What To Talk Over Before Renouncing Citizenship
Posted on: 7 January 2019
Moving to a new nation can be well worth it, especially if you have more opportunities in the new place than you had at home. For some countries, moving and becoming a citizen means that you must give up the prior citizenship that you had in your birth country. If you have gone through receiving citizenship in one country and you now need to renounce your citizenship for back home, you will need to make sure that all of your affairs are in order first. Here are three subjects to talk over with an immigration attorney before doing a citizenship renouncement.
Determine what happens when you need to visit family
For some countries, getting a visa is as simple as arriving in the nation. For others, you may need to apply for a visa ahead of time, pay a fee, and wait several weeks for approval. Ask an immigration attorney what you will need to do to visit your family and friends when necessary. You need to know the full process because you may have to come back for important events such as weddings, funerals, or when someone is sick. Understanding getting back into the country as a non-citizen will help you navigate emergency scenarios with your family later on.
What happens to your property
All nations have rules for property purchase and property owners. Some nations allow citizens and non-citizens to own land, while others insist that you become a legal resident in order to own their land. If you own land in your previous country of residence, you need to have a game plan for what will happen to your land or home when you are no longer a citizen. In some cases, your property taxes will be different as a non-citizen. For countries where you are not permitted to own land as a resident, you will need to sell the land or transfer it to family or friends who are citizens.
How your children are affected
If you live in a country where one of your parents must be a citizen in order to gain citizenship, your children's citizenship could be affected if they are underage. If your former nation does not allow dual citizenship, children that are under your care may need to become legal residents of the new place but not citizens until they can make their own decision. Talk with an immigration attorney to figure out what your children need to do in order to be given their best choice.
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