why America is one of the worst countries in the world for dual citizens // do they own me forever?

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

can't get enough of my annoying American accent and overly complicated video essays on British and American life? Get an exclusive weekly video over not shared on KZbin at www.patreon.com/girlgonelondon!

[@0cgw]

Dual citizens can only be deprived of their UK citizenship for serious offences such as queue jumping or making tea in the microwave.

[@A-St.George_the_Dragon]

Quite right, too 😂😅

[@stephenlee5929]

I think there can be points, on your passport, based on your ability to parallel park, be careful. 🤔🤔

[@KC-gy5xw]

@@stephenlee5929 Oooh, Parallel parking - that's a tricky one... (My dad was in USA visiting family, and someone's car was 'blocked' and they were having conniption. Dad shook his head, said how glad he was we stayed in UK, took the keys, locked the wheels and went forward and back gently until he hit something and was out in about 20 turns of the steering wheel! I was so proud of him!!)

[@KC-gy5xw]

Absolutely!!

[@dufflepod]

Both capital offences till 1976.

[@theXSgroup]

The US tax law is disgusting 🤬

[@alliedatheistalliance6776]

I agree, but there's also an equal and opposite problem in the UK where rich people become 'non doms' and register as living abroad (maybe in a tax haven, or their private island) and pay no taxes, while also enjoying all the benefits of this country including making a lot of money here.

[@dealbreakerc]

@@alliedatheistalliance6776 Most countries (i.e., any except for the US and Eritrea) do not tax their citizens who are living and working overseas for companies based elsewhere.

[@Zatnicatel]

@@alliedatheistalliance6776 Not for much longer :) The government have just announced that Non-Dom status is to be abolished in April

[@iaing9028]

@@alliedatheistalliance6776, the non dom status isn’t quite like that, for a yearly fee they can only be taxed on their UK income & not their worldwide income, they will actually be resident in the UK.

[@jdb47games]

@@alliedatheistalliance6776 I'm a chartered accountant who prepares tax returns for people resident overseas, and can advise you that you are talking out of your fundament. Overseas residents are taxed in the country they live in. You can't just 'register' to live there, you actually have to be there most of the year to qualify, or HMRC will treat you as UK resident. Funnily enough, private islands are not countries, so you have to pay tax to the government they come under. A few UK residents qualify as non-domiciles, but all their UK income is taxable here, as is any overseas income that is remitted to the UK, and that income is still taxed in the country where it was generated. Furthermore, even if you are eligible for non-domicile staus, you have to pay a large fee for the privilege and you lose various valuable allowances. Don't get your tax 'facts' from the man down the pub.

[@scrappystocks]

My wife is American. Her mother died over two years ago but she still has to complete an annual tax return for her. It's because her Will has not yet been settled. In the UK, probate would have been sorted quickly in comparison. Because she had property and money in the bank we still have to fill in a US tax return for someone who is no longer alive until the probate has been finalised. It's very difficult for us to do that because we have to employ a US accountant and lawyer. Both are painfully slow. The longer they spin out the time the more money they "earn" from the estate. My wife has also had to fill out US tax returns for herself but once this has been settled she will renounce her US citizenship because she will have only limited family in California and has decided, whatever the circumstances, she will never go back there to live.

[@johnsmith9903]

I am sorry to hear that. The lawyer stuff is utterly criminal. the system is bull. If I return to the UK I will renounce the US citizenship in a heartbeat.

[@tnit7554]

​@@johnsmith9903doesn't even renouncing the US citizenship cost a lot of money?

[@johnsmith9903]

@@tnit7554 That is teh problem. It has cost my Mother over fifty grand so far. She's been trying to get rid of it since I was ripped off and sued by a group of criminals who relied on the tRUMPian method of spending more on lawyers than I could afford, in order to hide their original crime of illegal building work.. I am in Oregon which is surprisingly lawless and some laws would shock teh rest of the world. (You can steal land by threatening people off their own land for long enough. Normally one would have to prove disuse and no interested party to squat. The laws here we're based on stealing from Natives and never changed.US has different laws for Mercans than everyone else.At least they cannot drone strike me. they could my neighbors.

