DUAL CITIZENSHIP IN UNITED STATES
Based on the U.S. Department of State regulation on dual citizenship (7 FM 1162), the Supreme Court of
the United States has stated that dual citizenship is a “status long recognized in the law” and that “a
person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the
responsibilities of both. The mere fact he asserts the rights of one citizenship does not without more
mean that he renounces the other,” (Kawakita v. U.S., 343 U.S. 717) (1952). However, the word “two”
appears to be flexible because there are many examples of people with multiple citizenships
simultaneously.
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) does not define dual citizenship or take a position for it or
against it. There has been no prohibition against dual citizenship, but some provisions of the INA and
earlier U.S. nationality laws were designed to reduce situations in which dual citizenship exists.
United States law does not contain any provisions requiring U.S. citizens who are born with dual
citizenship or who acquire a second citizenship at an early age to choose one or the other when they
become adults (Mandeli v. Acheson, 344 U.S. 133) (1952). The current citizenship laws of the United
States do not specifically refer to dual citizenship.
While recognizing the existence of dual citizenship and permitting Americans to have other citizenships,
the U.S. Government does not endorse dual citizenship as a matter of policy because of the problems
that it may cause. Claims of other countries on dual-national U.S. citizens often place them in situations
where their obligations to one country are in conflict with the laws of the other.
The following are list of countries which allow and do not allow dual citizenships: Please keep in mind
that countries amend nationality laws from time to time (thus changing some of this information).
Additionally there may be various restrictions placed upon the citizenship granted.
Dual Citizenships Allowed:
Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus, United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland,
South Korea, South Africa (requires permission) , Egypt (requires prior permission), Greece, France,
Finland, Germany (requires prior permission), India (allows an OCI…Overseas Citizen of India), Iraq, Italy,
Israel, Ireland, Hungary, Iceland, Sweden, Slovenia, Syria, Serbia, Armenia, Lebanon, Malta, Spain (only
allows with certain Latin American countries), Tonga, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka (by retention),
Pakistan (accepts only with 16 countries), Portugal, Turkey (requires permission)
Dual Citizenships Not Allowed:
Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan ,Burma, Bahrain, Botswana, Japan, China ,Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji,
Indonesia, Ecuador, Estonia, Iran, Poland, Papua New Guinea, Brunei, Japan, Peru, Kuwait , Kenya,
Kazakhstan, Chile, Kiribati, Poland, Korea, Kuwait, Denmark, Latvia, Singapore, Slovakia, Ecuador,
Lithuania, Solomon Islands ,Fiji ,Malaysia, Mauritius, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Romania,
Thailand, Mexico, Nepal, Venezuela, Norway, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal