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What passport to use traveling to USA with two citizenships? (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by Grogon@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Can I use my german passport to travel to USA or do I use my US passport?

And if I lived and worked in germany my whole life and never in the USA and never filed taxes can I enter USA without problems?

I just found out I am us citizen a few years ago don't ask why but I'm 34 and recently traveled to US with my german passport and they were all like "wtf where is your passport" and I'm like: "Here.." and they "Yeah your american passport?!" and I'm "I'm german" and he is like: "Dude you are born on american ground you are american!"

Well they let me travel in to the states without american passport but told me to go to the embassy as soon as I arrive back in germany or else I won't be able to enter USA again.

That being said, I done that. Now I have my american passport. But do I show both passports or only US passport? And after doing my research I found out americans file taxes every year. I haven't done it the last 18 years of working. Should I just not file? I will never work in the USA and I will never live in the USA. Or will I get problems at the airport? Can they see I don't file?

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[–] kiwifoxtrot@lemmy.world 15 points 8 months ago (2 children)

If you will never live in the US, you should renounce your citizenship. This will be permanent and irrevocable, so consider it wisely. This eliminates any issue with not filing taxes while working overseas.

[–] Grogon@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

In order to renounce my citizenship I have to file atleast 5 years to IRS lol. So even if I want to renounce my citizenship it's currently not possible to do so because I haven't filed in my life.

In order to "file" taxes I also require a social security number which I don't have. I honestly don't know where to find it lol.

[–] Nomecks@lemmy.ca 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You probably opened up a whole can of worms by getting your passport then. You are an American citizen and you have owed tax since you started working. This may come back to bite you at some point if the IRS decides to go after you.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 1 points 8 months ago

They likely don't owe tax, but they still legally have to file the paperwork

[–] Thief_of_Crows@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I suggest just not saying anything about it ever, and just tell the US govt you're not a citizen at all if they ask.

[–] TheGalacticVoid@lemm.ee 3 points 8 months ago

Considering that he learned about his citizenship from a US immigration officer, lying about his citizenship is probably a criminal offense.

[–] ChrislyBear@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Is this possible? I've heard, that no matter what you do as an expat you'll always have to file taxes for the US IRS.

From the point of view of the US, is renouncing citizenship even a thing? For Turkey for example it is not. You just can't "delete" your Turkish citizenship.

[–] stankmut@lemmy.world 8 points 8 months ago

Yes, it is a thing in the US. People do it mostly to avoid filing taxes with the US when they don't plan on ever living here. It's rather expensive and time consuming. You have to pay a big fee ($2350 + any unpaid taxes) to do it and set up an appointment with the embassy/consulate.