[@michellemaine2719]

@@tnit7554 yes it does

[@jeremybarker7577]

@@tnit7554 The fee if currently $2,350 - plus any tax you owe.

[@rpgamera]

Fellow UK/US dual citizen here - all the information is spot on and matches my personal experience too. Getting angry at two votes blows my mind, too -- particularly as we're all subject to the same Electoral College restrictions in presidential elections as US residents. If your last state of residence wasn't a swing state, it's pretty hard to shake the 'red state/blue state' assignment of your last state of residence. I still mail in my vote every 4 years though. I get really frustrated that I don't have any bank accounts/financial ties to the USA anymore, but that I'm locked out of things like Stocks & Shares ISAs because many investment firms won't touch me due to my citizenship. It makes long term saving for the future really tough, and my only option truly is my work pension. I also, on principle, dislike the fact that if my UK born partner and I had a joint bank account, the IRS could still look into our joint finances and mine simply by virtue of my name being on the bank account. From a privacy perspective for his part, that seems grossly unfair.

[@MatthewBrannigan]

Interestingly when I mention that I am a dual citizen and that I vote in both the US and the UK elections, I've only experienced negativity from people in the UK, never in the US. When the 15 year rule was scrapped by the Conservative government, this strange resentment got more traction on social media. Labour had no interest in this legislation, and I'm guessing that there may have been an assumption that most expats would vote tory, which is certainly not the case with me. I remember getting a letter from Nationwide stating that they are now obliged to report to the IRS, and this pissed me off hugely, although I generally only have about five hundred quid there, so nothing to be overly concerned about.

[@DavidJCane]

Some examples of citizenship renouncement: Former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson was born in the US to British parents and renounced his US citizenship as an adult. Monty Python's Terry Gilliam was born in the US and became a British citizen in the 1960s and renounced his US citizenship in the 2000s. Poet T S Elliot was born in the US, became a British citizen and renounced his US citizenship in the 1920s.

[@robhingston]

Just to name a few

[@chrislangley4029]

Boris never paid American taxes or filed with the IRS. When he sold a very expensive home in the UK, someone at the IRS figured out he had US citizenship and went looking for tax $. Then he renounced. Technically he could have been PM and president of the US

[@ianz9916]

T S Eliot was always British in spirit, his name is an anagram of Toilets.

[@MatthewBrannigan]

I've just had a horrible thought, where Boris Johnson reapplied to get his US citizenship back and ran for president!

[@otsoko66]

in the 1960s, the US did not permit dual citizenship -- so Gilliam would have lost his US citizenship automatically by accepting UK citizenship. The law in the US effectively didn't change until the early 1990s. This didn't apply to Johnson because he was a native-born American (born in the US) under US law, and a native-born Brit (of UK parents) under UK law.

[@peterwalker5677]

Australia has a rule that members of parliament can't hold dual citizenships. This rule wasn't well known, even to parliamentarians, until one political party saw it as an opportunity to catch out the other side and so pointed out one of the other party's members had dual citizenship. It all backfired when it turned out that members of their own party also had dual citizenship. In fact, several parliamentarians, from various parties, were caught up in the controversy. Some were born overseas, some thought they had renounced their citizenship but hadn't fully completed the process and one politician, much to his surprise, found out his mother(?) had arranged for his citizenship of another country without telling him. Mud slinging in parliament. Everybody gets dirty.

[@calum54]

I just wanted to say I enjoy this channel and find Kayln a smart, funny and interesting listen.

[@Oi....]

Seems like the U.S. took the Eagles song "Hotel California" to heart, "you can check out anytime you want, you can never leave".

