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Why I gave up my US passport

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#11

Post by jmreardon »

nly wrote: post #8
MichaelGG wrote: post #3

What I'd be more interested in is if there is harassment for doing so. My daughter is an American citizen unfortunately (happenstance of birth), but won't be living in the US for any foreseeable reason. She'll be burdened with tax and reporting issues all her life if she doesn't renounce. But if she does renounce, will they hassle her when visiting family? What about if she does do some temporary work in the US, will…

Happen-stance of birth? What are the rules there about citizenship by birth? In the UK one of your parents has to be a citizen, or have been "legally settled" (allowed to stay indefinitely).

With the exception of children of foreign diplomats, if you are born in the USA, you have citizenship. Who your parents are is irrelevant.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#12

Post by ajmurmann »

LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #6

Some of the stuff the people in the article write is just plain stupid. If I could get US citizenship for my newly born daughter (born in Poland) after being in the US total just 5 years, why she couldn't get it done, is beyond me. People who have lived in EU complaining about US burocracy and pointing it as a reason for giving up on an US citizenship are beyond me too. US taxation system is a walk in a park compared…

The issue is not the complexity of the taxation system, but the fact that only the US and Somalia tax based on citizenship. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Individual_taxation_system...

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#13

Post by [deleted] »

jmreardon wrote: post #11
nly wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Happen-stance of birth? What are the rules there about citizenship by birth? In the UK one of your parents has to be a citizen, or have been "legally settled" (allowed to stay indefinitely).

With the exception of children of foreign diplomats, if you are born in the USA, you have citizenship. Who your parents are is irrelevant.

[deleted]

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#14

Post by rrouse »

nly wrote: post #8
MichaelGG wrote: post #3

What I'd be more interested in is if there is harassment for doing so. My daughter is an American citizen unfortunately (happenstance of birth), but won't be living in the US for any foreseeable reason. She'll be burdened with tax and reporting issues all her life if she doesn't renounce. But if she does renounce, will they hassle her when visiting family? What about if she does do some temporary work in the US, will…

Happen-stance of birth? What are the rules there about citizenship by birth? In the UK one of your parents has to be a citizen, or have been "legally settled" (allowed to stay indefinitely).

Amazingly, if a Canadian mother is transferred to an American hospital, the baby is an US citizen and the same goes if it's an American transferred to a Canadian hospital.

Interesting to learn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthright_citizenship_in_the_U...

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#15

Post by logicallee »

LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #6

Some of the stuff the people in the article write is just plain stupid. If I could get US citizenship for my newly born daughter (born in Poland) after being in the US total just 5 years, why she couldn't get it done, is beyond me. People who have lived in EU complaining about US burocracy and pointing it as a reason for giving up on an US citizenship are beyond me too. US taxation system is a walk in a park compared…

Yes, the article wasn't exactly clear but pretty much all of the stories (well, I only read a few) refer obliquely to one thing: you are subject to taxation by the United States even while you're a resident abroad, and paying taxes abroad.

It is as though your 'home state' continued to tax you (or make you file paperwork) long after you've moved to California. Nobody else (worldwide) does this. It doesn't make any sense.

This is a primary motivation people have for renouncing U.S. citizenship.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#16

Post by vellum »

ajmurmann wrote: post #12
LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #6

Some of the stuff the people in the article write is just plain stupid. If I could get US citizenship for my newly born daughter (born in Poland) after being in the US total just 5 years, why she couldn't get it done, is beyond me. People who have lived in EU complaining about US burocracy and pointing it as a reason for giving up on an US citizenship are beyond me too. US taxation system is a walk in a park compared…

The issue is not the complexity of the taxation system, but the fact that only the US and Somalia tax based on citizenship. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Individual_taxation_system...

That's Eritrea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_taxation

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#17

Post by logicallee »

jmreardon wrote: post #11
nly wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Happen-stance of birth? What are the rules there about citizenship by birth? In the UK one of your parents has to be a citizen, or have been "legally settled" (allowed to stay indefinitely).

With the exception of children of foreign diplomats, if you are born in the USA, you have citizenship. Who your parents are is irrelevant.

can you link a citation to the 'exception' you mention?

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#18

Post by joseph_cooney »

LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #6

Some of the stuff the people in the article write is just plain stupid. If I could get US citizenship for my newly born daughter (born in Poland) after being in the US total just 5 years, why she couldn't get it done, is beyond me. People who have lived in EU complaining about US burocracy and pointing it as a reason for giving up on an US citizenship are beyond me too. US taxation system is a walk in a park compared…

> All the people from the article seem to be carefully selected socialists big time who just couldn't wait to give up on the US citizenship no matter what

"survivor" bias? Maybe those are the only kind of people who want to give up their U.S. citizenship?

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#19

Post by yapcguy »

LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #6

Some of the stuff the people in the article write is just plain stupid. If I could get US citizenship for my newly born daughter (born in Poland) after being in the US total just 5 years, why she couldn't get it done, is beyond me. People who have lived in EU complaining about US burocracy and pointing it as a reason for giving up on an US citizenship are beyond me too. US taxation system is a walk in a park compared…

What may be driving some people is simply the fear of getting the paperwork wrong. The penalties listed on the forms are scary.

You can't just do it in Turbotax for 50 bucks, you need a qualified tax professional to help you. Good luck finding one familiar with the latest US regulation when you're abroad. The fees will be in the thousands, every year, for the rest of your life.

The financial toll and mental stress all adds up and I guess at some point people just give up. It's a shame that the burden of paperwork results in people giving up their citizenship.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#20

Post by clueless123 »

I wonder what is going to happen to all those US citizens living abroad with the new health insurance requirements.. Will they be forced to pay even they can't benefit from the services ?

( Specially if they are already covered by their host country healthcare system. )

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