Comments on: My Renunciation Day

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:03:05 +0000

In reply to T L. No, I would not recommend becoming stateless, simply because then it becomes far more difficult to travel! I had dual citizenship (US + Netherlands) for quite a few years before I renounced my US citizenship. I liked having both until I realized the consequences of having both.

By: T L

T L — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 19:54:00 +0000

Hi.

Are you voluntarily stateless as a result? Like Mike Gogulski, Garry Davis and Glen Lee Roberts.
What’s your experience getting the 1954 Convention Travel Document?
Were you warned of the consequence that stateless people might face?

US is unusual that it allows you to renounce and become stateless provided you understand the consequences.
The majority of recognised stateless people with a 1954 Convention Travel Document happened to have renounced their US citizenship.
It’s rarer to find a stateless person with recognised status who is not a US citizen that renounced their citizenship.

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 18:06:56 +0000

In reply to Bethann. Thank you! No idea what happened but I think it's fixed now.

By: Bethann

Bethann — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 12:06:55 +0000

The link to the Medium article is broken. Can you relink? Its a great piece and I have been sharing your content with others!

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 08:14:45 +0000

In reply to Luis L. I'm sorry, I can't. I didn't use a lawyer, only an accountant. You should post this question on one of the FB groups about issues around FATCA. Or ask at the Isaac Brock Society website.

By: Luis L

Luis L — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 06:31:39 +0000

Hi Rachel
thanks for all the info you gave us!
I am looking for a reasonable fee Tax lawyer service that can help us to do the process and do it with the less risk…
Can you refer to somebody ?
thanks!

By: Chrys T

Chrys T — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 19:27:46 +0000

I’ve come across this site because, only ten days ago, did I realise that I need to file USA tax returns etc. I left the USA when I was 21, obtained British citizenship three years later, and had no idea that keeping USA citizenship would cause me all this difficulty later. I have now lived in the UK for 30 years. All of my investments etc have been made with UK tax laws in mind. I’ve hired a tax advisor because I don’t know what’s going to happen after I file the three years of returns under the Streamline process. I know that I won’t pay tax on ‘earned income’, but there’s my investments to think about. They’re not large (under £30K) but there could be lots of paperwork (and legal time to pay for) to report them. Looking ahead to retirement, I could be heavily penalised when it’s time to draw my UK pensions. So I’ve already decided that, early next year, I must renounce. (I don’t have the money to afford to do so any earlier.) I sobbed over this last night, I have always been proud of my dual nationality. So hard to believe that the USA would treat a citizen in this way!

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 21:57:50 +0000

In reply to Tyo. I can't say that I am at peace, at least not completely. I still feel attached to the US, even with Trump. Though since his election my sadness at renouncing is somewhat reduced!

By: Tyo

Tyo — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 17:46:51 +0000

Thanks for your article. There’s not much one can read re: the feelings experienced when renunciating US citizenship. I can say that I don’t feel any regret with my renunciation. Rather, with the dystopian-matrix political climate that Trump and his braindead surrogates have created in the US, I feel an enormous sense of relief now that I’m not a US citizen. It’s a feeling of being liberated from the duplicitous fantasies that were programmed into me from childhood. I have taken the blue pill and I am at peace.

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Sat, 13 Jan 2018 06:50:20 +0000

In reply to Simon.

You’re absolutely right. When I wanted to take my baby son — born in the Netherlands — for a visit to the US, it didn’t even occur to me not to get him a social security number and passport. If you’re an American citizen, you’re required to use a US passport when you go into or out of the US, so I complied. He’s 19 now, and just a couple of weeks ago he renounced. My husband and I paid the fee for him, since in our view it’s our fault! Those embassy employees you encountered should be ashamed of themselves: if they’re US citizens they’re in the same position you are!