# Trying to get appointment to renounce US citizenship



## pmosher441 (Jun 8, 2015)

As the title suggests, I'm starting the formal process of renouncing my US citizenship (have been Canadian citizen for several years). Per instructions on several sites, I sent an email to "[email protected]" to book an appointment, but haven't heard anything. This was two weeks ago.

Can anyone comment on how long it should take to get a reply from the appropriate authorities? To be clear, I'm just trying to get the process started so I can get an appointment at a consulate in Canada. I've made my decision and weighed the pros and cons, but can't seem to get past this step!

Maybe they sent a response and it got lost in my spam folder, but I don't think so. Should I resend the request?

Thanks -- Pauline


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

Might be an idea to post this in the American section too. While there could be someone here who has done this, there are more people in that section who are dealing with the US government. 

And is it possible to phone someone to get some guidance from a US official?


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## pmosher441 (Jun 8, 2015)

*Finally got appointment!*

In case anyone else is interested, after some back and forth last October by email with the "[email protected]" address, I was able to get the definitive list of what they needed to process my request for a renunciation appointment. The information was submitted on October 22. I heard nothing until February 12 when I was notified of my appointment in early April at the Toronto consulate, a little less than 6 months from my formal request.

Incidentally, the email they sent in October with detailed information requirements included a list of average wait times for appointments at the consulates in Canada. Toronto was the longest at 7-8 months, the others more like 3-6 months. Turns out my wait hasn't been quite as long as they estimated.


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## Sherwood Botsford (Mar 19, 2019)

Note that under US code there is a difference between renouncing citizenship, and relinquishing citizenship. The latter seems to be far less formal.


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## pmosher441 (Jun 8, 2015)

I don't know whether the procedure to relinquish US citizenship is actually less formal than to renounce, but it doesn't matter to me as I am not eligible to relinquish, as far as I can tell. Since obtaining Canadian citizenship, I have continued to "take advantage" of US citizenship -- passport, voting, filing tax returns -- so must go the renounce route.

In any case, it's NOT cheaper to relinquish than to renounce. It costs the same US$2350 to obtain a Certificate of Loss of Nationality whichever route you take.


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## Sherwood Botsford (Mar 19, 2019)

To relinquish all you need to do is to undertake any action with the intent of no longer being an American citizen. Such actions include:

* Taking citizenship in another country with above intent.
* Serving in another countries military service.
* Running for office in another country.

https://www.advisor.ca/news/industry-news/why-to-relinquish-u-s-citizenship-rather-than-renounce/


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## pmosher441 (Jun 8, 2015)

The article you link to specifically points out that going the relinquish route may be denied if it's not clear that one's intention when committing the expatriating act (in my case, acquiring Canadian citizenship) did not clearly include relinquishing US citizenship. As I mentioned, I have since renewed my US passport and voted in US elections, so obviously I did not think back when I swore the Canadian oath that I was giving up my US citizenship.

And I don't see that the procedure to relinquish would really be simpler anyway. You still have to apply for an appointment at the consulate (and wait and wait), and the fee for the CLN is the same. 

If you don't want to bother with a CLN, and you believe you qualify for relinquishment anyway, I suppose you could ignore the whole thing and hope for the best down the road. Stay under the radar, so to speak. I don't want to take any chances, as my Canadian passport shows my US place of birth, and I don't want awkward questions when I travel.


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## Sherwood Botsford (Mar 19, 2019)

You don't make an appointment. You don't fill out the paper work. If questioned, you say that you relingquished it. That's it.

Since becoming a Canadian citizen I have let my US passport lapse, nor have I bothered to vote in a U.S. election. Nor have I ever filed that pesky income tax document they want. I have traveled to the U.S. several times on my Canadian passport and when questioned, have simply stated that I'm no longer a U.S. citizen. In short my entire behaviour is consistent with relinquishing.


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## pmosher441 (Jun 8, 2015)

It seems like you're looking to accomplish something a little different than what I want. Some people on the Expat Tax forum especially recommend your approach, whereby you just do nothing with respect to any obligations that the US authorities may think you have to them. You have committed a "relinquishing act" (becoming Canadian), and you've done nothing since then to indicate a desire to be considered still a US citizen.

I'm looking for a more formal acknowledgement from the US powers-that-be, in the form of a Certificate of Loss of Nationality, that they no longer have any claim on me of any kind, including but not limited to financial obligations of all US citizens. In other words, I'm not sufficiently reassured by just my opinion -- as informed as it may be by extensive reading on the internet -- that I have no further obligations and will encounter no difficulties down the road. I want THEM to agree, and in writing.

I realize that the US has little to no power to go after anyone who resides abroad and is generally law-abiding, so the "lay low" approach may work just fine, as long as you have no US income or investments and own no property there. For me, the peace of mind that will come with an official statement of my status is worth the modest effort in paperwork and procedure. (The renunciation/formal relinquishment fee is unfortunately not modest, however.) Just different strokes, I guess.


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