renunciation Archives - Rachel's Ruminations

Watching America Fall Apart on my Renunciation Anniversary

Rachel Heller — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 13:52:15 +0000

One year ago today, I renounced my US citizenship. Here in the Netherlands, since last week’s US elections, friends and colleagues often ask me “Are you glad you gave up citizenship?” I always say “Yes!” but that’s a lie. I didn’t want give up citizenship then, and I still feel sad that I had to...

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On Receiving my California Voter Ballot

Rachel Heller — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 11:38:26 +0000

I won’t vote in the upcoming Presidential election. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I gave up citizenship last November, so I can’t vote in the US elections anymore. (If you want a general overview of my reasons for renouncing, here is my Medium article about it.) My renunciation date was November 18,...

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On Receiving my Certificate of Loss of Nationality

Rachel Heller — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 19:28:27 +0000

Almost five months after my renunciation day, I received my Certificate of Loss of Nationality today. It seems ironic that it arrived on Tax Day. People keep asking me how that feels, but I have trouble formulating an answer. This certificate = divorce papers The best analogy I’ve been able to find is that renouncing...

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Renunciations in the News

Rachel Heller — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 15:15:20 +0000

Last week new numbers were published about how many overseas Americans renounced citizenship in the fourth quarter of 2015, and they show, as expected, an increase in 2015: a record year for renunciations. Each quarter a “name and shame” list is published by the US Treasury Department based on IRS figures of those renouncing, and in...

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7 Reasons NOT to Renounce

Rachel Heller — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 15:23:13 +0000

When I was considering renouncing US citizenship, and then, once I had decided to do so, I heard several arguments for why I shouldn’t renounce. Reason not to renounce #1 But what if something happens where you are—an invasion or a natural disaster or something? The US would come and get you out! Answer #1:...

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The Irony of Renouncing Under Duress

Rachel Heller — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 15:00:37 +0000

The following post is one of a series about American values related to my renunciation of US citizenship in November 2015. In my journey through the wilds of US law as it applies to overseas Americans, I’ve joined a few Facebook groups where people in this situation share information about tax law, FATCA, and individual...

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Equality? Competition? Not Overseas!

Rachel Heller — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 15:12:28 +0000

This is one of a series of posts about American values inspired by my renunciation of American citizenship. I wrote last week about a book I’ve used for teaching, American Ways, and the six values it emphasizes. Last week I discussed individual freedom and self-reliance. This week I’d like to address two more: equality of...

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Individual Freedom, Self-Reliance and Renunciation

Rachel Heller — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 15:21:45 +0000

I teach American Studies at a teacher-training college here in the Netherlands. The eight-week courses—two for the younger, full-time students, and one for the adult, part-time students—are not in-depth studies. They are introductory courses for students training to become English teachers. One of my goals is to prepare them for the sorts of questions their...

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My Renunciation Day

Rachel Heller — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 18:50:35 +0000

I renounced my US citizenship today. Right now, I don’t want to discuss the politics, but rather just let you know what my day was like. Note: This article was published on November 18, 2015. Getting there Like any good Dutch resident, I got to Amsterdam by first riding my bike to the train station...

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How my citizenship hit me in the gut

Rachel Heller — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 17:08:35 +0000

One day last month, when I was walking through Oakland on my way to meet a friend in Berkeley, I passed the old Paramount Theater. This is a gorgeous restored Art Deco theater that I had paused to admire every time I’d walked past that week. That day, though, the theater was open at 8:30...

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