[@fredfred1651]

You failed to say if you renounce Your US Citizenship; costs of renunciation include the US$2,350 non-refundable fee. You MUST buy your freedom from the USA.

[@seijika46]

The way in which they started charging people to renounce their US citizenship because of so many emigrants wishing to to avoid double taxation is rather telling (as is that charge increasing over time). Given the War of Independence originally stemmed from outrage over tax, the failure of the US to acknowledge the hideousness of their own regime of taxation (not least by failing to have a system like PAYE to make it simple for non-accountants and not including taxes on stated prices) show lessons go unlearned. Meanwhile, most countries, including the UK, now pay significantly less tax than the US when you include services like health insurance and education. Perhaps the 'revolution' was less to have all citizens pay less tax and instead just to ensure the richest and most influential got a great deal more breaks in that regard...not to mention the unfairness of how those in US territories pay taxes but do not get to vote for their central government. (Hence the non-state motto of Washington DC: "taxation without representation".)

[@dinger40]

Boris was American. born in New York. Moved to the UK when he was 4? and renounced his citizenship in 2016 after the IRS came after him for taxes, after paying them.

[@wayn3h]

Boris had English parents. So he had American citenzship. He's not an 'American'. I have a similar story. English parents, born in South Africa, moved to England aged 7. I and everyone else consider me English.

[@jgreen2015]

Pride was English. His mother was English so he was British by birth right.

[@Sylvander1911]

He's not the only foreign born PM the UK has had. Andrew Bonar Law (1922-23) was born in what is now Canada (It was a still a British Colony at the time of his birth) Only fair since 4 of Canada's were technically foreign born (2 Scots and 2 English) - the latest of which was PM for 2 and a half months in 1984.

[@Stand663]

@@Sylvander1911Canada is a Commonwealth realm. They govern themselves. The citizenship is the same as in the UK. I’m British I have Canadian maternal grandparents.

[@robhingston]

Exactly

[@SCGMLB]

Keep in mind that the US exemption that allows US citizens who reside abroad to not pay taxes on the first $126,000 of foreign earned income (known as the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or FEIE) only applies to SALARIED income. It does not apply to investment income, capital gains, gambling winnings, or other non-salary based income. Those types of income earned outside the US by a US citizen who resides abroad, from any source anywhere in the world are fully taxable in the US, even if they are tax exempt in the country where they were earned. They can be offset by taxes on that income paid to the country where it was earned. But if that country does not tax that income the US will want the tax on it. That was part of the reason that led former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to renounce his US citizenship. He originally bought his UK home for £470,000 and sold it for £1.2 million. In the UK, the profit on the sale of a home is tax exempt, but not in the US. So, when Boris sold his UK home, the US expected Boris to pay income tax on the profit he made on the sale. Originally, he refused but he was told that if he did not pay then if he ever set foot in the US he would be arrested for tax evasion, so he grudgingly paid US tax on the profit and then renounced his US citizenship.

[@sdymott]

So if a US citizen wins on the horses in the UK, they have to pay taxes on their winnings to the US ? Seriously ?

[@rogerphelps9939]

Would have been interesting if he told them to get lost when he was PM. He would have been able to visitt the US with impunity given diplomatic immunity.

[@thomassaxon8254]

Interesting. So does that apply to self employed income? As that's treated differently to salaried income in the UK but I've no idea how the US does it.

[@ziggarillo]

You don't have to be a UK citizen to vote you can be be either a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland

[@stephenshepherd8740]

You can also be an MP or even PM under the same criteria.

[@lindawitt9063]

And also have access to public funds as I did in the 90’s. This may have changed as that was 30 years ago.

[@kayleighgriva4817]

Or a British National Overseas

[@savagesnayle301]

provided you have residency

[@KeefsCattys]

Super well researched and entertaining as always .

