Can You Lose Your U.S. Citizenship?

For almost everyone, no. Whether you were born a U.S. citizen or became one through naturalization, U.S. citizenship is very hard to lose by accident. The Supreme Court has held that the government cannot strip a citizen of citizenship against their will. There are really only two paths away from citizenship, and both are narrow: (1) you voluntarily give it up yourself, through a specific expatriating act or formal renunciation, or (2) the government goes to federal court and proves, in a separate and much rarer process called denaturalization, that you obtained naturalized citizenship through fraud or concealment. This article covers the first path - voluntary loss - and explains how it's different from denaturalization.

The short answer

• Living abroad, even permanently, does not cost you citizenship.
• Holding dual or multiple citizenship is legal - the United States does not require you to give up another nationality, and simply keeping a foreign passport does not expatriate you.
• Voting in a foreign country's election is not on the list of acts that can cause loss of nationality under current law.
• Paying taxes to another country, owning property abroad, working for a foreign employer, or marrying a non-citizen - none of these affect your U.S. citizenship.
• Loss of nationality only happens if you perform one of a specific, limited set of acts and you intended, by doing so, to give up your U.S. citizenship. Intent is the key requirement, and the government has the burden of showing it.

How voluntary loss of nationality actually works

Section 349(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), codified at 8 U.S.C. § 1481, sets out a specific, closed list of "expatriating acts." A U.S. national loses nationality only by voluntarily performing one of these acts with the intention of relinquishing U.S. nationality. The listed acts generally include things like:

• Naturalizing in a foreign country on your own application, after age 18;
• Taking an oath or formal declaration of allegiance to a foreign state or its political subdivision;
• Serving in the armed forces of a foreign state engaged in hostilities against the United States, or serving as a commissioned or non-commissioned officer in a foreign country's armed forces;
• Accepting employment with a foreign government under certain conditions;
• Formally renouncing citizenship before a U.S. consular or diplomatic officer abroad;
• Formally renouncing citizenship inside the United States, but only in a very narrow wartime procedure under INA 349(a)(6)-(7) (administered within the Department of Homeland Security by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services), which is rarely used.

Two things have to be true before any of this results in loss of citizenship. First, you must have acted voluntarily - a person who commits one of these acts is presumed to have acted voluntarily, but that presumption can be rebutted with evidence the act was coerced or otherwise involuntary. Second, and just as important, the government must show you acted with the specific intent to give up your U.S. nationality. If you naturalize in another country simply to gain a benefit there, or take a foreign government job without meaning to abandon your U.S. status, that alone does not cost you citizenship - intent has to be proven, not assumed.

Because of this intent requirement, the Department of State's longstanding practice is to presume that most people who perform a potentially expatriating act (like naturalizing abroad or taking a routine foreign government job) did not intend to give up U.S. citizenship, unless they make that intent clear - most often, by formally applying for a Certificate of Loss of Nationality.

Formal renunciation - the deliberate way to give up citizenship

If someone genuinely wants to give up U.S. citizenship, the standard route is formal renunciation before a U.S. consular or diplomatic officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, under INA 349(a)(5). This is a serious, in-person, irrevocable legal act, not a form you mail in. It generally involves:

1. Scheduling an appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the United States;
2. Completing the Department of State's renunciation paperwork (including forms in the DS-4079/DS-4080/DS-4081 series) and being interviewed to confirm you understand the consequences and are acting voluntarily;
3. Taking the formal Oath of Renunciation before the consular officer;
4. Paying the applicable fee, which is set and updated by the Department of State - check the current fee on travel.state.gov rather than relying on any figure you've seen elsewhere, since these fees change;
5. Waiting for the Department of State to review the case and approve a Certificate of Loss of Nationality (CLN). Under INA 358, expatriation is documented and finalized through the Department of State's approval of the CLN.

