The reality behind dual nationalities and multiple passports
The article, "Carrying Several Passports? It's Not Just for Spies", discussed the benefits of carrying multiple passports from different countries.
The topic of multiple nationalities and passports tends to be filled with hype and mystery, but it's really simple. Your ethnicity, birthplace, and religion can be the basis of dual citizenship. If your spouse has dual citizenship, you may be eligible for it too. From the article:
“The fact is people don’t think about it until it is pointed out to them,” said Jan Dvorak, president of Travisa, a passport services company in Washington. Some Americans, he said, “don’t realize that they actually have dual nationality.”
While there are no hard numbers, more Americans seem to be trying to qualify for additional passports. “Savvy travelers and business travelers want to make sure they have two passports based on nationality because there are certain advantages,” Mr. Dvorak said.
These advantages include fewer travel and work restrictions, and, at times, cheaper visa application fees.
There are also other ways to acquire dual citizenship if you're not qualified for the above reasons. If you have hundreds of thousands of dollars lying around somewhere, you can look for a country with economic citizenship or citizenship-by-investment programs. Dominica and Saint Kitts and Nevis are examples of countries that have this option, but approval is not guaranteed. Because of this many people view these fast-track options as scams.
Other countries have a less direct route. Instead of granting you citizenship after your investment, you are given a permanent residency visa which will allow you to apply for citizenship in a few years.
When thinking about getting a second passport, remember that each country has its own laws on dual nationalities. Some require you to relinquish one nationality for the other. Also, the internet is filled with scams and misinformation on this subject. Be sure to consult an immigration lawyer and other official sources before you take any action.
Do you have multiple nationalities? How do you deal with this when you travel?
Image: Baigal Byamba (flickr)
Image: Ðariusz (flickr)
2009-07-30 10:32
I just got my Italian passport last year and am thrilled but a little scared to travel with it. I must do so when I begin graduate school in Europe this fall, but can't help but fear that something will go wrong. We'll see what happens once I get past customs! I really look forward to being able to live and work in Europe legally ...
2009-07-30 13:25
While traveling with 2 passports can have real advantages in terms of where you are eligible to work, what countries you can visit, and applying for multiple visas at once, it can cause anxious moments too!
I traveled for 4 years in Africa, where many border officials are very suspicious of travelers with multiple passports. When crossing a land border from one country to another officials often ask to see the exit stamp from the last country, before stamping you in to theirs. Since passports aren't as easy to conceal up your sleeve as poker cards, the need to play the 'passport shuffle' in these cases can be a little nerve-wracking. But I guess that just adds spice to the adventure!
2009-08-03 16:34
I have American and Israeli citizenship; I never thought my Israeli passport of all things would give me any special benefits, but after a recent trip to Brazil I learned that I could have bypassed the expensive & time consuming tourist visa process required of Americans by traveling as an Israeli! This applies for Russia as well and probably a bunch of other countries - going forward I will be sure to check.
2009-08-19 03:19
I have four passports and love it. I can live in Canada, the USA, UK and more. I mostly use my UK but the others are great for visa situations as someone said above - sometimes it's cheaper to use one of my other passports or, like with Brazil, if I use my Trinidad passport I don't need a visa at all. Oddly, life is no less simple entering the USA with a USA passport (but apparently I have to regardless). So far I haven't had any problems carrying all of them but someday I suppose I may get strip-searched and have a hand up my anal cavity (bonus if he's cute).
2009-09-03 07:03
Hi....my partner has recently applied for British citizenship after living here for the past ten years. He originates from Lebanon and has now been told by the Lebanese Embassy that by applying for British citizenship he has given up the right to his Lebanese citizenship and have detained his passport....is this fair? He's obviously devastated, is there anything that we can do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I can be contacted on sueengland2@msn.com