Dual Citizenship and U.S. Naturalization

One of the most common concerns among naturalization applicants is whether becoming a U.S. citizen means losing their prior citizenship. The short answer is that it depends on your other country's laws, not on U.S. law. The United States does not prohibit dual nationality, but it also does not guarantee your prior country will allow it.

The U.S. Government's Official Position

The U.S. State Department acknowledges that dual nationality exists and that U.S. law does not prevent it. At the same time, the State Department notes that it has not recognized dual nationality as a matter of policy and encourages U.S. citizens to use their U.S. passport when entering and departing the United States. The government does not take any formal action to strip your prior citizenship on your behalf when you naturalize.

What the Oath of Allegiance Actually Says

The Oath of Allegiance includes the phrase "renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty." This sounds absolute, but in practice it is a statement of loyalty to the United States, not a legal mechanism that revokes your foreign citizenship. The U.S. government does not contact your former country when you naturalize, and it does not file any paperwork on your behalf to revoke your prior citizenship.

What Your Other Country's Law Says

Whether you retain your prior citizenship after naturalizing in the United States depends entirely on the laws of your other country. Some countries automatically revoke your citizenship the moment you naturalize in another country. Others require you to actively apply for revocation or do not revoke it at all.

Countries known to revoke citizenship upon naturalization elsewhere include, but are not limited to, several nations in Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa and Latin America. Countries that generally allow dual citizenship with the United States include most of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and many others. This information changes as countries update their nationality laws, so always verify the current rules with your country's embassy or consulate before naturalizing.

Practical Considerations

If your prior country allows dual citizenship, you can generally continue to travel on your prior passport when visiting that country, maintain property rights there, and retain other benefits of citizenship. However, when you enter or exit the United States, you must always use your U.S. passport.

If your prior country does not allow dual citizenship but revokes it automatically upon foreign naturalization, there may be little you can do to prevent the loss. Some countries offer procedures to apply for retention of citizenship before you naturalize, so check with the relevant embassy well in advance if you want to explore this option.

The Conscientious Objector Clause in the Oath

Applicants with religious or conscientious objections to bearing arms can request a modified version of the Oath of Allegiance. The modification removes the clause about bearing arms on behalf of the United States when required by law. This modification does not affect your eligibility for naturalization or dual citizenship. Request the modification during your N-400 application in Part 13.