Once a CLN is approved, the loss of citizenship is final and generally cannot be reversed - courts have described it as irrevocable, not merely a status that can be "turned back on" later. People considering renunciation should also know that giving up citizenship can trigger separate U.S. tax consequences under the Internal Revenue Code's expatriation rules, and can leave a person without any nationality if they don't already hold another one. Anyone seriously considering renunciation should talk with a qualified immigration attorney and, given the tax stakes, likely a tax professional as well, before taking any irreversible step.

Denaturalization is a different, and separate, process

Denaturalization is not something you do to yourself - it is a legal action the government brings against a naturalized citizen, asking a federal court (or, in a narrower administrative pathway, USCIS) to revoke citizenship obtained through fraud, willful misrepresentation of a material fact during naturalization, or concealment of information that would have made someone ineligible to naturalize. It can also apply in cases involving membership in certain organizations within five years of naturalizing, in narrow circumstances defined by statute (8 U.S.C. § 1451).

Denaturalization only applies to people who naturalized - it cannot be used against someone who was a U.S. citizen from birth. It requires the government to initiate a case and meet a demanding legal standard; it is not triggered by living your life normally, by unrelated criminal convictions, or by political views or activity. The Department of Justice has publicly signaled increased attention to civil denaturalization in recent enforcement priorities, so check current Department of Justice (justice.gov) and USCIS (uscis.gov) newsroom pages for up-to-date enforcement information. Because it's a distinct legal process with its own standards and defenses, we cover denaturalization in more depth in a separate article - if you face a denaturalization inquiry or lawsuit, contact a qualified immigration attorney immediately.

What to do

• If you're worried you accidentally lost citizenship by living abroad, holding another passport, or voting in a foreign election: in almost all cases, you have not. None of these are expatriating acts under current law.
• If you naturalized abroad, took a foreign government job, or did something else on the INA 349(a) list, but never intended to give up U.S. citizenship: you have not lost your citizenship. You can carry proof of your U.S. citizenship (a valid U.S. passport or Certificate of Naturalization) as usual.
• If you are seriously considering renunciation: contact a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad to schedule the required in-person appointment, and consult both an immigration attorney and a tax professional first, since the decision is irrevocable and can have significant tax consequences.
• If you receive a letter, notice, or lawsuit referencing denaturalization or revocation of your naturalized citizenship: this is a serious legal matter. Do not ignore it, and do not respond without first speaking to a qualified immigration attorney.
• Beware of notario fraud and unauthorized "expatriation" or "citizenship protection" services. Only USCIS, the Department of State, or a licensed attorney or DOJ-accredited representative can give you reliable guidance on your citizenship status - never pay an unlicensed "notario" or consultant for help with anything involving loss or renunciation of citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lose my citizenship just by living in another country for many years?

No. There is no length of residence abroad that by itself causes loss of U.S. citizenship. You can live outside the United States indefinitely and remain a U.S. citizen.

Does holding dual citizenship put my U.S. citizenship at risk?

No. U.S. law permits dual and multiple citizenship. You are not required to renounce any other nationality to keep your U.S. citizenship, and simply having or using a foreign passport is not, by itself, an expatriating act.

If I vote in an election in another country, will I lose my U.S. citizenship?

Voting in a foreign election is not one of the acts listed in INA 349(a) that can lead to loss of nationality under current law. It does not by itself cause you to lose U.S. citizenship.

Is denaturalization the same thing as losing citizenship through renunciation?

No. Renunciation is something a person chooses to do voluntarily. Denaturalization is a legal action the government brings against a naturalized citizen in cases of fraud or misrepresentation in the naturalization process, decided by a court (or, in narrower cases, USCIS). It only applies to naturalized citizens, never to people who were citizens from birth.

Can a renunciation of citizenship be undone if I change my mind?

Once the Department of State approves a Certificate of Loss of Nationality, the loss of citizenship is treated as final and generally cannot be reversed. Anyone considering renunciation should think it through carefully and get professional advice beforehand, since it is not a decision that can simply be undone later.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration and citizenship matters can have serious, permanent consequences - consult a qualified immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative for advice about your specific situation, and be cautious of unlicensed "notarios" or consultants offering citizenship or immigration services.