist there, it's simply not an option to them.

Why do people always think the rules that apply to their particular situation apply to the whole world?

You're absolutely right that some countries don't let you renounce citizenship or require you to enter using their passport—but let's be clear: that's not a global norm, and the list of countries that enforce that kind of policy is very specific.

We're talking about places like:
Iran
Russia
China
Venezuela
North Korea
Syria

These are authoritarian regimes or adversaries of the U.S., and frankly, if you're a U.S. citizen and traveling to any of them, I would hope that triggers some level of attention. Not only are they high-risk, but the U.S. State Department often has standing travel advisories warning against even going there.

So yes—if you're from one of those countries, your situation is unique and tightly restricted. But that’s not most people.

The rest of the world—Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, Australia, the UK, and dozens more—do not require you to use their passport, and many dual nationals use only their U.S. passport without any issue, especially if they haven’t lived abroad in decades.

So no, people aren’t assuming "their rules apply to the whole world"—they're just following what applies to the vast majority of dual citizens in democratic, allied nations. Your case is the exception, not the standard.

You are incorrect but appear to think you know more than you do. An Australian citizen must enter Australia on an Australian passport. Anybody entering on a non-Australian passport must have a travel authority or visa. Obviously you cannot apply for these if you are already an Australian citizen. But you’ll probably just say Australia is another exception, right?

That’s true—Australia expects its citizens to enter using an Australian passport. But if you’re permanently living in the U.S., why would you bother claiming to be Australian unless you’re moving back or trying to be treated as one there?

You’re a U.S. citizen. You live in the U.S., you travel on your U.S. passport, and that’s entirely valid. There’s no need to maintain or use another nationality unless you’re actively engaging with that country—like living there, voting, or accessing citizen rights.

Unless you’re planning to re-establish yourself in Australia, you have no obligation to present yourself as Australian. Being born there doesn’t mean you’re required to keep that identity active forever. You’re American, and you have every right to just live—and travel—as such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse is a dual citizen and only uses their US passport and let the other lapse decades ago. Stop trying to game the system just be a US citizen or not, it would be weird if your US passport wasn't stamped because you used your non US passport somewhere else.

See this doesn't actually work for some countries though. The country I'm from won't let me enter unless I have a current passport for that country because to them I can't renounce my citizenship to that country at all. It doesn't exist in their government for me to choose to not be a citizen of their country if I was born there. I can't use my American passport and apply for a visit to be a tourist there, it's simply not an option to them.

Why do people always think the rules that apply to their particular situation apply to the whole world?

You're absolutely right that some countries don't let you renounce citizenship or require you to enter using their passport—but let's be clear: that's not a global norm, and the list of countries that enforce that kind of policy is very specific.

We're talking about places like:
Iran
Russia
China
Venezuela
North Korea
Syria

These are authoritarian regimes or adversaries of the U.S., and frankly, if you're a U.S. citizen and traveling to any of them, I would hope that triggers some level of attention. Not only are they high-risk, but the U.S. State Department often has standing travel advisories warning against even going there.

So yes—if you're from one of those countries, your situation is unique and tightly restricted. But that’s not most people.

The rest of the world—Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, Australia, the UK, and dozens more—do not require you to use their passport, and many dual nationals use only their U.S. passport without any issue, especially if they haven’t lived abroad in decades.

So no, people aren’t assuming "their rules apply to the whole world"—they're just following what applies to the vast majority of dual citizens in democratic, allied nations. Your case is the exception, not the standard.

You are horrible. I'm a Chinese born American and took my 2 kids who have a Caucasian American father to see a beautiful country called China last summer. It's not a political thing, it's an educational one. I bet you don't even know how amazing in certain respects China is as a country and government. Not suggesting their govt is awesome but let's face it the US govt currently is not exactly on moral high ground nor does it have a great track record.

Exactly as a free Dem society, no US citizen should ever have toner about what countries they may want to visit on holiday. Without proof of shadiness, the US passport should ensure a certain amount of liberty in global travel.

The fact you could even suggest anyone who travels to some list of "enemy" states of IS is mortifying. There's a clear difference between a family who goes on vacation to see the world v some political person with ulterior motives traveling!