[@Dean-gq5pe]

You have certainly been through a lot to get where you are today. I tip my hat to you. To come to a new country, get used to the new culture, work, ways, food, driving and no doubt some strange people. To deal with all that plus get married and buy a house is amazing. Fantastic effort and such an inspiration to people, who want to go through this and show it can be done, if you are willing to put the work in and embrace your adopted country. Well done.👍

[@JunkTardis]

I'm a dual UK-US citizen (UK by birth, US by naturalization) and I voted in both the UK General Election AND the US Federal Election this year. Personally, I don't care who thinks it's fair or not. I followed the law, and pay my taxes and split my time between both countries so issues in both affect me and family I have. I do hate that the US will always try to claim taxes from me and my wife and kids when we eventually move to the UK. When I moved from the UK to the US, I filed a form and haven't submitted anything tax related to HMRC for the last 7 years.

[@davidjones332]

There were several nasty cases during the Vietnam War where the US tried to conscript British and Australian teenagers who had been born while their mothers were on holiday in the US, but otherwise had no connection with the country apart from having accidentally acquired citizenship. Having to fill out an unnecessary tax form is one thing, but being expected to die in a pointless war for a country your mum visited on holiday is a bit thick.

[@CM-ey7nq]

I always feel for my US colleagues here in Norway when it's tax return time. Although none of them are double taxed (yet), I've never seen such a huge and complicated tax form in my life . We've developed a tradition of inviting them to drinks when they're done. And when they're done, they sure drink like Norsemen - and women :)

[@iaing9028]

Hi, here in the UK they are various tax breaks that UK residents with US citizenship cannot take advantage of, we have ISA accounts where the interest is tax free & any uplift in value on your main residence is also tax free, US citizens living here would pay tax on these. Boris Johnson was born in New York & the IRS chased him for money that he made when selling his house which wasn’t taxed by the UK, it was allegedly £100k!

[@RobG001]

Love this channel, even on a serious subject like the one tasked about, Kalyn can make me laugh with her sense of humour, such an underrated channel. Great job Kalyn . :)

[@oopsdidItypethatoutloud]

I remember you talking about the citizenship ceremony... so so sad, I was actually upset for you 😢 ❤ from Northeast England ❤️

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

aw thanks for thinking of me! the actual result was well worth it in the end once I got the passport and papers, just wish I could have had even 1 person there...oh well, life!

[@charlottewebster4233]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial You got it though so yeeee! ☺

[@Bob_just_Bob]

I'm a US Citizen living abroad since the 1990s and have been denied the right to vote because I no longer have any ties to any particular state in the US and the last place I did live if only for all of a couple of months was Guam.

[@RushfanUK]

I'm a UK and Ireland dual, it's quite handy to have the Irish passport going in and out of the EU.

[@barrysteven5964]

It's the way it goes now isn't it? My mum is Romanian. She managed to get out when it was a communist dictatorship and get to the UK. I never felt the need to claim Romanian citizenship, which you can get if you have one Romanian parent, because I never wanted to live there and anyway we were both in the EU. Then Brexit came. I now have my Romanian passport and spend half of each year there. My parents are still in shock about how things have changed so much since they were young that a British citizen might actively seek a Romanian passport. How the tables have turned.

[@hughtube5154]

First thing Nigel Farage did after Brexit was apply for a German passport. Funny that. It's almost as if EU membership has its good points afterall.

[@donwalton6325]

Yep. I travel to Europe on my Irish passport and return to the UK on my UK one. Who said the British like queueing 😁

[@chrislangley4029]

I have 3 citizenships, US, Italy and Mexico. I am 1 generation removed from easily getting my UK. I will end up retiring in Northern Italy and when I do, I will most likely renounce my US. I am in a high tax bracket and it makes sense

[@purplelove3666]

I don't blame you

[@TheEulerID]

