Permanent Resident or US Citizen

[True Blue]

I understand the advantages of my wife becoming a US Citizen here.

 

I note that several posters have written that their spouses have elected to remain permanent residents rather than apply for US Citizenship.

 

As I understand it an adult can be a citizen of US or a citizen of China bot not a citizen of both? Is this correct?

 

What are the disadvantages to a Chinese spouse in becoming a US citizen? What specifically do they lose when they are no longer Chinese citizens? If your spouse is also a Shanghai or Beijing citizen is there another loss of rights and privledges?

[dnoblett]

China does not recognize "Dual Citizenship" if you become a US citizen, Chinese citizenship is revoked.

 

Advantage of Chinese citizenship is the ability to buy a home in China, and no visa needed to enter China.

[Kyle]

I'm not certain an American wouldn't be allowed to buy property in China. China this year has relaxed their regulations pertaining to foreigners buying property in order to stimulate the real estate market. Last I heard, the only requirement for the foreigner to be eligible to purchase a home in China is to have lived in China for one year before purchasing and to ensure that the property being purchased is for personal use. That was a while back, so I'm not even sure if the one year criteria is still required.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Kyle (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

An LPR can't leave the US for longer than a year without returning to the US and spending some significant time there. They couldn't live in China and collect social security benefits. There are also some inheritance issues should their spouse die.

[Randy W]

I'm not certain an American wouldn't be allowed to buy property in China. China this year has relaxed their regulations pertaining to foreigners buying property in order to stimulate the real estate market. Last I heard, the only requirement for the foreigner to be eligible to purchase a home in China is to have lived in China for one year before purchasing and to ensure that the property being purchased is for personal use. That was a while back, so I'm not even sure if the one year criteria is still required.

 

 

That is what we were told also - that I could buy property, but had to pay cash for it. That applied to my wife as well, since she has a green card (but I think they said 6 months) - but that may have been a bank restriction.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Randy W (see edit history)

[xiaofeizhu]

The main reason that my husband is currently deciding to keep his Chinese citizenship until further notice is so that he can go back to China at any moment if there is an emergency. Another reason that we considered is our future. While many people have already decided with their spouse that they will both live in America, we are not a hundred percent sure of what our future will be like. At the rate that things are happening, it may be beneficial to raise our children in China, and to work and live there. Of course, we do not know the future, but if things are looking better there, we might just go there like some on this site have done. There are a lot of reasons to become a US citizen, but I do not feel it is a pressing issue. It has only been a little over a year since my husband came to America, and I want him to have as much time to think about it as possible. He may or may not be ready to make that decision in three, five, or even ten years. It is really up to the couple themselves to decide what the benefits and drawbacks are of US citizenship vs. Chinese citizenship.

[credzba]

They couldn't live in China and collect social security benefits.

 

I called the so0cial security administration, and spoke to a person about this.

I was told that if you are eligible for social security, you can draw it from China, even if you are not a US citizen. You just have to have met your 40 quarters of work.