Losing Japanese Citizenship

[sugitabero]

Does Japan enforce the law that one loses their Japanese citizenship upon becoming an American?

[yukio_michael]

Japan does not allow you to have dual-citizenship, no.

[Ben W Bell]

Ah one advantage of being British, you can't lose or give it up.

[Ewok85]

Ah one advantage of being British, you can't lose or give it up.

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]

Technically untrue, to naturalise in Japan you need to surrender your old nationality including passports etc, which would mean you lose your British citizenship.

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.

--

[Mikawa Ossan]

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.
--
This has piqued my curiousity. Would the same apply to a naturalized citizen of the U.K.?

[mr.sumo.snr]

This has piqued my curiousity. Would the same apply to a naturalized citizen of the U.K.?

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.

--

[Mikawa Ossan]

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]

This has piqued my curiousity. Would the same apply to a naturalized citizen of the U.K.?

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.

[Mike Cash]

Technically untrue, to naturalise in Japan you need to surrender your old nationality including passports etc, which would mean you lose your British citizenship.

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.

[名無し]

Does Japan enforce the law that one loses their Japanese citizenship upon becoming an American?The nationality law (http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/tnl-01.html) article 11 says,A Japanese national shall lose Japanese nationality when he or she acquires a foreign nationality by his or her own choice.link (http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/tcon-01.html)

[GaijinPunch]

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]

Surely you don't mean to suggest that one must surrender one's passport to the Japanese authorities?

Thus the technically ;) I'm toying with getting a British passport as I qualify for one, just the price is a little outrageous.

[Mike Cash]

Debito tried to surrender his American passport to the Japanese authorities when he naturalized. They did not (could not) accept it.

He went and renounced his American citizenship after some people accused him of duplicity.

[mr.sumo.snr]

Thus the technically ;) I'm toying with getting a British passport as I qualify for one, just the price is a little outrageous.
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.
--

[GaijinPunch]

Thus the technically ;) I'm toying with getting a British passport as I qualify for one, just the price is a little outrageous.

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]

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).

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.

[nurizeko]

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.

[GaijinPunch]

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]

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.
--

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]

Passport is not equal to citizenship.

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]

Passport is not equal to citizenship.
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!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law

[Ben W Bell]

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.

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]

I thought only Japan did things that were horribly confusing and didn't make sense. :)

[Mikawa Ossan]

It must be an island nation thing! :p

[nurizeko]

I second that two tier British passport deal, I remember reading about it.

Theres Citizens and subjects.

I guess it was a measure to stop millions of "Subjects" flooding into britain for a better life, though I'm just guessing at the motives that caused passport folks had for it.


I assume most country's otherwise have the single deal.


When I first learned that in Japan, marriage doesnt give you citizenship was a shock, I always assumed all civilized nations gave citizenship to a spouse of a native, but then, I spose there is the issue of bogus marriages for citizenship-sake.


Still, would suck to have at best, a spouse visa.

God bless the EU, if it manages to do anything right at least it allows me to live and work almost anywhere in Europe with minimal of hassle, ehehehehe!. :cool:

Thanks to that I wouldnt even need a German passport if I suddenly had an old-country yearning and decided to immigrate. :blush:

Ohwell, chances are if I did get german citizenship I'de find call-up papers for national service through my mailbox. :p