A Question of Citizenship

[A Mafan]

Why should someone become a US citizen, rather than just sticking with the "Green Card"?

 

Starting about 10 years from now, we plan on spending 1/2 of every year in China at the very least, and maybe a full 12 months some years.

 

I told my wife, there are 3 reasons to become a US citizen, basically:

1) Don't have to worry about renewing the card, or getting a re-entry permit if you leave for more than a year. But that's replaced with having to get a visa every time we go back to China.

2) Can vote.

3) Get more protection from the US govt if the Chinese govt decides to harass her.

 

So at this point, she's not seeing a reason to do it (she doesn't care about voting, and she's not really afraid of Chinese govt harassment). I can't say I really disagree with her.

 

Thoughts?

[SirLancelot]

Why should someone become a US citizen, rather than just sticking with the "Green Card"?

 

Starting about 10 years from now, we plan on spending 1/2 of every year in China at the very least, and maybe a full 12 months some years.

 

I told my wife, there are 3 reasons to become a US citizen, basically:

1) Don't have to worry about renewing the card, or getting a re-entry permit if you leave for more than a year. But that's replaced with having to get a visa every time we go back to China.

2) Can vote.

3) Get more protection from the US govt if the Chinese govt decides to harass her.

 

So at this point, she's not seeing a reason to do it (she doesn't care about voting, and she's not really afraid of Chinese govt harassment). I can't say I really disagree with her.

 

Thoughts?

 

The only other real concern would be criminal activities. The US government seems to be cracking down harder and deporting more first time felons. With a GC, one can still be deported but with citizenship, one can't be deported except for a very few circumstances--like being a Nazi in your previous country.

 

Also, keep in mind the requirements of the I-864. 40 quarters of work or US citizenship.

 

Other than these two factors, I think a GC may indeed work well for your circumstance.

[Dennis143]

A citizen can petition the Gov't to allow family to immigrate to the US.

[tywy_99]

Not only are there the apparent benefits involved, like the right to vote, the right to free travel, etc., but there is the emotional aspect to consider as well, the feeling at becoming a US citizen, the exhilaration and anticipation one feels. It must be a wonderful and great feeling to be sworn in as a citizen of the United States!

[dnoblett]

Can get a US passport, allowing travel to countries on the Visa-Waiver program (Europe, Australia, ect.) Chinese passport requires visas to travel most anywhere in the world. US Passport is good for 10 years, Chinese one is a 5 year passport, needing renewal at the nearest Chinese consulate.

 

Here is a list I found:

1. A Citizen Can Vote
   A citizen has the right to vote for elected officials at the federal, state and local levels who shape the policy of the government.
   
2. Dual Citizenship (Currently N/A with China)
   Certain countries, including Ireland and the United Kingdom, recognize "dual citizenship" permitting naturalized U.S. citizens to maintain their citizenship of birth and original passport.
   
3. Citizens Can Bring More Relatives From Abroad, More Quickly
   Citizens can petition for a wider variety of family members to come to the US as permanent residents. They also have much shorter waiting times for green cards, and no limits.
   
4. Citizens Cannot be Deported
   Most of us never expect to commit a crime, but if we are the victims of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time, as citizens, we cannot be deported. We also don't need to worry about a lost green card or too-long stay outside the US preventing us from re-entering.
   
5. Citizens Can Retire Abroad With Full Social Security Benefits
   Citizens who retire abroad get all their Social Security benefits. Green card holders only get half of the benefits they earned.
   
6. Citizens are Entitled to More Public Benefits
   Citizens are eligible for more public benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Food Stamps, as well as certain academic scholarships and financial aid.
   
7. A US Citizen Can Hold Office and Have More Job Opportunities
   Only a citizen has the right to hold an elected position in most city, state or federal offices. Many federal, state and city jobs also require citizenship.
   
8. Adopted or Natural Children Under 18 May be Naturalized Automatically
   Depending on the circumstances, children born abroad, who are under 18 years of age and unmarried may be able to naturalize automatically when a parent does so.
   
9. Citizens Have More Financial and Tax Benefits
   Citizens often receive approval on loans andmortgages more easily, and/or they get better rates, because the lender knows there is less chance they will defect. Citizens are often subject to fewer restrictions on estate taxes as well.
   
10. Citizens Don't Have to Worry About Renewing a Green Card Every 10 Years
    We have enough to worry about with passports and other paperwork. As citizens, we don't have to worry about renewing a green cards every ten years.
    

http://immigration.about.com/od/whybecomea...0CitizenBen.htm

[rogerluli]

We plan on doing it as soon after the 3 year minimum from the green card date as possible. Although we hope to spend most of our time in China in the early years of our retirement, having laopo be a USC just seems to eliminate a lot of potential worries over keeping the US green card current. Who knows what future laws may be over eligibility, SS benefits, Medicare benefits, etc... In China we only need to worry about maintaining visas and I believe that will not be a problem at all...

[A Mafan]

Can get a US passport, allowing travel to countries on the Visa-Waiver program (Europe, Australia, ect.) Chinese passport requires visas to travel most anywhere in the world. US Passport is good for 10 years, Chinese one is a 5 year passport, needing renewal at the nearest Chinese consulate.

 

Here is a list I found:

1. A Citizen Can Vote
   A citizen has the right to vote for elected officials at the federal, state and local levels who shape the policy of the government.
   
