What is dual citizenship?

Nationality, or citizenship, is usually obtained through birth, blood, marriage, or naturalization. Dual citizenship means that you have the status of citizen in two or more countries at the same time. The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) dictates immigration law in the U.S and does not prohibit or even mention dual nationality. If you hold dual nationality, you are governed by all the countries in which you hold the status of citizen at the same time. This means that you are duty bound to follow the obligations of all countries no matter where you physically live.

Obtaining dual citizenship

If you are a U.S. Green Card holder and plan to apply for U.S. citizenship, it is important to check the immigration laws in your home country before starting the naturalization process. Some countries do not allow their nationals to obtain additional nationalities or citizenship without first meeting certain requirements or renouncing their original nationality.

The U.S. does not impose a limit to the number of nationalities a U.S. citizen can hold but getting additional nationalities does not mean that you are no longer bound to your obligations to the U.S., such as military service and taxes, even if you leave or decide to live in another country.

Traveling with dual citizenship

Although you may hold multiple passports, you must always enter and exit the U.S. using a valid U.S. passport.

Things to consider with dual citizenship

Rights and Benefits: Holding additional nationalities along with your U.S. citizenship means that you have the freedom to travel on multiple passports around the world. You also enjoy the benefits of being able to live in and work in the countries in which you hold citizenship without having to apply for work permits or residence visas.
Country Citizenship Rules: Rules for dual citizenship vary by country. Some prohibit dual nationality while others allow it for a specific period (for example, Japanese must choose their foreign or Japanese citizenship by the age of 22). Others require you to go through a denaturalization process to renounce citizenship, and some consider your original nationality renounced automatically as soon as the naturalization process in a foreign country is completed. It is important to confirm the laws in all countries where you want to hold citizenship to be sure that there is no conflict in keeping or getting nationalities. This information can be found through your nearest consulate or embassy.
Renouncing U.S. Citizenship: If you plan to leave the U.S. to obtain a different nationality that requires that you renounce your home country’s citizenship, or simply decide to give up your U.S. citizenship for other reasons, there is a process you must complete in the U.S. Please be aware that giving up your U.S. citizenship typically cannot be undone, and you should be certain that you have successfully gotten another country’s citizenship so that you are not left without a nationality.
International Travel: If you are traveling to the country where you hold your second or third nationality, you should be aware that being a citizen of multiple countries may make it difficult for your respective countries’ consulates or embassies to assist you in case of an emergency. Dual nationals are legally entitled to consular aid and help from the authorities of both (or more) countries. However, in practice, citizenship of other countries may not be recognized by the authorities of your country of residence/citizenship. This means, for example, that the authorities in that country may not allow diplomatic or consular assistance if you were to be detained/arrested by the police.

Does my home country allow dual citizenship?

Permissibility of multiple nationalities varies widely by country. However, if you are a dual or multiple national, it is typically required that you travel on that country’s passport to enter and exit the country, with limited exceptions.

For example, if you have both an American passport and an Australian passport, you must travel on your American passport to enter and exit the U.S. and your Australian passport to enter and exit Australia.

Country	Dual Nationality Permitted	Will you lose this nationality if you become a U.S. citizen?	Restrictions and Requirements
Australia	Yes	No	Not applicable
Brazil	Yes, in certain exceptional cases.	Yes. Brazilian citizens can lose their Brazilian nationality if they get another nationality, except in certain circumstances.	Brazilian citizens can lose their Brazilian nationality if they get another nationality, except in certain circumstances. Dual nationality is allowed under the following conditions: The new nationality is acquired by origin (birth or descent, not naturalization) Naturalization is required in the foreign state as a condition for remaining in its territory or to exercise the civil rights of a Brazilian resident.
Canada	Yes Multiple (3+) nationalities are permitted in Canada.	No	Dual nationals must enter and exit Canada with a Canadian passport. Exception: American Canadian dual citizens with a valid U.S. passport do not need a Canadian passport to travel to Canada. However, they must still carry proper identification and meet the basic requirements to enter Canada.
China	No	Yes, Chinese citizenship will automatically be lost.	China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.
Colombia	Yes	No	Not applicable.
India	No	Yes. However, you may be eligible to apply for a similar status after getting U.S. citizenship.	While the Constitution of India does not allow for dual citizenship in the traditional sense, Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status is granted to Persons of Indian Origin (POI) who obtain foreign citizenship outside the country, if eligible.
Ireland	Yes	No	Not applicable.
Mozambique	Yes Multiple (3+) nationalities are allowed in Mozambique, although for immigration purposes the only recognized nationality is the Mozambican nationality.	No	Dual nationality is accepted in practice in Mozambique per Chapters 23-34 of the Constitution of the Republic. Please note, there is no specific law for dual citizenship. However, the Constitution of the Republic makes it clear that dual nationality is not prohibited.
Singapore	Yes, in certain exceptional cases, but only until the age of 21.	Yes	Dual citizenship is not allowed for Singapore citizens over 21 years old. Minors (i.e., below 21 years old) must take the Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty (ORAL) upon reaching 21 and before reaching 22 years of age to remain a Singapore citizen. Otherwise, they will automatically lose their Singapore citizenship.
South Africa	Yes	Yes, South African citizenship can automatically be lost on voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship.	All South African citizens 18 years or older must apply for and be granted permission to keep their South African citizenship before getting foreign citizenship, but some exceptions may apply. Citizens under the age of 18 years are exempt and are not required to apply for dual citizenship, as long as they get foreign citizenship before their 18th birthday. South African citizens who do not get permission will automatically lose their South African citizenship if they voluntarily get foreign citizenship.
Spain	Yes	Yes, Spanish nationality is automatically lost if notification is not submitted during the grace period.	To preserve Spanish nationality, there is a notification that must be made within 3 years of getting a foreign nationality if it is gotten after January 9, 2003.The notification form is available on Spain's Consular websites.
Sweden	Yes Multiple (3+) nationalities are permitted in Sweden.	No	Not applicable.
Switzerland	Yes Multiple (3+) citizenships are allowed as long as the other countries do not require that the original nationality be given up.	No	Swiss nationals living outside the country who get citizenship from another state must notify the embassy/consulate where they are registered. Swiss citizenship is issued on 3 levels: federal, cantonal, and communal.
UAE	No	Yes. Any UAE citizen who voluntarily gets the nationality of another country will lose UAE citizenship.	Please note, Emirati nationality is given only once.
UK	Yes Multiple (3+) nationalities are permitted in the UK.	No	Not applicable
Venezuela	Yes	No	Not applicable