Strange as it might seem citizens of some countries with residency in the UK do have the right to vote in national elections. That includes Irish citizens of course, but also Australian, Canadian and a bunch of other qualifing Commonwealth countries (57 of them). It also applies to citizens of Cyprus and Malta with residency in the UK. The way the US government got banks in foreign countries to inform them of US citizens with accounts is simple. It was with threats and sanctions. Basically any bank who refused to co-operate was banned from financial deals with US institutions. As banks in most advanced economies would be crippled by such a measure, they caved in. I also believe that some banks will not provide bank accounts for US citizens due to all sorts of regulatory and reporting issues. Not just tax, but anti money-laundering rules. Incidentally, the rules about no double taxation don't cover everything. One issue is, I believe, for certain sorts of transactions that don't attract capital gains tax in the UK but do in the USA. I think that can involve some property taxation rules (and I believe it was that which triggered Boris Johnson to give up his US citizenship). nb. please don't tell us you are going to vote for Donald Trump...

[@stephengray1344]

On the voting rights thing, EU citizens still have the right to vote in UK local government elections, but not Parliamentary ones if they have UK residency, I'm not sure if that applies to the devolved governments, though.

[@martinstent5339]

10:37 They forgot the U in FBAR

[@MultiClassGeek]

Fun fact- Former UK PM Alexander De Pfeffel (“Boris”) Johnson was born in the USA, but gave up his US Citizenship to avoid the tax burden

[@JackGD1991]

My friend was born in the UK in the mid 90s with a Dutch mum and a British dad who weren’t married. He lived in the UK for the first 24 years of his life (over in the NL now). He’s not, and has never been, a British citizen because of how the rules were when he was born. I think that’s so wild.

[@abzzeus]

For Americans complaining about her voting "No Taxation without Representation"?

[@rkw2917]

As far as I know, Somalia, North Korea, and the USA are the only countries that tax non-resident citizens I did once have a colleague who renounced US citizenship; he told me that it was a long, difficult, and expensive process

[@Sylvander1911]

Non-resident Canadian citizens also are taxed, but only on income generated by Canadian sources (investments, pensions eg) not universal

[@LauraSommer]

I got caught out as hadn't realised I still had to file. Wound up with a huge tax mess and owed a huge amount of US taxes 😢. The accounting fees to make the disclosure and get back into compliance also cost me many thousands!!

[@shaunw9270]

I had heard of this unfair taxation from an old work colleague , originally from Georgia. Thanks for explaining. Still, grossly unfair.

[@Cheepchipsable]

They tax winning and gifts too.

[@johnavery3941]

Oh and you are mostly right about voting a US citizen cannot vote in the UK elections but if you live here in Scotland you can vote in the Scottish Government and Local Elections.... no taxation without representation

[@brucegoatly]

Very interesting - thanks! It's explained a lot of things that weren't clear to me when my Californian wife had tax issues that a very helpful IRS agent at the US Embassy in London dealt with. As a side note, for her UK citizenship ceremony she had the good fortune to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown in the chamber of the House of Commons. Present were just her, me, an MP and a solicitor to make it legal. Sadly, the Queen couldn't make it.

[@Lando-kx6so]

3:15 just wanted to add, if you're a citizen of a Commonwealth country (i.e. Canada, Australia, South Africa, Jamaica, Nigeria etc.) you can vote in the UK without UK citizenship.

[@vijay-c]

Re: Voting - Commonwealth & Irish citizens can also vote if they're resident in the UK - this meant my wife (Indian) could vote in elections even whilst going through the naturalisation peocess. I believe that you can also become an MP as an Irish citizen without qualification or a Commonwealth citizen with an immigration status like ILR that means you don't require any leave to remain. It used to be that this was reciprocal & British citizens could in turn vote in many commonwealth countries in the same way, but many (most?) otthers have now gotten rid of that to decouple themselves from Empire.

[@Jill-mh2wn]

Always educational and interesting . Thanks ,Kalyn

[@watcher24601]

0:45 I agree with you about the change in passport colour. I haven't felt a need to renew my British passport since they made it match the US. Largely because I've seen American's abroad and don't want anyone to think I am one of them. Plus no current desire to travel.

