Legal Permanent Resident or US Citizen?

[tonyontherock]

First, Joe, let's put the issue upfront. Admit what you wrote. I do not want to post the private message you wrote me as that was meant to be private. I will just leave it at that.

As far as going back to China is concerned, I did that years ago when I first attended school in Canada. I did not leave in 1988 when Columbia law LLM program admitted me as well as the another law school for JD with full shcolarship. I could have stayed when I went from China to Boston to represent China in moot court competition. Could have...

The fact is that I went back, fought, lost and after June 4, 1989 I started contacting law schools here and got admitted, financed through shcolarship and private funding for my law school all in one month.

I am not one of those famous democracy fighters, although I admire some of them. Honesty is very important in terms of any debate. We all say things that...

Bottom line is, people who came here love this country. People who came here also love their home land.

PS: The Japanese who were interned were American citizens as I recall. There was a case that went all the way up to the U.S. Supreme court.

That was the product of a particular time. The Chinese during that time did not have that problem as if I recall correctly, the Chinese exclusion act were still in effect, whereby, Chinese could not become U.S. citizens, own real property or swear in court in testimony in legal procedings.

But that is history. Still as Asian males, we get a bit more remarks than our female counterparts, which I am quite acustomed to and can deal with rather rationally, including remark at one time by a judge, who out of frustration stated something which I agreed to have the reporter taken out of the record and accept a private appology. He was just a nice old man with certain strong belief.

[tonyontherock]

Re: land ownership in China.

I looked into the matter on my last trip. The lease can run to 70 years. Only problem is where the land is. In some areas, even if you have a lease the local government can just return your money and lease it to some one else. I tried to negatiate to get 200 acres that some one else was leasing which had a few years to run. They just agreed to kick that person off the lease, pay him back what he paid in and sign me up for 50 years. Concerned that they may do the same thing to me, as well as extortionary demands from repairing the pump for the villiage, then paving the street, then building the bridge, I just pulled out.

It is extremely hazardous venture to do any deals in China. People seem to view agreements nothing more than a piece of paper. I had one letter of intent signed for 1000 acres. They just add on to the price at the last minute.

However, consumer ownership of housing or vacation home does not seem to be a real problem. There are quite a few places in Guangxi, water front properties that can be purchased at bargin prices. If any one is considering buy, it is worth checking out. Do not touch those bank repossed, half finished properties. you see one in Nanning on a very good location taken over by squatter, which is owned by People's Construciton Band and been sitting there, some say for 10 years. They want all the money they lent, without any write-off, even though normally a handsome sum were pocked by some one in charge at the Bank and the property value is much lower.

[tonyontherock]

Wish I had changed by name at the time of bar admission. No one could pronouce or spell my name correctly. Imagine some where between 2-6 court apperances a day for eight years and spelling it every single time for the record! Even a very well respected publication spelled it wrong in there news article and I had head hunters calling, looking for that native American Indian guy. My name literally translated was tiger. But the distorted spelling by the magazine, phonetically in Chinese means "slave".

People at the firm had a good laugh about it and some warned about giving me whisky at the monthly informal gatherings.

[Guest sanfranciscojoe]

Tony, it appears you too have trouble understanding what I wrote. The point lost on those not paying attention was that we never hear about anyone returning to China to live , do we? To the dirt roads, the controlled press, the inability to vote, the corruption, the poverty, the illiteracy. Why is that Tony?

You almost stayed there because Bush ran for office? If the difference for any person between living in a dictatorship in the Third world and living in the world's greatest and most prosperous democracy depends on whether Bush or gore won, there is something seriously wrong with that person's judgement, in my opinion.

Also, never pretend to tell me about Koramatsu v. US. I read it in Con Law also!

[Guest hakkamike]

I think it is Korematsu Not Koramatsu???

Michael Perez

[Dave G.]

I thought I would do an internet search on Dual Citizenship.  

 

I was surprised.  It appears to be much more complicated than I thought.

 

http://www.newcitizen.us/dual.html

http://www.richw.org/dualcit/law.html

 

Great info! I've been wondering about all this...especially for JM's son. So, if I understand it correctly, they both can choose between two things: Become naturalized and keep the Chinese passport or become a US citizen and drop the Chinese passport. Correct? China does not recognize dual citizenship.

 

One thing I still don't understand fully....as a naturalized citizen, what CAN'T they do? After the dust settles during the AOS time, I want to be able to explain it all to them.

 

http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/p/dialog.gif

[tonyontherock]

I became a citizen because Bush was running. I wanted to get my citizenship in time to vote against him. Not the other way arround. Additionally I did not misunderstand what you wrote, esp. in connection with the private message. If you do not object to it. I can post it for clearification. That being said. I am not saying that China is a better place to live. In that respect, I have voted with my action.

[chinadave2001]

My two jiao,

I think that each couple needs to decide this question, like so many others, by what's right for them. For example, if one were to own and mangage property in China then there would certainly be an advantge to holding onto Chinese citizenship. It would also make returning as needed much easier. On the other hand, if globetrotting around the world is likely, then a US Passport is clearly the way to go. Finally, the person who has immigrated needs to evelauate what is in their own heart and feelings. While there are many things to consider, there is no one right answer here.

Dave

[Bob & Minglian]

My two jiao,

I think that each couple needs to decide this question, like so many others, by what's right for them. For example, if one were to own and mangage property in China then there would certainly be an advantge to holding onto Chinese citizenship. It would also make returning as needed much easier. On the other hand, if globetrotting around the world is likely, then a US Passport is clearly the way to go. Finally, the person who has immigrated needs to evelauate what is in their own heart and feelings. While there are many things to consider, there is no one right answer here.

Dave

Dave, good comments. A very balanced, sensible perspective. I agree with you completely.

[warpedbored]

Tony, it appears you too have trouble understanding what I wrote.  The point lost on those not paying attention was that we never hear about anyone returning to China to live , do we?  To the dirt roads, the controlled press, the inability to vote, the corruption, the poverty, the illiteracy.  Why is that Tony? 

You almost stayed there because Bush ran for office? If the difference for any person between living in a dictatorship in the Third world and living in the world's greatest and most prosperous democracy depends on whether Bush or gore won, there is something seriously wrong with that person's judgement, in my opinion.

Also, never pretend to tell me about Koramatsu v. US.  I read it in Con Law also!

The Japanese have a saying that roughly translated means " There is no medicine for fools"

[Guest sanfranciscojoe]

the Irish have a saying....there is a reason you can't pay your bills.