Abolishing Duel Citizenship?

[Aunt Agatha]

I belong to one of those online survey groups and yesterday had a survey to complete that was clearly on behalf of the government. Lots of questions about who I'd vote for and then straight into the immigration and terrorist stuff.

 

One of the questions was "do you support the abolition of duel citizenship? So upon taking Australian citizenship, a person must give up their original citizenship." Unsurprisingly, as a duel citizen I voted "do not support" but I'm wondering if this is something under serious consideration by the current government?

 

Would you still go/have gone for Australian citizenship if it meant giving up your British/Other citizenship?

[Parley]

I don't believe this is under any consideration by the government.

Why would they ? I doubt very much that they would want to do anything in this area,

 

Much higher priorities for them to deal with. Plus there are no negatives that I am aware of.

[HappyHeart]

No I don't think I would

[Aunt Agatha]

I agree there are much higher priorities for them to deal with. I got the impression it was linked to a crackdown on potential terrorism within Australia. There were lots of questions about whether I thought an attack on mainland Australia was likely, whether I thought people who had served in any foreign army/militia should have their Australian citizenship cancelled etc. Interesting stuff.

[Guest krackajak]

Of course

[Parley]

Yes, they may try to do it to prevent people returning who have gone to fight in Syria or Iraq but certainly not across the board so probably not going to affect any of us.

 

Interestingly in the UK they are trying to get the power to revoke citizenship of even people born in the UK and possibly making people stateless.

But if you are not a terrorist you don't need to worry, so not sure why you have made it look like they are abolishing dual citizenship across the board. They would never do that.

 

http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/01/30/home-secretary-pushes-through-controversial-powers-to-make-people-stateless/

[Aunt Agatha]

I haven't "made it look" like anything. I simply shared what I thought was an interesting question on a survey and pondered aloud about what that may mean for people with duel citizenship. The survey also asked questions about terrorism but it was not explicitly stated that the government were NOT considering abolish duel citizenship across the board.

 

The question in the survey was "do you support the abolition of duel citizenship?" Not, "do you support the abolition of duel citizenship for people who have fought in Syria?" In fact they took the trouble to ask a separate question regarding that scenario so I think it's fair to say that the general abolition of duel citizenship is at least up for discussion.

[Paul1Perth]

If it came to the choice of maybe having to go back to the UK if I didn't or losing some sort of benefit I would have taken up the Australian Citizenship. I thought the having to give up one citizenship was more to do with the country you come from. Some allow it some don't. I think South Africa is one where, if you want to be an Australian Citizen you have to give up your South African one.

 

I suppose the only benefit of having dual nationality is having the option of 2 passports. Might be good if you have plenty of money and travel a lot in Europe but in reality it costs a lot to maintain two. I only have the Aussie one now.

[docboat]

Yes, I would ditch the UK passport in a heartbeat. Thought for a while back in the 80's about changing to German nationality, but was too lazy to go through the process. Aussie passport is firmly in the safe, and I will not give that one up.

[Alaska]

Nothing would surprise me with this government. It is something that is in force in quite a few Western countries so it certainly isn't something that is off the table.

 

I sincerely hope they don't do it as it would affect us all and the opportunities we are hoping to give our children.

[Aunt Agatha]

Double post, sorry.

[Aunt Agatha]

That's a good point @Paul1Perth maybe it would be Australians who couldn't have duel citizenship rather than incomers - I think the US also makes its citizens relinquish their citizenship if they take on another? Re the cost, do you know if you have to keep both passports active or could you let one lapse and then renew it say in 15 years time?

 

I love having duel citizenship and would not be happy if I had to give up my Australian passport but don't think I could give up my British citizenship.

 

@Alaska I'd worry about the knock-on effect for my kids too.

[Paul1Perth]

That's a good point @Paul1Perth maybe it would be Australians who couldn't have duel citizenship rather than incomers - I think the US also makes its citizens relinquish their citizenship if they take on another? Re the cost, do you know if you have to keep both passports active or could you let one lapse and then renew it say in 15 years time?

 

I love having duel citizenship and would not be happy if I had to give up my Australian passport but don't think I could give up my British citizenship.

 

@Alaska I'd worry about the knock-on effect for my kids too.

 

I think you can let one lapse and renew it when and if you want. Your citizenship isn't going to go anywhere and it's not compulsory to have a passport so I don't see why you would have to keep it current.

 

Why wouldn't you give up your British Citizenship? What does it mean to you and get you? I couldn't care less really if I have Aussie or British Citizenship. I have a lot of people ask me where I'm from and when I answer with the place I live here they say they meant the place I'm from in the UK. I met an older couple in Mindarie at the weekend and they had a strong Scottish accent. He asked me where I was from and how long I'd been here. I asked him the same thinking they'd been here a few years. They came in 1952. His accent was as strong as ever.

[Parley]

The US allows dual citizenship, although they don't particularly encourage it.

[Pumpkin]

I know people with South African and Australian passports and others with US and Australian passports. So both those countries allow dual citizenship.

 

If I had to choose, then no I would not take Australian citizenship if I had to give up British.

[fizzybangs]

Oh dear! I would have done very willingly 30 years ago but as it turns out I would have regretted it bitterly! That is the trouble, we cannot see into the future nor have any idea that we could change our minds! I would have been vehement in my denial if anybody had asked me over those 30 years if I could ever see me return to live in Britain. What a question!

[fizzybangs]

Where did the survey come from? Was it a government survey?

[Gbye grey sky]

Why wouldn't you give up your British Citizenship? What does it mean to you and get you?.

 

British citizenship opens a lot of doors (in Europe for instance) so renouncing it surely closes those doors making it hard for you or your children to return to the UK or live in Europe should you wish to in the future. Would it impact too on UK pension entitlement? I suspect there are plenty of potential ramifications.

[Paul1Perth]

British citizenship opens a lot of doors (in Europe for instance) so renouncing it surely closes those doors making it hard for you or your children to return to the UK or live in Europe should you wish to in the future. Would it impact too on UK pension entitlement? I suspect there are plenty of potential ramifications.

 

Yes I suppose it does. Ah well we won't have to worry about it as the UK allow dual nationality.

[Gbye grey sky]

Yes I suppose it does. Ah well we won't have to worry about it as the UK allow dual nationality.

 

Wouldn't both countries have to allow it though? If another country made renouncing your other citizenship a condition of having theirs then you wouldn't keep it anyway.

[Aunt Agatha]

It's not really about a sense of identity for me, though I can see how some would feel strongly about that. I am returning to live in the UK next year so need my British citizenship. Likewise we may return to Australia at some point so need our Australian citizenship for that!

 

Fizzybangs the survey came from a market research company so I don't know who commissioned it. Given the questions my educated guess would be government but I don't know for sure - could be academic research perhaps?

[starlight7]

I don't have a British passport any more but I like to think I could get one if I wanted.

[Parley]

I don't have a British passport any more but I like to think I could get one if I wanted.

 

Of course you can anytime as long as you are still a British Citizen.

[Guest hill billy]

Yes I would.

[Diane]

It would surely affect Tony Abbott though as he has never renounced his British citizenship - despite it apparently being something he should have done before being allowed to hold federal office! He's hanging onto it in the hope of getting a Knighthood at some point, I'm sure!