sugitabero
後輩
- 15 Nov 2006
- 1
- 0
Does Japan enforce the law that one loses their Japanese citizenship upon becoming an American?
Losing Japanese Citizenship
- Thread starter sugitabero
- Start date
- 8 Mar 2005
- 2,139
- 89
Japan does not allow you to have dual-citizenship, no.
Ben W Bell
先輩
- 13 Sep 2004
- 135
- 3
Ah one advantage of being British, you can't lose or give it up.
Ewok85
先輩
- 14 Nov 2003
- 2,401
- 44
Technically untrue, to naturalise in Japan you need to surrender your old nationality including passports etc, which would mean you lose your British citizenship.
mr.sumo.snr
Gavin Gives Italian Ducks
- 19 Jul 2004
- 319
- 25
Yes, that's true - but with the simple presentation of one's original birth certificate at any UK passport office a new document would be issued.
I think the simple rule of thumb is: "Don't ask, don't tell." The Japanese immigration office is well aware that there are middle-aged or older offspring of international marriages holding both a Japanese and, for example, a UK passport. But they don't seem particularly concerned about the issue.
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- 17 Sep 2005
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This has piqued my curiousity. Would the same apply to a naturalized citizen of the U.K.?
mr.sumo.snr
Gavin Gives Italian Ducks
- 19 Jul 2004
- 319
- 25
Can't answer that. Your birth certificate being from a different country would, me thinks, make the procedure a little more complicated.
Is this an actual issue for you, or someone you know, at the moment? The outcome would be interesting.
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- 17 Sep 2005
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No, I don't know anyone with this dilemma, but I found the possibility intriguing. I, too, would be interested in knowing the answer, albeit purely on an academic level.
Ben W Bell
先輩
- 13 Sep 2004
- 135
- 3
Renouncing your citizenship when you take up another nationality means nothing for British citizenship, only the Secretary of State can arrange for someone's British citizenship to be taken away. If you naturalise as a British citizen it can be given up and removed easily, birth is much more difficult. It's one of the reasons why there are so many British born dual nationalities in the world, it's so difficult to get rid of. Even the US government has had to concede to allow dual-citizenship as they can't really get round it.
- 15 Mar 2002
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- 2,298
Surely you don't mean to suggest that one must surrender one's passport to the Japanese authorities? Passports are the property of the issuing government and are not confiscated by the Japanese government upon one's gaining Japanese citizenship.
Even Debito didn't actually go to the American consulate, surrender his passport and formally relinquish his American citizenship until some time after his naturalization. And even then the Consul tried to talk him out of it, informing him that as far as the U.S. was concerned it wasn't strictly necessary.
shiroma
先輩
- 1 Mar 2004
- 481
- 18
GaijinPunch
遠いから行きません
- 25 Nov 2004
- 1,275
- 34
It is not very enforced. I know tons of people (in their 30's even) that have two passports. This law is impossible to enforce effectively. When you become a citizen of another country, you don't have to tell the Japanese authorities (that I know of). If you're a naturalized citizen and have to give up your passport, go get another one. Problem solved.
Ewok85
先輩
- 14 Nov 2003
- 2,401
- 44
Thus the technically
I'm toying with getting a British passport as I qualify for one, just the price is a little outrageous.
mr.sumo.snr
Gavin Gives Italian Ducks
- 19 Jul 2004
- 319
- 25
You ARE joking aren't you? Just over 20,000 yen for a document that permits you to live and work - without any visas - in any of 25 different European countries. That sounds like a pretty good deal.Thus the technically
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GaijinPunch
遠いから行きません
- 25 Nov 2004
- 1,275
- 34
Thus the technically
What nationality are you? Sucks being American if you want to live somewhere else. Everyone hates you. Hard to get a European visa (well... kind of).
Ewok85
先輩
- 14 Nov 2003
- 2,401
- 44
I'm Australian, so I already get a good deal, but a British passport would mean flexibility.
Right now I'm putting away money for a nice holiday in the sun come April, so 20,000 is enough to make me think about doing it another time.
MajideSaiaku
tsuyaku o tsukete kudasai
- 19 Jan 2005
- 1,381
- 59
Whats germany's deal on dual citizenship?.
My grandpa game from Austria, and my grandmother from Germany, my dad is first generation austro-german, and that makes me half, I read once that some folk are automatically "qualified" as a citizen of a foreign country at birth without them knowing or having to do anything.
I dunno wether I liked the Idea or hate it not being able to lose my British citizenship, being kicked out of another country means its a good thing, but what if for some unfathomable reason Labour makes Norsefire look soft and cuddly and I left Britain to escape that and now they demand my return?.
A British passport seems fairly handy just for the EU benefits.
My grandpa game from Austria, and my grandmother from Germany, my dad is first generation austro-german, and that makes me half, I read once that some folk are automatically "qualified" as a citizen of a foreign country at birth without them knowing or having to do anything.
I dunno wether I liked the Idea or hate it not being able to lose my British citizenship, being kicked out of another country means its a good thing, but what if for some unfathomable reason Labour makes Norsefire look soft and cuddly and I left Britain to escape that and now they demand my return?.
A British passport seems fairly handy just for the EU benefits.
GaijinPunch
遠いから行きません
- 25 Nov 2004
- 1,275
- 34
It depends on the country. Something tells me you could probably swing a German passport if you wanted one. I think I'm about a generation too late to get an Irish passport easily. My great grandparents (almost all of them) immigrated, which makes me 3rd generation.
Ben W Bell
先輩
- 13 Sep 2004
- 135
- 3
Ah be careful there. Having a British passport doesn't entitle you to live and work in Europe. Being a British Citizen does, but just holding a passport doesn't make you a British Citizen. So if they were to obtain a British Passport it doesn't grant them freedom to live, work and claim in either the UK or Europe. Passport is not equal to citizenship.
GaijinPunch
遠いから行きません
- 25 Nov 2004
- 1,275
- 34
First time I've heard that. In the US, I don't think anyone other than a citizen can have a passport. In Japan, I know nobody other than a citizen can have a japanese passport.
mr.sumo.snr
Gavin Gives Italian Ducks
- 19 Jul 2004
- 319
- 25
Yeah, your right about that - I WAS basing my reply on the OP having 'dual citizenship' status, which would qualify him as a full British citizen. However, if the birth wasn't registered in the UK then I think there may be some issues - the Wikipedia entry for this is extensive!
British nationality law - Wikipedia
Ben W Bell
先輩
- 13 Sep 2004
- 135
- 3
Not in the British sense. It's why there was the big fuss over the handing back of Hong Kong. There are two types of British, citizen and subject or passport holder. A citizen is someone with full citizenship, born here or otherwise eligible. Passport holder is different. Someone from the former Hong Kong or one of the other British colonies, protectorates or dominions can be a British passport holder, a subject, but they're not a citizen. People from Hong Kong couldn't come to the UK to live when it was handed back to the Chinese as they were subjects and passport holders, not citizens. It's a two tier system.
Most other countries have them as one and the same thing, but not the UK. Ireland neither as well as I'm entitled to an Irish passport (from being born in Northern Ireland), but wouldn't be a citizen of the Republic of Ireland (though I'm perfectly entitled to live and work there anyway as I'm a European citizen).
GaijinPunch
遠いから行きません
- 25 Nov 2004
- 1,275
- 34
I thought only Japan did things that were horribly confusing and didn't make sense. 
- 17 Sep 2005
- 6,017
- 1,970
It must be an island nation thing! 
