# Renouncing US Citizenship From the UK?



## mialily

Hello, I am desperate to renounce my US citizenship through marriage. I am a UK citizen by birth and returned to the UK after my divorce. I know the embassy in London has not been accepting applications since March 2020...so, what are people doing? Just holding tight and waiting? Does anyone on here know if any other options? Can I renounce from the USA? Or an Eu country? Any advice is so appreciated. Thank you.


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## Bevdeforges

Generally speaking, you can't renounce from within the US (since you have to renounce in front of a "consular officer" and there aren't any consulates in the US. But I don't believe you are required to renounce at the consulate in or near the area or country in which you live. Check the websites of the embassies/consulates in nearby countries to see if you can book an appointment and how to do so. 

It can be a little tricky finding the information on renunciation on some of the consulate websites. If it isn't listed under "US citizen services" try using the Search function for the website of the consulate/embassy you're considering. Some of the consulates require you to attend two separate appointments (a couple weeks apart), while others (like in Paris) handle the information gathering stuff online and then set up a single appointment where you pay your money and swear that you really mean to do it and you walk out of there a non-US-citizen. (Or did before the pandemic.)


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## mialily

Thank you so much for this. I am going to look into renunciation via the US embassy in Paris. Has anyone on here done this? I would so appreciate any advice regarding this approach. Thank you!


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## mialily

Oh, I see renunciation has been suspended worldwide


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## Harry Moles

Renunciation has not been suspended worldwide - normal service has resumed in Canada, among other places, though there's a long waiting list to get an appointment. (I renounced earlier this year after, 14 months after putting in the request.)

Why are you so desperate to renounce? You can simply ignore your US citizenship. If you have a UK birthplace on your UK passport, conceal your US citizenship from financial institutions to avoid FATCA reporting or restrictions on investments. If your assets are outside the US, file nothing and forget about the IRS.


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## mialily

That's strange. On the Paris US embassy website it says: _Due to COVID-19, renunciation services have been suspended world-wide until further notice. We apologize for the inconvenience._









Relinquish U.S. Citizenship (Expatriate)


Please note that the current wait time for a renunciation interview is 3-4 months. Relinquishment of U.S. citizenship by performing certain potentially




fr.usembassy.gov





Am I missing something?

I am desperate to renounce as it is severely impacting my taxes in multiple ways that I unfortunately cannot ignore (I have assets there, too). 

Thank you for your help!


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## Bevdeforges

Updating of the US embassy and consulate websites isn't done all that efficiently and I suspect that some of the information from the State Department may simply be put out there en masse. The instructions for renouncing look pretty much the same as when I went through the process back before Covid. Pull your documents together and submit them and see what the email you get back says. (You can always back out right up to the last minute if you change your mind.)

The staff at the Paris Consulate are generally very helpful and they should be able to let you know when the next appointments are available. But that email will give you a specific phone number to call regarding renouncing.


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## Harry Moles

Consulates in various countries are doing renunciations - some very quickly, others with extremely long wait times. If time is of the essence, consult with the Isaac Brock Society, and also there are some Facebook groups for would-be renunciants. 

Without knowing any details of your situation, are you absolutely certain you can't just pull assets out of the US and cease filing, or take a "partial compliance" approach that keeps your non-US income and assets off the IRS radar? People do tend to overestimate the ability of the US government to make their lives difficult beyond US borders.


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## mialily

Thank you!


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## mialily

Harry Moles said:


> Consulates in various countries are doing renunciations - some very quickly, others with extremely long wait times. If time is of the essence, consult with the Isaac Brock Society, and also there are some Facebook groups for would-be renunciants.
> 
> Without knowing any details of your situation, are you absolutely certain you can't just pull assets out of the US and cease filing, or take a "partial compliance" approach that keeps your non-US income and assets off the IRS radar? People do tend to overestimate the ability of the US government to make their lives difficult beyond US borders.


Thank you. And, no, I don't think I can. I own a business that is based there, although I work from the UK. I have three other founders and it is very much a US-based business that cannot be transferred. I also do a significant amount of independent contract work for US agencies, which makes up the bulk of my income. 

Really appreciate your help, thank you.


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## Harry Moles

I would do some careful research before rushing to renounce. It's possible that you would be wise to remain a US citizen - you would certainly want to look at the tax treatment for an NRA with the same ties to the US. For something this complex you might want to engage a professional, since you're also dealing with UK taxes.


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## Lauren456

Hi,

Did you manage to renounce since you posted? I'm wondering how long the wait is in London and whether to explore other options.


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## Moulard

You could always email them to ask

[email protected]


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## Lauren456

I did a couple of weeks ago and not had a reply!


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## Bevdeforges

I'm not sure the Consulates can give you a valid estimate of how long it will take. The Paris consulate has posted that things currently will take 12 to 18 months, but that seems to be the standard guesstimate that all the consulates give you. And, it's not certain if that is how long for getting an appointment or if they are talking about completing the process (which can take several weeks or months after your consulate appointment) even if the effective date of your renunciation is still the date of your appointment. Like too many government agencies, the State Department is understaffed and underfunded and is running off a large backlog, not only of renunciations, but of visa applications and other paperwork. Replying to emails may not be high on their priorities - but check the website for any sort of FAQ lists that might be relevant. (Note: for many consulate websites, there is no direct route to the information on renunciation. Use the website's search function to find where they are hiding the information.)


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## pvtherapies

I renounced in Malta last month. Took about 3 months via a tax lawyer that totally overcharged me Moody's Tax but it is a relief to have it finally done.


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## Harry Moles

Why did you hire a lawyer? All you need to do is make an appointment at a US consulate and fill out a few simple forms. Unless you're worth a lot of money with a very complex family situation, Moodys and their ilk are basically a scam.


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