[@5bLucky]

A few years after FATCA started(US muscled it's way for other countries to comply) my daughter when to do her college in Switzerland and she had went bank to bank to open an account ....the Swiss apparently were not to happy our "decree"and would rather not take an American client!!! Recently I heard it is still that way and it has been more than a decade.

[@portoutstarboardhome]

My deceased US friend lived here for 40+ years. As a uni professor and published academic he owned property and bank accounts here and in the US. A dual citizen and served in both countrys" armed forces. He regularly visited back 'home'. He ignored tax from the US. I don't think the US tax even bothered to chase him and if they did they did probably would have had a fight on their hands.

[@markhosbrough9180]

I have seen videos on KZbin about the whole tax thing. And some videos mentioned that even though usa tax has an agreement with the uk so you don't owe if you earn under a certain amount but these videos said that because your marriage they count your spouse income as yours so you end up being over the tax threshold of where you don't pay to the US

[@46spanner]

Excellent video, couple of additional points, I, as a British citizen, lost my right to vote in the UK sometime ago. I haven’t lived in the UK for over 40 years and I believe suffrage expires after about 10 years absence. My youngest son was born outside the UK and gained his UK citizenship because I, his father, am a UK citizen by birth. If he, my son, becomes a father his children will not automatically be UK citizens unless they are born in the UK.

[@Peter-kz2zz]

Really interesting video, didn't know about most of this and I have US citizen family members. Thanks for posting. Love the channel.

[@redrunner]

Thank you for another great video and very informative

[@jamesbrooks8255]

I’m a birth citizen of both countries! Interesting to learn more about it

[@bunclecar9246]

I remember Terry Gilliam years ago giving up his US citizenship over possible tax bills when he dies.

[@dilligaf73]

I learnt about dual citizenship and having to pay America the taxes through our prime minister Boris Johnson. His parents were British but he was born in America. When he sold a property, ISA came after him for money he got on it. He wasn't happy cause he had moved back to UK at age 5 and argued it wasn't right. He ended up paying it then denounced his citizenship

[@robertwatford7425]

Thanks for clarifying that. I knew about douple taxation but not the finer points.

[@Gregdotgreg]

As a British citizen, it is weird I have to answer a question everytime I open a bank account asking whether I'm an American or not 😂 Although they also ask whether I have to pay tax in any other country! Anyway, I'm glad you like Britain

[@MillsyLM]

Of course we understand the "clause ' reference. 😊

[@heathereads]

Indefinite leave differs depending on the other citizenship. I can vote with my indefinite leave, so Commonwealth citizens may have different rights

[@EvanJoanette]

Correct.

[@mdnickless]

Maintaining two citizenships can also mean needing two passports. Applying for a passport from overseas is often more hassle and more expense. It helps when they allow you to apply online, but if you have to go to the embassy in person that may involve a long trip. Getting documents certified can also be more complicated. And then there are international courier fees to pay. And all that for a country you may not be visiting every year.

[@CarlieMaria28]

Dual uk citizens can enter the uk on foreign passports that don't require visas but thanks to eta, thats changing next year.

[@mdnickless]

@CarlieMaria28 Yes, that is changing next year. And for many expats, getting an ETA will probably still be the easiest/cheapest option. I also forgot to mention that getting a UK citizenship sticker put into a foreign passport actually costs more than getting a UK passport.

[@CarlieMaria28]

@ It's unlikely that uk and irish citizens will even quality at all! Ireland does the exact same (Stamp 6) for free tho most will just get the passport for the travel benefits.

[@peterpereira3653]

That's wild, that the USA still wants taxes from its citizens, who permanently live outside the USA. Even when none of the money earned, by a citizen was in the USA itself. And depending on which particular country, you live in outside of the USA.You could be also taxed, by the country you permanently live in. And so end up paying double taxes.