2. Dual Citizenship (Currently N/A with China)
   Certain countries, including Ireland and the United Kingdom, recognize "dual citizenship" permitting naturalized U.S. citizens to maintain their citizenship of birth and original passport.
   
3. Citizens Can Bring More Relatives From Abroad, More Quickly
   Citizens can petition for a wider variety of family members to come to the US as permanent residents. They also have much shorter waiting times for green cards, and no limits.
   
4. Citizens Cannot be Deported
   Most of us never expect to commit a crime, but if we are the victims of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time, as citizens, we cannot be deported. We also don't need to worry about a lost green card or too-long stay outside the US preventing us from re-entering.
   
5. Citizens Can Retire Abroad With Full Social Security Benefits
   Citizens who retire abroad get all their Social Security benefits. Green card holders only get half of the benefits they earned.
   
6. Citizens are Entitled to More Public Benefits
   Citizens are eligible for more public benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Food Stamps, as well as certain academic scholarships and financial aid.
   
7. A US Citizen Can Hold Office and Have More Job Opportunities
   Only a citizen has the right to hold an elected position in most city, state or federal offices. Many federal, state and city jobs also require citizenship.
   
8. Adopted or Natural Children Under 18 May be Naturalized Automatically
   Depending on the circumstances, children born abroad, who are under 18 years of age and unmarried may be able to naturalize automatically when a parent does so.
   
9. Citizens Have More Financial and Tax Benefits
   Citizens often receive approval on loans andmortgages more easily, and/or they get better rates, because the lender knows there is less chance they will defect. Citizens are often subject to fewer restrictions on estate taxes as well.
   
10. Citizens Don't Have to Worry About Renewing a Green Card Every 10 Years
    We have enough to worry about with passports and other paperwork. As citizens, we don't have to worry about renewing a green cards every ten years.
    

http://immigration.about.com/od/whybecomea...0CitizenBen.htm

#6 and #9 are really interesting; I had a sense of those, but not strong enough to really explain. Thanks for the list.

 

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts, too.

[jim_julian]

I'd second the comment about the ease of travel on a US passport vs a Chinese passport.

 

I like to bring Lao Po with me on long international business trips and we certainly plan to travel for pleasure. It is incredibly difficult to get travel visas for her ... time, money, uncertainty, lack of flexibility are all a burden.

 

I think the most important reason though is she wants to be a US citizen ... even calls herself a California girl!

[IllinoisDave]

Just curious.

What would the negatives be about losing her Chinese citizenship? Especially since you plan to spend alot of time there. I ask because you never know what the future holds and I may be in the same boat one day.

[dnoblett]

Just curious.

What would the negatives be about losing her Chinese citizenship? Especially since you plan to spend alot of time there. I ask because you never know what the future holds and I may be in the same boat one day.

One neg is buying property in China, a foreign citizen pays additional taxes for property.

[IllinoisDave]

Just curious.

What would the negatives be about losing her Chinese citizenship? Especially since you plan to spend alot of time there. I ask because you never know what the future holds and I may be in the same boat one day.

One neg is buying property in China, a foreign citizen pays additional taxes for property.

 

So if neither has Chinese citizenship you can still buy, but pay more taxes, correct?

[Randy W]

Just curious.

What would the negatives be about losing her Chinese citizenship? Especially since you plan to spend alot of time there. I ask because you never know what the future holds and I may be in the same boat one day.

One neg is buying property in China, a foreign citizen pays additional taxes for property.

 

So if neither has Chinese citizenship you can still buy, but pay more taxes, correct?

 

 

. . . or you can buy as a Chinese citizen, and then become an American citizen.

[A Mafan]

Just curious.

What would the negatives be about losing her Chinese citizenship? Especially since you plan to spend alot of time there. I ask because you never know what the future holds and I may be in the same boat one day.

From what I understand of her perspective, it's just that she's Chinese, she never planned on not being Chinese. She fell in love with an American, not with America. The US is just one place to live. She'd follow me to Iraq or Afghanistan or Iceland if that's where I had to go.

 

The main negative is just that every time we'd go back to China, it would double our visa application costs, and it would feel strange to her to pay for permission to go back to her own country, where all her friends, family, history, and life are (except for her beloved Lao Gong).

[stacato]

We plan on doing it as soon after the 3 year minimum from the green card date as possible. Although we hope to spend most of our time in China in the early years of our retirement, having laopo be a USC just seems to eliminate a lot of potential worries over keeping the US green card current. Who knows what future laws may be over eligibility, SS benefits, Medicare benefits, etc... In China we only need to worry about maintaining visas and I believe that will not be a problem at all...

 

What are the chances of the laws changing in China itself? Is it something worth worrying about?

[IllinoisDave]

Just curious.

What would the negatives be about losing her Chinese citizenship? Especially since you plan to spend alot of time there. I ask because you never know what the future holds and I may be in the same boat one day.

From what I understand of her perspective, it's just that she's Chinese, she never planned on not being Chinese. She fell in love with an American, not with America. The US is just one place to live. She'd follow me to Iraq or Afghanistan or Iceland if that's where I had to go.

 

The main negative is just that every time we'd go back to China, it would double our visa application costs, and it would feel strange to her to pay for permission to go back to her own country, where all her friends, family, history, and life are (except for her beloved Lao Gong).

 

I was actually wondering about things more along practical lines like health care and gov't. services etc. Would someone still have the same rights/access if they become an ex-Chinese citizen?

Edited March 27, 2007 by IllinoisDave (see edit history)