# Double nationality



## adasafa (Jan 30, 2015)

Hoping to get some pros/cons of getting my double nationality. 

I could obtain my Mexican citizenship very easily due to my parents being born in Mexico. In fact, I already have my appointment to do so.

I've researched a bit and the only real negative I can see is that if something goes bad while I'm in Mexico, the US would not come to the rescue since I would be a Mexican in Mexico and living under Mexican laws. I am also not clear in how it would work if something bad were to happen while I was in a 3rd country....meaning if I was in Spain and something happened, would the US use their diplomatic power to interfere or simply say no, he is now Mexico's problem?

It appears I could own property in Mexico while only being a US citizen. It also appears that renting property in Mexico would be no different whether or not I was a Mexican citizen. So I'm not sure how having the double nationality would benefit me for housing.

I'm debating whether it truly is smart to secure the Mexican citizenship. My plan is to later in life spend maybe 3-6 months at a time down in Mexico. I guess it would be smart to secure the double nationality now while the laws are favorable and my parents are alive to provide the documents I need. 

Thoughts?


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## mattoleriver (Oct 21, 2011)

adasafa said:


> It appears I could own property in Mexico while only being a US citizen. It also appears that renting property in Mexico would be no different whether or not I was a Mexican citizen. So I'm not sure how having the double nationality would benefit me for housing.


There are some property ownership restrictions along coastlines and land borders that do not apply to Mexican citizens. Google "Mexico restricted zone". That's the extent of my input, somebody else will have to fill in details.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

What makes you think the US would do much of anything for you if you got into trouble elsewhere?


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Here’s another thing to think about. Technically speaking, you already have Mexican nationality through your parents. If you doubt it, look at the wording of Article 30 of the Mexican constitution:


> A. Son mexicanos por nacimiento:
> I. […]
> II. Los que nazcan en el extranjero de padres mexicanos, […]


which in English means:


> A. The following are Mexican by birth: […]
> II. Anyone born abroad to Mexican parents, […]


So I guess what your appointment is for is to submit the papers that enable you to _claim_ your Mexican nationality, namely to get your Mexican birth certificate for a Mexican born abroad.


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## adasafa (Jan 30, 2015)

RVGRINGO said:


> What makes you think the US would do much of anything for you if you got into trouble elsewhere?


You do have a point. I am not sure what extent of help the US would submit. 

There was a recent case where a US veteran (supposedly) accidentally entered Mexico and was incarcerated for over 200 days in Mexico...apparently he got freed after a diplomatic push from the US. If the guy had double nationality, would he have still gotten the same support from the US? Would he still be in prison? 

Sorry, I don't have enough posts to get the link to show. You can Google Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi for the US veteran case that took place in 2014.

Again, I don't plan to put myself in a position to get in trouble as I try to live a good life. But again, you never know what can happen in this world (false charges, false imprisonment, etc). And I also would wonder if the same thing happened in a neutral country (for example Germany), would the US extend their diplomatic power?


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## adasafa (Jan 30, 2015)

Thanks all for the replies so far! 

I appreciate the input, just want to make sure there are no CONS that I am missing about CLAIMING my double nationality.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

adasafa said:


> Thanks all for the replies so far!
> 
> _I appreciate the input, just want to make sure there are no CONS that I am missing about CLAIMING my double nationality._




We have been naturalized Mexican citizens for some time now and, otherwise, I am a U.S. citizen and my wife is a French citizen. Insofar as I know, there is no time or circumstance where one would claim "doublé nationality". When we are at home in Mexico, we are always strictly Mexican citizens and are required to live in accordance with Mexican laws and regulations. It would not be aceptable for either of us to claim any sort of dual nationalities while on Mexican soil. When we are anywhere else in the world other than Mexico, we can claim that nationality that best suits our situations at the time and that has mostly to do with the posture of the political jurisdiction in which we find ourselves at the time. As an oversimplified example, if we were in the U.S. of France we would be U.S. and French citzens respectively but if we were in Cuba, I would claim Mexican nationality (under current restrictive rules regarding travel of U.S. citizens to Cuba - supposedly soon to change) and my wife could choose either French of Mexican nationality when entering or visiting that island. A situation where we would claim dual citizenship anywhere on the planet seems improbable and even a bit risky. 