[@keithparker5125]

UK has agreements with many countries to avoid double taxation basically this means the UK collects the difference between UK and second county's taxes.

[@mojojojo11811]

The USA is definitely not a cult that puts profit above the wellbeing of it's people. Oh, wait... 🤣🤣🤣

[@otsoko66]

American living in Canada for multiple decades -- even above 110k in earned income you are not double taxed in the UK or Canada -- you just have to file another form declaring that you paid UK (or Canadian) tax on the income, and reporting how much tax you paid -- if the amount you paid is greater than what you would have owed to the IRS (the usual case with Canada or the UK) then you pay nothing to the IRS. Figuring out how to do this is a serious pain in the butt, but because of the tax treaties, you are never double taxed on the same income. If you are in one of the few countries with lower taxes than the US, then you would have to pay the difference.

[@davidmalin5491]

Very informative thanks, I think it is easier to go from US to UK citizenship than the other way round

[@dealbreakerc]

Correction/clarification for 3:10 - You couldn't vote until you gained citizenship in the UK but citizens of Commonwealth nations (e.g., Canada, Australia, South Africa) can vote from the moment they establish legal residence in the the UK (i.e., are in the country on a valid non-tourist visa). As a Canadian, I moved to the UK and less than two months later was voting in a local election and a after just over 6 months in the country I voted in the general election.

[@markmark63]

Interestingly, American-born Boris Johnson only renounced his US citizenship in 2016 - a few years before becoming UK Prime Minister. He said it was to avoid paying a huge tax bill to the US IRS for a house he was trying to sell in London.

[@ynot6473]

@ 5.20, some say that bad parking should be a crime!

[@myshowcase8818]

Citizenship carries with it an obligation for national military service when required (US: the draft, UK: conscription). Every US male 18-25 is required to register for Selective Service even if they live abroad and have never been to the US - females are presently exempt. There is no UK national service scheme at present but there has been in the past and could be in the future. I knew a British born, bred and resident student who had dual Greek citizenship through his father and was arrested on arrival at a Greek airport when visiting his grandmother, for failing to report for military service on turning 18.

[@chrissouthgate4554]

I used to know some lads who had dual French Citizenship, they were "invited" to do National Service in French Forces. I think they turned down the offer.

[@dunebasher1971]

A former colleague once told me about his nephew, who was born in the UK but whose Iranian father registered him as Iranian without his knowledge. 18 years later he was visiting Iran, and on entry he was told he now had to serve his compulsory military service. The fact that he didn't speak Farsi was irrelevant, he was pretty much conscripted on the spot.

[@paulcollins5423]

Kaylin, you are a breath of fresh air that I have only recently discovered. Thank you for your videos, I'm really enjoying them. One point of difference on this one please. It is actually possible to vote in UK elections and stand for Parliament if you're not a UK citizen but only if you're an Irish or Commonwealth citizen. So it's entirely possible to be Prime Minister without being a UK citizen, although I don't believe it has ever happened (Bonar Law was Canadian and UK PM but I think that the distinction between Canadian and UK citizens was much more blurred back then). It is also possible, I believe, to vote in local elections if you are a citizen of some EU countries but this does not extend to voting in a General Election or standing for Parliament.

[@paulcollins5423]

And I've just managed to misspell your name, which is a really clever start! Many apologies, that was rude of me, albeit unintentional.

[@frankhooper7871]

My parents became naturalised American citizens in 1959 and as a minor child at the time, I automatically became a citizen too (they both had a Certificate of Naturalization, I had a Certificate of Citizenship. At that time, they had to renounce their British citizenship. When my Nan (never a US citizen; possessed a green card), my Mum, and I returned to 'England in 1973, the advice we received from the British Embassy was to get our US passports first, then apply for British passports (to avoid the possibility of being asked to surrender a foreign passport), which is what we did. I do not vote in US elections (the only time I did was in 1972, prior to re-immigrating) and no longer consider myself a US citizen.

