Green Card to citizenship
Discussion
You can have two passports many people do.....however you can only be a citizen (resident) in one. If you accept a US Passport thee are certain rights you sign away from the UK, such as being drafted in a war!!! Otherwise nothing else happens and it does make European travel much simpler.
Thanks for the info. The whole dual passport and which to use going to and fro to the Uk from the US is something I have wondered about. I am lead to believe you shouldn't enter the UK on your UK passport and re-enter the US on your US passport, not sure if its actually a criminal act. But I know people who tell me they do do that. That is one part of the green card I like, enter via UK passport control and re-enter US via US passport control.
As I went for my citizenship to improve my re-employment chances in my local area which might mean getting a job requiring US security clearance, then using a British passport is a big no no. I have a few different stories about how that works, ie does the US destroy your UK passport, or hold it securely for you?
Anyway, lets get the citizenship interview done first. I am planning a trip to the UK about 2 weeks after my citizenship interview, not sure how this might play out, but I ask at the interview.
As I went for my citizenship to improve my re-employment chances in my local area which might mean getting a job requiring US security clearance, then using a British passport is a big no no. I have a few different stories about how that works, ie does the US destroy your UK passport, or hold it securely for you?
Anyway, lets get the citizenship interview done first. I am planning a trip to the UK about 2 weeks after my citizenship interview, not sure how this might play out, but I ask at the interview.
No one destroys your passport. What you do is send it to the nearest embassy (probably DC), where a very nice Scottish lady secures it in a filing cabinet for you. You can then truthfully answer the question, "Do you hold a foreign travel document?" with the answer, "No.". Which is what they are looking for.
If you one day decide you no longer require the clearance, and wish to regain your UK passport, you write to the nice Scottish lady, and she returns your original document the next day.
I had no problem travelling everywhere on my US passport for a few years, and upon moving back to the UK in 2007, I started using my UK and US passports as described in the posts above, the same as I did before I was cleared. I don't advertise what I'm doing to the various immigration officials, and they don't ask.
BTW, on the off chance that your engineering skills include GIS analysis, let me know. I might have a job connection in SC for you.
If you one day decide you no longer require the clearance, and wish to regain your UK passport, you write to the nice Scottish lady, and she returns your original document the next day.
I had no problem travelling everywhere on my US passport for a few years, and upon moving back to the UK in 2007, I started using my UK and US passports as described in the posts above, the same as I did before I was cleared. I don't advertise what I'm doing to the various immigration officials, and they don't ask.
BTW, on the off chance that your engineering skills include GIS analysis, let me know. I might have a job connection in SC for you.
Edited by Minemapper on Friday 19th October 16:54
Well, job done. Monday (Nov 5th, Guy Fawkes night...) I passed my citizenship interview, in and out in 15 mins, easy. I went back yesterday (election day!) to take my oath and walked out a US citizen. I notified 2 local companies waiting on my citizenship and hey presto it looks like I will get 2 interviews. Phew.
As they take away your Green Card at the oath ceremony I will need to get my US passport to travel, otherwise I have no paperwork etc to be allowed back in!
Thanks for all your comments and support, lets just hope a job is a little closer coming now.
As they take away your Green Card at the oath ceremony I will need to get my US passport to travel, otherwise I have no paperwork etc to be allowed back in!
Thanks for all your comments and support, lets just hope a job is a little closer coming now.
Matt Harper said:
Famous Graham said:
The lines at Heathrow
There lies the problem...I'm popping home next week for 5 days but I'm going via Dublin to Edinburgh rather than via LHR.
I presume one stays airside at Dublin given it's a transfer, and I know Edinburgh's a piece of pish for coming back into the country. If it's as smooth as I reckon it will be, I'll definitely be sticking to that route in future, even with the transfer.
As a further update to this thread I have just secured a job after 11 long months looking for something suitable....phew!
I am initially starting on contract with a company based on Long Island, NY who are starting an office in Charleston, SC (where I live). It looks like for the first 2-3 months I will be going up to work in the Long Island office or maybe in a temporary office in White Plains, NY.
The Long Island office is between Hauppauge, Holbrook and Farmingville on Long Island.
My question is, not knowing this area at all, does anyone have any first hand experience of either the Long Island area or White Plains? What can a 44 year old, single ex Brit expect for a 3 month stint? Of course it depends what your into etc, and happy to PM with anyone on this. Details are being ironed out still re office and accommodation etc.
Thanks for any input. And yes I know it will be a lot colder than South Carolina.
I am initially starting on contract with a company based on Long Island, NY who are starting an office in Charleston, SC (where I live). It looks like for the first 2-3 months I will be going up to work in the Long Island office or maybe in a temporary office in White Plains, NY.
The Long Island office is between Hauppauge, Holbrook and Farmingville on Long Island.
My question is, not knowing this area at all, does anyone have any first hand experience of either the Long Island area or White Plains? What can a 44 year old, single ex Brit expect for a 3 month stint? Of course it depends what your into etc, and happy to PM with anyone on this. Details are being ironed out still re office and accommodation etc.
Thanks for any input. And yes I know it will be a lot colder than South Carolina.
I have worked on Long Island for CA Technologies and used to have a girlfriend in White Plains NY. Both are nice areas, with White Plains being bigger, more expensive and more corporate. It can get cold up these and will snow. Property is expensive to rent due to the proximity to NY and Conn (Hedge Fund central), but I think you will enjoy both locations. Both are somewhat international and cosmopolitan with great links to New York and you will find pretty much all you need nearby.
Beats being stuck out in Kansas or Idaho!!!
Beats being stuck out in Kansas or Idaho!!!
I am in the NYC metro area. Both White Plains and Hauppage area are commuter belts into Manhattan on either Metro North or Long Island Railroad. There will be places to keep yourself occupied locally or if completely bored then Manhattan is a short train ride away. I have taken both train lines and they work fine. You may want to see if you can get accommodation in Manhattan (or close by, e.g. Queens/Brooklyn) and then reverse commute out. That way you are in an area with something to do after work or on weekends. It will be expensive compared to what you are used to plus the weather sucks for the next few months. Keep your "good cars" off the road as the townsships lay down salt in icy/snowy conditions and it needs a good rainfall to wash it off.
I think you will enjoy the experience. If you get bored around this area then you are not doing it right!
I think you will enjoy the experience. If you get bored around this area then you are not doing it right!
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