Each person seeks his/her own comfort level but, as far as we are concerned, becoming Mexican citizens and being freed from INM jurisdiction and no longer subject to capricious changes in immigration rules and regulations and annual immigrant status renewals is a Godsend. SRE took up our permanent resident cards when we completed the naturalization process and made it clear that INM was no longer a factor in our lives here under any circumstances.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Hi Hound Dog, nice to see you back on the forum! Are you over your nasty case of the flu?


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Hound Dog said:


> [/I] as I know, there is no time or circumstance where one would claim "doublé nationality"


Right, that is true as far as I know, too.

What adasafa is going to claim is his (her?) Mexican nationality.


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## adasafa (Jan 30, 2015)

Thanks Hound Dog for your input! You bring up one of the main reasons I wish to gain my Mexican citizenship: I won't be restricted by immigration laws if I wish to stay longer in Mexico & I can travel to different countries as either a Mexican or US citizen (which ever suits me best).

I may have mistakenly used the term "double nationality" when in fact it may be "dual citizenship". To be clear: I am a US citizen that will concurrently acquire Mexican citizenship (so I become a "dual citizen")... I understand that by doing so I would become a US citizen under US laws while in the US, whereas I would essentially be a Mexican citizen under Mexican laws while in Mexico.

This is a big step for me so I appreciate the input. From what I gather, there are lots of expats in Mexico that would gladly be in the position I am where it's so easy to become a dual citizen. So I take it that it's a good thing to do it. 

I've also looked into the tax laws and it appears there is an agreement between US & Mexico where I would only have to pay US taxes for any dividends/capital gains/etc income, and not be subject to double taxation by paying Mexico as well.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Hound Dog said:


> [/I]
> 
> We have been naturalized Mexican citizens for some time now and, otherwise, I am a U.S. citizen and my wife is a French citizen. Insofar as I know, there is no time or circumstance where one would claim "doublé nationality". When we are at home in Mexico, we are always strictly Mexican citizens and are required to live in accordance with Mexican laws and regulations. It would not be aceptable for either of us to claim any sort of dual nationalities while on Mexican soil. When we are anywhere else in the world other than Mexico, we can claim that nationality that best suits our situations at the time and that has mostly to do with the posture of the political jurisdiction in which we find ourselves at the time. As an oversimplified example, if we were in the U.S. of France we would be U.S. and French citzens respectively but if we were in Cuba, I would claim Mexican nationality (under current restrictive rules regarding travel of U.S. citizens to Cuba - supposedly soon to change) and my wife could choose either French of Mexican nationality when entering or visiting that island. A situation where we would claim dual citizenship anywhere on the planet seems improbable and even a bit risky.
> 
> Each person seeks his/her own comfort level but, as far as we are concerned, becoming Mexican citizens and being freed from INM jurisdiction and no longer subject to capricious changes in immigration rules and regulations and annual immigrant status renewals is a Godsend. SRE took up our permanent resident cards when we completed the naturalization process and made it clear that INM was no longer a factor in our lives here under any circumstances.


Hound Dog: When you are in Mexico, would you two be able to ask the US or French Embassies/Consulates for assistance in the event that you had a problem. I see lots of people lining up outside the US Consulate Social Security office. Most of them look Mexican and I presume some of them have dual citizenship.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

_


Isla Verde said:



Hi Hound Dog, nice to see you back on the forum! Are you over your nasty case of the flu?

Click to expand...

_Thanks, Isla:

Both my wife(Citlali) and I actually contracted acute bronchitis while in DF with her sister from Paris who then took it back there with her and spread it around that city plus God knows how many folks on that Mexico City-Paris flight which she took before the bronchitis grew into the monster from hell you do not ever wish to experience. After about six weeks, I think it is over but Mother Nature can be capricious so we shall see. Give me the flu anytime.

