#Americansabroad will have different "relinquishment experiences" in diffferent embassies: Ex: London vs. Amsterdam http://t.co/QSnogIKHSi
— Citizenship Lawyer (@ExpatriationLaw) June 17, 2014
Once upon a time, before FATCA, before “The FBAR Fundraiser” and before the “Offshore Jihad” people wanted U.S. citizenship. Times have changed. The U.S. government is making the lives of Americans abroad (particularly in Switzerland) very unhappy and very uncomfortable. As a result, renunciations and relinquishments of U.S. citizenship are rising. Many more Americans abroad are simply vanishing from the map – AKA informal relinquishments.
The short answer is I don’t know. This can depend on the person and on the consulate itself. The more important consideration is to be very well prepared and understand your grounds for relinquishment well in advance. In general, I am finding that those who put care into the preparation of their material are much more successful than those who don’t. (Who could have known?)
It is clear that the U.S,. government is NOT predisposed to allow people to sever their ties with the U.S. (I honestly can’t understand why).
In any case, the above tweet references an interesting and illuminating comment at the the Isaac Brock Society:
I have decided to go ahead and seek a backdated CLN from the date I became British (1992) with intent (oath and pledge of allegiance to HM etc) alternatively when I became a Justice of the Peace (1993- 2 oaths witnessed by a judge) I have lived in Amsterdam for the past 3 years and thought I might apply to the Consulate there as it is more user-friendly than the US Embassy in London. I was told that I couldn’t get an appointment for an interview until September or October. So I got in touch with the London Embassy because they say that appointments are made about a month in advance.
The extraordinary thing is not the difference in time it takes to get an interview but the things that are requested before the interview will be scheduled. Amdam wants a 4079 and a 4081 and a fairly short and reasonable list of information (name, DOB, last address in US, how much time did you live in the States, what other nationality and how obtained. )They don’t ask for any documents (at least at this stage) .In addition to the 2 forms requested by Amsterdam, London wanted a Renunciation Questionnaire, an informal renunciation acknowledge, a 4080, a 8854 AND a copy of my birth certificate, the biometric pages of all passports, certificate of naturalisation, and marriage certificate, and divorce decree if applicable.Just about everything but fingerprints and favourite colour.
It’s a no brainer. It’s worth waiting for an appointment in Amdam. I made it quite clear in both my enquiries that I have performed several potentially expatriating acts and would like to have my intentional relinquishment recognised and made official. I don’t like going to the London Embassy anyway.
