Dual Citizen for america and canada...

[SaugaBoss]

I was born in Americans and applying for PR status in Canada. Can Americans get dual citizenship? I wonder how this works. I do not want to lose my American Citizenship in a sense i was born there...

 

[michaelab]

As far as I know yes you can. My daughter was born in the States but her father is Canadian so she's getting her Canadian citizenship as well. I know some countries (i.e. Japan) do not allow dual citizenship after a certain age but I am sure U.S/Canada can be done.

 

[minna]

yep, you can absolutely have both. no problem. I've had both since birth!

The US doesn't like it as much, but Canada actually encourages new citizens to maintain their prior citizenship.

 

[Leon]

The US does not really care if you have other citizenships but they say they will not recognize them so that means that if you get in trouble in the US, you can't waive your Canadian passport and expect to get special treatment. They also require you to use your US passport when you travel to the US and to keep filing taxes in the US.

Canada does not really care how many other citizenships you have.

 

[SaugaBoss]

thanks everyone for the responses.

I am going to be a Permanent resident soon in Canada. And dont want to let go of my US citizenship (i was born in the USA). I am then definitely going to apply for citizenship i was deciding whether i should or not and if it will effect my US status

 

[minna]

you should be aware that if you keep your american citizenship while living in Canada you will have to continue to file your US taxes every year.

but you definitely do not have to give up your american citizenship.

 

[RobsLuv]

I'm not sure about the requirement to continue filing US taxes - you only have to pay tax on foreign income earned in excess of something like $85K/per year . . . and if you are not working at all in Canada (as a visitor), you'll have no income to report. So, technically, even if you eventually had to file US tax returns for years you were in Canada not working (or not making enough to have to report), there shouldn't be any penalty.

And, yes, you can get Canadian citizenship without losing your US citizenship - although what Leon says is true. When you're dual Canadian/American and you are in the States, your Canadian citizenship is not "acknowledged". You're an American there - not Canadian. I actually had this conversation just last night with a woman in our church. She and her husband are Canadians - their children were born while they were living in the States. So their children are dual citizens, but when they go to the States, they are not considered Canadian nationals - they're Americans. As far as I know, though, when a child is born to American parents in Canada (as my husband's father was), Canada acknowledges the US citizenship as well as the Canadian . . . although it's really of no consequence either way.

 

[dhdesigns]

You may not feel like bothering to file tax returns, but if you maintain your US citizenship, you cannot renew your US passport if you haven't kept up with your tax returns. So, even if you don't make enough $$ to pay US tax you need to file the return anyway.

 

[me2land]

You may not feel like bothering to file tax returns, but if you maintain your US citizenship, you cannot renew your US passport if you haven't kept up with your tax returns. So, even if you don't make enough $$ to pay US tax you need to file the return anyway.

Are you sure about renewing passport and filing tax return? Do they ask for tax transcripts when you apply for renewal? As far as I know even if you live in the US you don't have to file taxes if you don't hit the minimums >> http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=105097,00.html

¬m2l

 

[minna]

you definitely have to file.

whether or not you have to pay, depends on your income etc.

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p54/ch01.html

every american with a SSN needs to file, so as your dependent children going from the US to Canada get older, and get jobs, they will have to file US taxes too.

 

[BeShoo]

You do have to file a U.S. tax return, no matter where it was earned, but there is a deal between the U.S. and Canada so you don't end up paying twice.

If you become a U.S. citizen, I've understood that you have to renounce all other citizenships, but doing so to U.S. authorities has no validity for Canadian officials. Canada does not ask you to renounce foreign citizenships.

 

[YorkFactory]

It's worth it to file on time, because the IRS has a limited window (seven years, isn't it?) during which they can audit you. That time starts when you file, not when you should have filed, so it's important to file on time if you can, even if you owe zero tax.

 

[Love_Young]

You can't renew your passport if you don't file taxes?

I am 20 and never filed a tax return before. I only ever earned 70 something dollars and didn't think I would need to file one.
Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to file one from within Canada or should I wait until I get permanent residence and then get a financial accountant to help me with both?

 

[can_usa_97]

This is from the passport application;

Federal Tax Law:
Section 6039E of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6039E) requires you to provide your Social Security Number (SSN), if you have one,
when you apply for a U.S. passport or renewal of a U.S. passport. If you have not been issued a SSN, enter zeros in box #5 of this form. If
you are residing abroad, you must also provide the name of the foreign country in which you are residing. The Department of State must
provide your SSN and foreign residence information to the Department of Treasury. If you fail to provide the information, you are subject
to a $500 penalty enforced by the IRS. All questions on this matter should be directed to the nearest IRS office.

An article on the tax/ss tracking - http://www.escapeartist.com/Expat_Taxes/IRS_Gambit/

And here - an article
http://www.ustaxinternational.com/file_tax.html

 

[SaugaBoss]

that is weird. Even if i do not live in the US and am a Permanent Resident of Canada I stll have to file taxes in the US????? Do i do taxes in Canada and US?

I know on the American passport it says something about filing taxes