Benefits of Dual Citizenship

Being a Dual Citizen simply means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. One who has dual citizenship is considered to be a citizen of two countries. Every country has different and unique citizenship laws. You can have dual nationality through operation of different laws than by choice. If you are a US citizen and your child was born in a foreign country, the child can be both a US citizen and a citizen of the country where he/she was born. It simply means that the country where the child is born can enable the child to hold citizenship automatically there and the parent’s citizenship can also be passed to the child. In other circumstances, you can have citizenship in a country and file to become a naturalized citizen of another nation. Off late, the Dual citizenship concept is being accepted and becoming more common. It offers many benefits.

Travel

If you have dual citizenship, it means you will have passports of both countries. Traveling with the correct visa in these countries can help you cross the borders more easily, without many hassles. If you have a passport of a country that is a part of the European Union, with that passport, you can travel and stay in any country throughout the European Union without the need for a visa or residency requirements.

Work

Countries normally reserve or keep jobs for their citizens. Visitors should get special work visas. If you do not have citizenship and filing for a work visa, the chances do not look bright. Through Dual citizenship, the chance to work in either country is doubled.

Connections to the place where one was born

Some persons prefer to stay and be a naturalized citizen in one country while not completely cutting off their connections to their family and place they were born. Having dual citizenship, they are generally allowed to retain their rights to vote in both countries. They are also permitted to own property and qualify for government health care (if applicable.)

Property

There are certain countries that impose restrictions on property ownership depending on citizenship. For example, a country may not allow a foreigner to own a land near a border or coastline. In such countries, if you want to live there full or part time, you may find that being a naturalized citizen will allow you to own property, and travel back and forth conveniently.

Wide Acceptance

Earlier, laws in some countries prohibited a naturalized citizen from retaining the citizenship of the country he/she was born. Now, dual citizenship is widely accepted and allowed. Many countries have modified their laws to encourage citizenship and offer it to former citizens, their children and others who want to have more than one passport.

Retirement

Off late, many countries are making things easier for people to get citizenship more easily for retirement in other countries that can be more affordable, such as in Latin America. Countries such as Panama, Belize and Mexico encourage people to settle down there. In other instances, one with a parent or grandparent in countries such as Italy or Ireland may qualify for citizenship there.

Asylees Adjusting Status in the US

One year after granted asylum status, you will be allowed to adjust your status to legal permanent residence (green card). You are also allowed to submit petitions to petition for your family members – spouse, minor children, and unmarried adult sons and daughters for permanent residence in the US.

As an asylee, to apply for adjustment of status, you have to prove that

- you have been physically present in the US for one year after getting asylum status
- you still are a refugee (with a “well-founded fear of persecution,” etc.)
- you have not resettled in another country
- you do not fall under the “inadmissible” category or warrant a waiver of applicable grounds of “inadmissibility.”

It is mandatory you submit the following documents:

- Form I-485 along with the submission fee
- Form G-325
- 2 passport styled photographs
- Fee for fingerprinting
- Adequate proof of asylee status (copy of I-94 and letter granting asylum or decision by Immigration Judge)
- Birth certificate
- Evidence that you have been living in the US for the last year (copy of lease, bills, pay stubs, or receipt of government benefits)
- Proof of change of name legally (if you have legally changed your name since getting asylee status.

Asylees need not prove that they are not likely to become a public charge in the US. Persons receiving means-tested benefits (public assistance or SSI), will also qualify for legal permanent residence. If you cannot afford to pay the fee, you can request a waiver of the filing fee for the adjustment of status application. Here you should prove that paying the fee would result in financial hardship.

After you file the application, you can expect to receive an interview notice along with a medical examination form that you will need to complete. In situations where you happened to enter the US with fraudulent documents (passport purchased on black market), it is mandatory you file an application for a waiver of inadmissibility (Form I-602). Though it is mandatory you submit the application with the necessary supporting documents with the USCIS, the interview will entirely focus on your eligibility for adjustment to green card status and not on the underlying asylum claim. Remember that not all asylee applicants filing for adjustment of status will have interviews. In some occasions, decisions on some applications are adjudicated simply on paper by mail.

Naturalization

After being a legal permanent resident for five years, you can file the application for naturalization (Form N-400) to become a US citizen. Note that after you, as an asylee are granted permanent residence, the date of admission is one year before the date of approval of the adjustment of status petition. It simply means that the five-year period required for Naturalization is reduced to four years. Remember that US Citizenship is the highest US immigration status and it has many advantages when compared to being in another legal status. The main advantage is the right to vote in federal elections.