[Jeff]

The only reasons to have a citizenship in the US is to live, vote, and to work in the US. I mean that's what rights citizenship does for you. I don't plan on doing any of that. Haven't lived in the US since 1984, hence, never voted. Most of my working life has been spent here, if not all of it.

If I ever wanted to take a vacation, I wouldn't need a citizenship for that. I've got a passport.

[Kathy]

What's the point of renouncing it? Simply out of principal?

[Jeff]

My reason is that I don't have any connections to the US. My entire family is Canadian, and I've more or less lived in Canada since 1989. With the exception of 1991-1993 where I spent a couple years in the Middle East. As for the point of doing it, like I said, all citizenship grants you is the right to live, vote or work in the country you reside in. Since I don't live in the US. I've never voted, and I've worked here the whole time, there's no point in keeping it.

[Inspector Lagomorf]

Good thing there's no tax for renouncing U.S. citizenship.

Yet.

(Obviously this probably doesn't apply to you since the legislation calls for taxes on people with a net worth of $2 million or greater.)

[Jeff]

I just pay them about $400 or so and call it a done deal.

Rights to Canadian Citizenship

It's more or less the same.

[Engel220]

I found a great line in a copy of Clive Barker's 'Books of Blood' I found, really made me think.

"We are our own graveyards; we squat amongst the tombs of the people we were. If we're healthy, every day is a celebration, a Day of the Dead, in which we give thanks for the lives we have lived, and if we're neurotic we brood and mourn and wish that the past was still present".  

[Jeff]

Sadly I went to the US Consulate just to get strip searched and to fill out some forms. I need to book another appointment for the actual citizenship renunciation.

[TerminX]

Ugh, RIP automatic shotgun. Went shooting on the property yesterday and I think one of the shells was old/bad and went off well enough to cycle the action but left wadding in the barrel, because the end of the barrel split like it was fired while obstructed. I'm glad it wasn't a more catastrophic failure or I could have been seriously injured.

[High Treason]

First you set fire to yourself and now this, I think you should have a few quiet days at home until this patch of bad luck runs out... Maybe work on that netcode?

[TerminX]

Hey, it could have been worse. At least I didn't dump the ATV over...

[Kathy]

Jeff, on 08 June 2012 - 03:51 AM, said:

I've never voted, and I've worked here the whole time, there's no point in keeping it.

What the point of formally renouncing it? Do you have to pay for it, renew it or something? What's the point of going through all the hassle of renouncing it if you lose nothing in keeping it?

[Jeff]

Well in America, even if you don't live there, you still need to file taxes. I don't owe anything, because I don't even make enough to pay taxes (work 10 hours a week for almost minimum wage). There's about 6 million people in the world who are American living in other countries who didn't know this because most countries only require income from the place you reside. So for those who didn't know, they've cut everyone a deal, and say if you didn't know about it, just file the last 5 years or so worth of income. However, if you willingly didn't file taxes, bam, $10,000 per account per year.

Luckily, I've made peace with the IRS, so everything is cool. They have my filed taxes, so I'm "current" as they say.

However, like I said, I'm giving this up because I have no further connections to the US, and I've taken up Canadian citizenship, so I no longer want to be an American. There's lots of reasons to give up citizenship though.

[Kathy]

Jeff, on 09 June 2012 - 05:39 AM, said:

There's lots of reasons to give up citizenship though.

For example? Cause I wouldn't give a rat's ass about this if there were no advantages in doing so. And you still haven't provided one in your case. Just that you no longer "needed" it. Going through this hassle just because of that is strange.

[Jeff]

Burnett, on 09 June 2012 - 06:03 AM, said:

For example? Cause I wouldn't give a rat's ass about this if there were no advantages in doing so. And you still haven't provided one in your case. Just that you no longer "needed" it. Going through this hassle just because of that is strange.

I've already listed the things that citizenship provides for you (live, vote and work in the US), and since I don't plan on doing that, there's no need for the citizenship. You do have the right to relinquish your citizenship. There's no law in America saying that once an American, always an American and that you can't relinquish your citizenship.

Except you have to come up with a legit reason for it. Having no ties to the US anymore is a legit reason. Can't say something like "I don't like Bush".

[Kathy]

Shit, dude, let's go for the last time.

You already have a citizenship. Why does it bother you to have it? If you don't need privileges it provides then just don't use those privileges. But going through the hassle of relinquishing just because you don't want it is beyond me. If you don't lose anything by being USA citizen then what's the point of not being one?

[Master Fibbles]

His comment about taxes is reason enough, honestly. You must have missed that part of his earlier post.

[Kathy]

He said he didn't have a problem with that.

[TerminX]

What gets me is the idea of going to such a hassle to relinquish citizenship when there are so many people who very much want permanent citizenship but have as yet been unable to attain it (Plagman, for example). My thought is that you don't know where you'll be in 10, 20, 30 or more years... it would sure suck to end up in a situation where US citizenship is a valuable asset, only to find yourself SOL because you were determined to go through the trouble of renouncing it years prior for basically no major reason.

