In article ,
Mr. Travel wrote:
>Joe Feise (Immigration) wrote:
>>
>>
>> That requires a so-called "Beibehaltungsgenehmigung."
>> See
>>
>http://www.germany.info/relaunch/info/consular_services/citizenship/einbuergerung.html
>>
>>
>
>My point was that unless she tells them, how will they find know?
>When a person becomes naturalized, USCIS doesn't send a letter to other
>countries they are a citizen of.
True, USCIS doesn't do that - they're not proactive. But, they also won't
send Germany the "Mr. Travel has not applied for US citizenship" form they
require when you want to renew your passport at the german consulate.
Unless things have changed drastically (last time I renewed a German
passport in Canada was around '01 or '02, IIRC), they 1) ask you on the form
"have you applied for another citizenship since your passport was last
granted?" AND 2) require you to pay the government where you reside for a
"non-application of citizenship certificate" (forget the exact name) which
certifies that you have NOT applied for citizenship of that country. Not
only does this take a few weeks to be filled out, it also costs another $75,
making my last german passport renewal cost over $140.
Unless you're willing to 1) lie on your passport application and 2) forge an
official document of the country you're residing in (and may have obtained
citizenship from), they WILL know as soon as you go to renew your german
passport. THAT's how they know: they ask and make you prove it. Without a
passport (and an official reason on the books for not being able to get a
passport), citizenship is practically meaningless. And of course, I'm sure
it's only one easy step to revoke your citizenship at that point. IIRC, the
passport remains property of germany, and you are required to return it to
them (although you may not care about those laws anymore at that point). I
returned it to my consulate.
Now, if you time it right, you MIGHT get away with up to 8 or 9 years of
keeping your german passport (i.e. renew right before you apply for
citizenship). Not sure if the passport is in actual fact already invalid at
that point, and you're using it without authorization..
I have heard a rumor that you might be able to use the "domestic"
application, if you have a mailing address in Germany (friend, relative,
etc), where they may not do as many checks to see if you have foreign
citizenship. But, obviously, if you live abroad, you are not supposed to use
that form. And in Germany, everything is forbidden, except that which is
officially allowed. :-)
MH |