How To Renounce Your American Citizenship ~ FYI

[elehhhhna]

Electing to Leave
A reader’s guide to expatriating on November 3
Posted on Wednesday, November 3, 2004. Originally from Harper's Magazine, October 2004. By Bryant Urstadt.
SourcesSo the wrong candidate has won, and you want to leave the country. Let us consider your options.

Renouncing your citizenship

Given how much the United States as a nation professes to value freedom, your freedom to opt out of the nation itself is surprisingly limited. The State Department does not record the annual number of Americans renouncing their citizenship—“renunciants,” as they are officially termed—but the Internal Revenue Service publishes their names on a quarterly basis in the Federal Register. The IRS’s interest in the subject is, of course, purely financial; since 1996, the agency has tracked ex-Americans in the hopes of recouping tax revenue, which in some cases may be owed for up to ten years after a person leaves the country. In any event, the number of renunciants is small. In 2002, for example, the Register recorded only 403 departures, of which many (if not most) were merely longtime resident aliens returning home.

The most serious barrier to renouncing your citizenship is that the State Department, which oversees expatriation, is reluctant to allow citizens to go “stateless.” Before allowing expatriation, the department will want you to have obtained citizenship or legal asylum in another country—usually a complicated and expensive process, if it can be done at all. Would-be renunciants must also prove that they do not intend to live in the United States afterward. Furthermore, you cannot renounce inside U.S. borders; the declaration must be made at a consul’s office abroad.

Much more, here:
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:Bz3DOzVgyKUJ:www.harpers.org/ElectingToLeave.html+renounce+U.S.+citizenship&hl=en

[babylonsister]

1. Who wants to do that? We only want the bums out of there! nt

[Samantha]

12. I assumed the info was posted for the use of George W. Bush*

didn't you?

[babylonsister]

15. No, I didn't. GWB doesn't read this or anything. nt

[valerief]

2. You'd think they'd want to not pay social security to expats

[gulfcoastliberal]

3. Maybe some generous countries (hint, hint NZ)

Will give citizenships to those hit by the hurricane disasters. Pleeease!

[napi21]

9. I'd love to go to NZ, but I don't think they'd want me, or you either.

about 6 years ago, my boss visited NZ. He loved it, but when he checked on what he would need to move there, he was told he had to either be self sustaining, or have a promised job there. They are simply not willing to take imigrants who will drain their economy.

I happen to agree with NZ, and my boos has the resources to be self sufficient, but I don't, and I doubt I'm going to be lucky enough to get a job there either.

[gulfcoastliberal]

17. I know.... I've checked it out, too (also agree w/their policies)

Gotta marry a native, I figure. ;)

[Catch22Dem]

4. Not gonna happen...8 years in the Air Force here

I served my country, and I'm taking it back from these motherfuckers. Renounce my citizenship? No way in hell!

[Harry S Truman]

11. I agree

and I have weapons of their mass destruction.

[TomClash]

5. Neo-cons welcome to leave

I'm staying put and fighting.

[jim3775]

6. Why would you renounce your citizenship?

That is ludicrous.

[Cleita]

7. I don't want to renounce my American citizenship. I want

the Nazis out of my government, so I don't have to be blamed for what they do in my name.

[H2O Man]

8. Never. n/t/n

[elehhhhna]

10. Hey! I'm not advising or suggesting it, just an FYI.

I thought it was interesting & the subject came up on a diff. thread.

[melody]

13. We need to make them renounce theirs

Either that or break the whole place in two - and make sure we keep the nukes.

[shireen]

14. i became a citizen in August 2002.

I love this country. I'll never leave.

[pinto]

16. I'm not leaving. This is my country. n/t