[Inspector Lagomorf]

TerminX, on 09 June 2012 - 11:28 AM, said:

What gets me is the idea of going to such a hassle to relinquish citizenship when there are so many people who very much want permanent citizenship but have as yet been unable to attain it (Plagman, for example). My thought is that you don't know where you'll be in 10, 20, 30 or more years... it would sure suck to end up in a situation where US citizenship is a valuable asset, only to find yourself SOL because you were determined to go through the trouble of renouncing it years prior for basically no major reason.

Agree with this completely. When I moved here from New Zealand it took me thirteen years to get citizenship.

THIRTEEN YEARS.

The process of naturalization is not fun. At all.

Yet you (the hypothetical "you", not Jeff) can just wander in from south of the border and people treat you like you've got diplomatic immunity.

[Jeff]

I understand that if I give it up in a month or so, that if I want to work down there or live in the future, I would have to get a visa. I'm okay with that. That's some of the stuff the Consulate asks you. "Do you understand the consequences of giving this thing up"? Yup, I know the consequences, and I understand them fully. Not that I want to go back to live there. I could go into a bunch of reasons why I don't want live there, but I wouldn't want to get into a argument why Canada is a better place to live for my needs.

[Inspector Lagomorf]

So really, the reason you're leaving is ideological differences.

[Jimmy]

Micki!, on 03 June 2012 - 04:16 PM, said:

Messed up sleep patterns are so annoying, I keep going to bed at around 4am

I've been running on the 5AM to 12PM schedule. And on the day I got to work 4AM to 7AM. Whatever!

Jeff, on 07 June 2012 - 05:57 PM, said:

So tomorrow morning, I'm going to stand in front of a judge and formally renounce my US citizenship. I know it's un-American of me, but it has to be done. No reason keeping it around.

It's Franco Un-American, and I support ye!

TerminX, on 08 June 2012 - 07:42 AM, said:

Ugh, RIP automatic shotgun. Went shooting on the property yesterday and I think one of the shells was old/bad and went off well enough to cycle the action but left wadding in the barrel, because the end of the barrel split like it was fired while obstructed. I'm glad it wasn't a more catastrophic failure or I could have been seriously injured.

That blows big donkey balls.

[Jeff]

Achenar, on 09 June 2012 - 05:01 PM, said:

So really, the reason you're leaving is ideological differences.

No, because I don't have any connections to the US. My whole family is Canadian, and I do not have any ties to the US. Haven't lived there since 1984. Lived in Canada ever since 1989.

Here's the deal, the consulate guys aren't going to get on their knees and plead with you to stay. I would recommend reading up on this, since no one here has gone through the process before. Instead just assuming how it actually works. I've researched this for months.

It's kind of like going to a store and asking for a refund. You say you're giving up your citizenship. You explain your reason, and as long as you agree with the consequences, you sign a form, and it's done. Not like they're going to ask, is there anything we can do to change your mind? Tons of people have gone through the process.

[Lunick]

Apparently Black Mesa isn't so dead...

If their Official Facebook Page here reaches 20,000 Likes, then they will release "some exciting new media"

I wonder what it could be though.

[Kathy]

Jeff, on 09 June 2012 - 08:02 PM, said:

No, because I don't have any connections to the US. My whole family is Canadian, and I do not have any ties to the US. Haven't lived there since 1984. Lived in Canada ever since 1989.

So instead of just doing nothing you decide to waste you time in doing something you'll get no advantages from? And yet you continue to deny you're doing this because of ideological differences(hating USA or whatever).

Quote

It's kind of like going to a store and asking for a refund. You say you're giving up your citizenship. You explain your reason, and as long as you agree with the consequences, you sign a form, and it's done.

In the store you'll get a refund. What did you get in giving up your citizenship?

[Jeff]

When I give up the citizenship, I get a nice letter from the US State Department or something officially rendering me "stateless" or without nationality. Least in the US. Still have my Canadian citizenship though.

I think I'm going to drop it. I don't want to talk about this any further. Political discussions usually don't go over well on most forums. I don't know why I brought it up.

[Kathy]

Jeff, on 09 June 2012 - 11:24 PM, said:

When I give up the citizenship, I get a nice letter from the US State Department or something officially rendering me "stateless" or without nationality.

Yeah, it's totally worth it!

Quote

I think I'm going to drop it. I don't want to talk about this any further. Political discussions usually don't go over well on most forums. I don't know why I brought it up.

Actually, this discussion was pretty unemotional and quiet, though I felt like I was barging against the wall.

[Sangman]

Jeff you're just being really stupid but to each his own I guess.

[OpenMaw]

Don't let the door hit ya in the ass on the way out.


Hi people, how's tricks?

[Jimmy]

I'm with Jeff on this one. If it makes him happier being a Canadian, let him do it.