US Citizenship

[nfotiu]

I know, it's a bad and weird time to be asking this.

I've been thinking more about getting my US citizenship just for a little piece of mind. I've lived here for over 20 years and have a couple kids born here, house and American wife and step kids. There is some point of craziness that would make me take them all and leave I suppose, but hopefully it doesn't come to that.

I never really had a good reason to get it until now. Is there any downside? Has anyone done it and regretted it for some reason?

I believe I can still keep my Canadian citizenship and have a Canadian passport, even though I think the US doesn't recognize it. Is there anything I'm not considering other than being a traitor?

[surferguy]

Ask yourself this - what is your potential of accidentally finding yourself on an all expenses paid (permanent) vacation to El Salvador?

[#-3]

This might sound like a joke, but it's a serious question, are you worried the very process of applying might put you on their radar?

I understand your sentiment, but in your situation that fear may weight on me?

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Ask yourself this - what is your potential of accidentally finding yourself on an all expenses paid (permanent) vacation to El Salvador?

Which path puts me at greater risk?

[Fuzz]

Unfortunately where you land on this is probably relevant to the decision.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by #-3

This might sound like a joke, but it's a serious question, are you worried the very process of applying might put you on their radar?

I understand your sentiment, but in your situation that fear may weight on me?

I have to renew my green card in 2028 anyway so there is no way around being on radar. That seems low risk. My bigger concern is if I lose anything from Canadian status and don’t think I do.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Which path puts me at greater risk?

This is a recent one where a guy went to his naturalization hearing and ICE grabbed him there:

"It was the last stage, the last hurdle for him," Droubi said. "What he wanted was to become a US citizen, and attended this naturalization with that hope."

https://abcnews.go.com/US/columbia-s...y?id=120829883

[burn_this_city]

I guess it largely depends if you ever plan to work outside of the US going forward.

[Shazam]

Might as well get it.

Canada really sorta sucks for opportunity.

Think long term.

[fotze2]

We got our son American citizenship but not the other. He recently turned 18 and now we have to file FBars for his bank accounts every year which alone makes it not worth it for us. What a giant pain in the arse. CRA is a walk in the park vs IRS. CRA are lovable idiots, IRS is Hans Landa.

But you know that and probably have to do those anyway so I'd say go for it.

[GGG]

Taxation would be the biggest impact. The IRS taxes you no matter where you are on the globe subject to all the tax treaty’s. So look into that impact if you ever plan on leaving.

Otherwise more citizenships seems prudent then less.

[PepsiFree]

Citizenship is all upside if you live there, and potentially mostly downside if you don’t.

So I guess it depends on where you plan to die.

[ThePrince]

Originally Posted by fotze2

We got our son American citizenship but not the other. He recently turned 18 and now we have to file FBars for his bank accounts every year which alone makes it not worth it for us. What a giant pain in the arse. CRA is a walk in the park vs IRS. CRA are lovable idiots, IRS is Hans Landa.

But you know that and probably have to do those anyway so I'd say go for it.

The 30 minutes it takes to file an FBAR is what makes it not worth it? How complicated are an 18 year old's foreign accounts?

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by ThePrince

The 30 minutes it takes to file an FBAR is what makes it not worth it? How complicated are an 18 year old's foreign accounts?

He's got some stuff from American inheritances but we put everything in my name to try and avoid it.
Its more the wife having to go back the 20 years she lived here and our joint accounts because we didn't know we had to file them. That cost $5k to a US tax lawyer to tell them she didn't owe them anything. I'm just assuming it will be as big of a pain, but maybe not. But that's why I said go for it.

[loudin218]

I was in a very similar situation as you, longtime US permanent resident and eligible for citizenship with an upcoming green card renewal pending. As soon as Trump won, fearful of the pending disaster in immigration, and applied for my citizenship. I had my naturalization ceremony last week, I was surprised at how quick and efficient the process was, all things considered.

Other than being called to jury duty, I couldn't really see a downside to applying. I was tired of not having a vote in what was going on, and didn't want any trouble traveling back and forth to Canada.

Ironically, I think having citizenship makes it easier to leave if we need to. There's residency requirements to maintaining a green card, but none such for citizenship. So if stuff really goes south, we could leave on a temporary basis and return later. Or my kids could leave for schooling in Canada and return later.

Anyways, really couldn't see a downside and glad I did it. My whole life is here now. Like others have said, the IRS will follow you everywhere and it could cause double taxation issues if you live somewhere without a tax treaty, but worst case you could always renounce your citizenship. As far as giving up anything on the Canadian side, you don't. As a citizen you need to enter the US with a US passport, but you can still keep your Canadian passport as well.

[Drak]

We have sort of the opposite thing going on up here. My wife is an American citizen, Canadian resident. She’s lived up here about as long as she lived in the States. She’s talked about getting her Canadian citizenship but never has, and I suppose maybe that’s the right thing in these times, since she has family obligations down there. Scary times, though.

[ThePrince]

Originally Posted by fotze2

He's got some stuff from American inheritances but we put everything in my name to try and avoid it.
Its more the wife having to go back the 20 years she lived here and our joint accounts because we didn't know we had to file them. That cost $5k to a US tax lawyer to tell them she didn't owe them anything. I'm just assuming it will be as big of a pain, but maybe not. But that's why I said go for it.

Yikes, FBARs should be pretty straightforward, just list every single non-US account you might have. There are no tax implications with it, just information for the IRS. That tax lawyer sounds like robbery.

It should be much more simple next year too. Just copy/paste the information from the FBAR from this past year and update a few bits of information. It should take very little time, especially with the template already set from last year, and adding any additional accounts opened since then.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Might as well get it.

Canada really sorta sucks for opportunity.

Think long term.

I've had tonnes of opportunity in Canada.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I've had tonnes of opportunity in Canada.

Oh well that settles it then.

Hey have you read the FIRE book by Quan? He got a job at Facebook after school. It started at $500K/yr.

Whatcha making now?

[CroFlames]

I've heard some stories of Americans who live abroad and need to fill out a tax return every year regardless of residency and it can be a nightmare, especially if you are a property owner.

I guess the IRS pay extra close attention to expats and will (try to) ding you on taxable benefit type stuff like a grocery store loyalty program.