Renunciation of US Citizenship
If you are a dual national of the US and a foreign country, you may be eligible to renounce your US Citizenship. Note that US federal laws do not prevent an individual from being a dual national of the US and a foreign country, so the fact that you obtained citizenship outside the US would not automatically revoke your US Citizenship Status. In order to officially lose your US Citizenship status, you must make a formal declaration in front of a US Consular Officer at a US Embassy or Consulate located outside the US.
Application Procedure
If you are a US Citizen seeking to renounce US Citizenship, you must attend an appointment at a US Consulate / Embassy in your home country. The application process may differ depending on the specific Consulate you are applying with. Typically, the Consulate will require that you email the required forms and supporting evidence in advance of the appointment. Wait time for the appointment can be in the range of 2 – 6+ months.
On the date of your appointment, you will be required to bring original documents, such as your US birth certificate, most recent US passport, and immigration status documents with your second country of citizenship (e.g. Canadian Passport, etc.). The Consulate officer will explain the ramifications of the process to you and have you swear / affirm that your intention is to renounce US Citizenship. Approximately 2 – 3 months after the appointment, you will receive a Certificate of Loss of Nationality in the mail.
Future Travel to the US
A former US Citizen who has renounced their US Citizenship may still travel to the US, so long as they are in possession of a valid travel document and are traveling for a legitimate purpose. For example, a Canadian Citizen travel to the US for a week-long holiday should be admitted as a B-2 visitor, even though they had renounced US Citizenship. Be advised that after you renounce US Citizenship, you would not be permitted to live / work in the US, unless you receive work authorization prior to your entry.