You're free to take your kids anywhere, and yes, China has cultural and historical value. But let’s not pretend travel to authoritarian states is purely educational or apolitical—especially when the country in question refuses to recognize U.S. citizenship, monitors foreign visitors, and has a record of detaining dual nationals.

Comparing flaws in the U.S. to the Chinese government misses the point. In the U.S., you're free to criticize openly. In China, that same freedom doesn’t exist. That’s a fundamental difference, not a moral equivalency.

No one’s saying you can’t travel where you want—but if you’re holding onto Chinese citizenship while also being American, that raises serious questions. China doesn't allow dual citizenship. So why are you keeping it? You can enter China on a U.S. passport with a visa like everyone else. Or are you afraid they'd retaliate for becoming a U.S. citizen?

There’s nothing mortifying about pointing out the risks of maintaining legal ties to adversarial states. It’s not about assuming bad intentions—it’s about acknowledging reality and making smart, safe choices when dealing with regimes that don’t respect U.S. rights or sovereignty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will be just fine with their US passports.

People are trying to have it both ways and use their foreign passport in the other country to avoid the line and then the US one to avoid the line back home.

No. It's not gaming the system.

My DS was born in the US but also has Canadian citizenship because I was born in Canada. Now we live in Canada. We left the US when he was 1.5 years old.

I didn't bother maintaining his US passport because I didn't want to have to deal with keeping 2 passports active.

When crossing the US- Canada border, we've been told by CBP on US side that he should enter the US with a US passport, and enter Canada with his Canadian passport, *even though he/we no longer live in the US since he was 1.5 years old.

He has never been denied entry to the US because he can enter as a visitor from Canada without a visa, but there have been instances where the CBP agent will sternly remind us of this rule. I've told the agent that it didn't make sense to keep his US passport active since we haven't lived in the US since he was 1.5 years old but they're still expecting that he have a US passport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse is a dual citizen and only uses their US passport and let the other lapse decades ago. Stop trying to game the system just be a US citizen or not, it would be weird if your US passport wasn't stamped because you used your non US passport somewhere else.

See this doesn't actually work for some countries though. The country I'm from won't let me enter unless I have a current passport for that country because to them I can't renounce my citizenship to that country at all. It doesn't exist in their government for me to choose to not be a citizen of their country if I was born there. I can't use my American passport and apply for a visit to be a tourist there, it's simply not an option to them.

Why do people always think the rules that apply to their particular situation apply to the whole world?

You're absolutely right that some countries don't let you renounce citizenship or require you to enter using their passport—but let's be clear: that's not a global norm, and the list of countries that enforce that kind of policy is very specific.

We're talking about places like:
Iran
Russia
China
Venezuela
North Korea
Syria

These are authoritarian regimes or adversaries of the U.S., and frankly, if you're a U.S. citizen and traveling to any of them, I would hope that triggers some level of attention. Not only are they high-risk, but the U.S. State Department often has standing travel advisories warning against even going there.

So yes—if you're from one of those countries, your situation is unique and tightly restricted. But that’s not most people.

The rest of the world—Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, Australia, the UK, and dozens more—do not require you to use their passport, and many dual nationals use only their U.S. passport without any issue, especially if they haven’t lived abroad in decades.

So no, people aren’t assuming "their rules apply to the whole world"—they're just following what applies to the vast majority of dual citizens in democratic, allied nations. Your case is the exception, not the standard.

You are incorrect but appear to think you know more than you do. An Australian citizen must enter Australia on an Australian passport. Anybody entering on a non-Australian passport must have a travel authority or visa. Obviously you cannot apply for these if you are already an Australian citizen. But you’ll probably just say Australia is another exception, right?

That’s true—Australia expects its citizens to enter using an Australian passport. But if you’re permanently living in the U.S., why would you bother claiming to be Australian unless you’re moving back or trying to be treated as one there?

You’re a U.S. citizen. You live in the U.S., you travel on your U.S. passport, and that’s entirely valid. There’s no need to maintain or use another nationality unless you’re actively engaging with that country—like living there, voting, or accessing citizen rights.

