Shaq King
Feb 8, 2021
Naturalization
Hi Lawfully friends.
I'm a permanent resident and I'm thinking about whether to gain citizenship.
Please share your opinion about the pros and cons of acquiring citizenship.
#naturalization #n-400
ADVERTISEMENT
TABA TFeb 8, 2021
hmmm I'm curious about this as well
Nallavanukku NallavanFeb 8, 2021
Joseph, getting a citizenship definitely helps. American passport is considered very strong. As a citizen you can never be deported or denied entry to USA so long as you gained your citizenship truthfully. Also you can plan extended international trips or take jobs abroad without the risk of losing your status. You also do not have to deal with USCIS for GC renewals. You can avail benefits without the fear of the public charge clause. GC holders and citizens are both liable for taxes out of income gained from foreign funds.
one major downside is that some countries, like India (my home country) does not permit dual citizenship, so if and when I become an American citizen, I will have to give up my Indian citizenship, this can sometimes be emotionally disturbing. If you are from a country that allows dual citizenship and/or has cordial relationship with the US, getting a US passport cannot hurt.
Shaq KingFeb 8, 2021
Hi Nallavanukku, Thanks for your opinion. So when are you going to apply for citizenship? Are you thinking of getting citizenship right after when you have a green card?
By the way, I'm from South Korea. I have to research whether my country allows dual citizenship.
Henry PFeb 8, 2021
Mr. Nallavan. I agreed with most of benefits you mentioned by acquiring a US citizenship as an immigrant, , but please be mindful that your US passport can be expropriated by the US government if you commit certain heinous crimes.
Nallavanukku NallavanFeb 8, 2021
@Joseph, I am still waiting for my GC, pending 485. So I have a long road ahead. I'm employed based so have to wait 5 years after GC.
Nallavanukku NallavanFeb 8, 2021
@Henry, in theory you are right. Note that you can also lose citizenship even without doing heinous crimes. For example, accepting a position with the government and declaring allegiance to a different nation can result in losing your US citizenship. These are fringe cases. I do not believe the OP is concerned about these and I would definitely not factor these in while making a call on accepting US citizenship.