Briefly back to the subject of expats going for Mexican naturilization while maintaining their original citizenships or even more than one other legitimate citizenship. I was 72 when I decided to intiate the citizenship process with SRE afer a few years under "inmigrado" status later changed to "residente permanente" status with the onerous duty (shudder) of going back to INM and exchanging cards from one to the other after 13 years of the annual INM immigration grind and always subject to changes in rules and regulations some of which seemed frivolous so time, thought I, to exit this process. Sincé I was over 60 years of age, no test was required to apply for citizenship and my halting Spanish sufficed to get me through the, at times, unpleasant and often merciless interview processes required for me to be granted citizenship and then acquire an IFE (now INE) voter registration card (_*THE*_ national ID of Mexico which carries much weight) and my Mexican passport. So, if one is 60 or over one can forget any written tests but if one is not at least moderately conversant in Spanish the process can be intimidating to say the least and no quarter may be expected to be given by sometimes petulant SRE functionaries. The whole process was unpleasant at times but once I had my necessary Mexican citizenship papers and had turned in those INM documents I danced a jig with the knowledge that I would never have to darken any INM doorway again for the duration.

By the way, I went through the citizenship process in Guadalajara and Jocotepec, Jalisco and Citlali went through that process in Tuxtla Gutiérrez and San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. I can´t speak regarding other political jurisdictions but the process in both of those places was more-or-less interhangable and reasonably accomplished.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

HD, so happy to know you're feeling much, much better! We missed you while you were recuperating from that evil bronchitis.



> The whole process was unpleasant at times but once I had my necessary Mexican citizenship papers and had turned in those INM documents I danced a jig with the knowledge that I would never have to darken any INM doorway again for the duration.


Did you make a video of your dancing a "good-bye forever, INM" jig?


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

TundraGreen said:


> Hound Dog: When you are in Mexico, would you two be able to ask the US or French Embassies/Consulates for assistance in the event that you had a problem. I see lots of people lining up outside the US Consulate Social Security office. Most of them look Mexican and I presume some of them have dual citizenship.


 A Mexican citizen, while in Mexico, cannot seek assistance from a foreign embassy of any other nation where they may hold nationality when it comes to legal problems under Mexican jurisdiction.

The people seeking assistance for Social Security are not necessarily American or dual citizens. They may have held permanent resident status in the US or they are/were dependents of a person that qualified for SS benefits. They are not seeking assistance for legal issues under Mexican jurisdiction.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

If I had a legal problem in Mexico I would not seek assisance from the French Embassy, that would be a good way to loose my Mexican citizenship. 
I go to SS in the US consulate and I am not a US citizen. You do not have to be a US citizen to collect SS Security benefits you just have to have paid into the system.


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## adasafa (Jan 30, 2015)

Well based on what I've read so far I think I will keep my appointment this upcoming week to secure my Mexican dual citizenship. The only negative I've thought of is not having US protection while in Mexico but I honestly can't see it being in an issue for me in the future. 

Thanks!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I think you are overestimating the US protection or any consulate protection. I have lived abroad for 45 years and I never had any use for the consulate except to renew my French passport or ID.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

I think the question should be, “protection from what?“, since one is always subject to the laws and customs of the country in which they find themselves; not their home country. If jailed, a consulate might possibly give you a list of attorneys and a toothbrush; nothing more, unless the possibility of an international incident or embarrassment is involved.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Here’s another anecdote about what ‘protection’ could entail (not that a scenario like the following would be likely in Mexico):

In 2006, the Canadian government made a massive effort to rescue Canadians (and some others) from a crisis in Lebanon. Correct me if I’m remembering wrong, but I think I remember reading some criticism at the time that claimed that many of these rescued Canadians were dual citizens who were in Lebanon to visit family, and these critics said they should have been treated the same as their fellow countrymen who were not Canadians, that they chose to visit Lebanon when a crisis was building so they should lie in the bed they made, and things like that.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

For further interesting situation and help from consulates see the movie Missing or the Cassez story.. SHe had rich , influential parents who wen right to the French Presidents but they are other French citizens who went to jail an dthey got out when they finished their sentence..


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