Unless you’re planning to re-establish yourself in Australia, you have no obligation to present yourself as Australian. Being born there doesn’t mean you’re required to keep that identity active forever. You’re American, and you have every right to just live—and travel—as such.

Nothing to do with being born there. Australia doesn’t have birthright citizenship. Sure you can apply renounce Australian citizenship just like you can renounce US citizenship. There’s a legal process to do that. Until then, the law to be followed.

You seem to have a somewhat naive and black and white view of the world. You do realise that MILLIONS of people move back and forth between countries all the time? Maybe they moved to a different country as a child, married someone with a different nationality, studied in a different country and remained. Maybe they just want the option up move back if they choose. Maybe they want their children to have the choice to move there. All valid reasons. You don’t have to choose one lane in life and stay in it forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse is a dual citizen and only uses their US passport and let the other lapse decades ago. Stop trying to game the system just be a US citizen or not, it would be weird if your US passport wasn't stamped because you used your non US passport somewhere else.

See this doesn't actually work for some countries though. The country I'm from won't let me enter unless I have a current passport for that country because to them I can't renounce my citizenship to that country at all. It doesn't exist in their government for me to choose to not be a citizen of their country if I was born there. I can't use my American passport and apply for a visit to be a tourist there, it's simply not an option to them.

Why do people always think the rules that apply to their particular situation apply to the whole world?

You're absolutely right that some countries don't let you renounce citizenship or require you to enter using their passport—but let's be clear: that's not a global norm, and the list of countries that enforce that kind of policy is very specific.

We're talking about places like:
Iran
Russia
China
Venezuela
North Korea
Syria

These are authoritarian regimes or adversaries of the U.S., and frankly, if you're a U.S. citizen and traveling to any of them, I would hope that triggers some level of attention. Not only are they high-risk, but the U.S. State Department often has standing travel advisories warning against even going there.

So yes—if you're from one of those countries, your situation is unique and tightly restricted. But that’s not most people.

The rest of the world—Canada, Germany, Italy, Israel, Australia, the UK, and dozens more—do not require you to use their passport, and many dual nationals use only their U.S. passport without any issue, especially if they haven’t lived abroad in decades.

So no, people aren’t assuming "their rules apply to the whole world"—they're just following what applies to the vast majority of dual citizens in democratic, allied nations. Your case is the exception, not the standard.

You are horrible. I'm a Chinese born American and took my 2 kids who have a Caucasian American father to see a beautiful country called China last summer. It's not a political thing, it's an educational one. I bet you don't even know how amazing in certain respects China is as a country and government. Not suggesting their govt is awesome but let's face it the US govt currently is not exactly on moral high ground nor does it have a great track record.

Exactly as a free Dem society, no US citizen should ever have toner about what countries they may want to visit on holiday. Without proof of shadiness, the US passport should ensure a certain amount of liberty in global travel.

The fact you could even suggest anyone who travels to some list of "enemy" states of IS is mortifying. There's a clear difference between a family who goes on vacation to see the world v some political person with ulterior motives traveling!

You're free to take your kids anywhere, and yes, China has cultural and historical value. But let’s not pretend travel to authoritarian states is purely educational or apolitical—especially when the country in question refuses to recognize U.S. citizenship, monitors foreign visitors, and has a record of detaining dual nationals.

Comparing flaws in the U.S. to the Chinese government misses the point. In the U.S., you're free to criticize openly. In China, that same freedom doesn’t exist. That’s a fundamental difference, not a moral equivalency.

No one’s saying you can’t travel where you want—but if you’re holding onto Chinese citizenship while also being American, that raises serious questions. China doesn't allow dual citizenship. So why are you keeping it? You can enter China on a U.S. passport with a visa like everyone else. Or are you afraid they'd retaliate for becoming a U.S. citizen?

There’s nothing mortifying about pointing out the risks of maintaining legal ties to adversarial states. It’s not about assuming bad intentions—it’s about acknowledging reality and making smart, safe choices when dealing with regimes that don’t respect U.S. rights or sovereignty.

Think you’re on shaky ground touting the US as the land of free right now although US citizenship is probably the safe choice if you live here but no guarantee you won’t be sent to a mega prison in El Salvador if you key a Tesla.