[@cullen3624]

I was born in the US, but my father is Irish. So I got an Irish passport which allows me to live in the UK and have all the benefits of a UK citizen and passport holder. I live in Ireland but my job has taken me to the UK where I worked with a company from Ireland for two years. In 2021 I renounced my US citizenship as I have no intentions of ever living in the US again. I have been back to the u-s several times since and although it is a bit weird going back as a visitor apart from that it was absolutely no hassle going back on an Irish passport.

[@RichardSimpson-u4c]

Just to say that many of these restrictions may be applicable to US citizens in the UK, but not necessarily citizens of other countries depending on where they have come from and what their immigration status is. For example, my wife is a citizen of an EU country and doesn't hold any other citizenship. She has lived here for more than 20 years and now has "Settled status". She can therefore vote in UK local elections (she never actually has) and has the same recourse to public funds as UK citizens do.

[@petervenkman69]

Being allowed to vote in the UK is more complicated than just UK citizenship, to vote in General Elections is to be British, Irish or have a qualifying commonwealth citizenship. For other sorts of elections other rules apply. (This is also the qualifications for being an MP... this means the UK PM could theoretically be Irish, or from a qualifying commonwealth country.)

[@daviddavies3637]

My daughter has a lecturer at her University with dual nationality ... or at least she did until she gave up her American citizenship recently.

[@bobbypel1629]

Point of correction. You can access piblic funds on an indefinite leave to remain in the uk

[@ravindra7791]

I think she is not totally correct about voting. If you are from a commonwealth country and in the UK on a work permit or on ILR you can vote. More importantly registering to vote improves your credit history

[@dariengoodwin]

Yes, someone who is born in the US and is a US citizen can be an MP (or even Prime Minister) in the UK as long as they are also a British citizen. Interestingly, Boris Johnson was also a US citizen when he became an MP. He acquired US citizenship by birth as he was born in NYC. He renounced it in 2016 after the IRS demanded a slice of the profits on the sale of his house. But had he not done so, he could have run for US President. Imagine, Boris as UK Prime Minister and US President at the same time!!

[@chrissouthgate4554]

I have trouble imagining Boris in charge of anything, from a dog kennel up.

[@nevillemason6791]

Wrong! To run for US President the requirement is to be resident in the USA for a minimum of fourteen years. He could never run for President unless he went to live there.

[@nigelanscombe8658]

Mayor of London -> Prime Minister -> POTUS Oh, what a thought. 🤔

[@TCJones]

I had a work friend who was on holiday in the States and gave birth 6 months early, her kid ended up being a yank and she was in the papers as they tried to whip up hate saying it was an anker baby. He husband and her other kid had to come home and she had to spend. A year ish there while the baby grew enough to fly and recovered.

[@duncancallum]

So the baby was born after 3 months gestation that must be some record .

[@TCJones]

@duncancallum well, it may not have been 3 months excley, but it was as early as it can be.

[@troysnuffles]

I'm guessing it was probably 6 weeks early.

[@TCJones]

@troysnuffles not sure, but she was in the 2nd, not the 3rd trimester, cos she was months away from the due date, not weeks.

[@alexfishwick9342]

The American tax system is definitely weird. My father had a few shares in an American company only due to a take over by that company of a British one. As a consequence we regularly get a complex set of forms from the IRS asking home to prove that he is a uk citizen so that he doesn’t need to pay tax. All fine and dandy except he has been dead for 26 years a small fact that we have told them about many times but they just won’t let it go. Latest form arrived this week addressed to his home which was sold 25 years ago.

[@duncancallum]

Do not open it write on envelope deceased and repost it

[@kathryn4002]

Love your videos

[@cr10001]

"you can leave your comments below (you will anyway)" I cracked up laughing at that.

[@CarlieMaria28]

Since the uk is now implementing eta starting next year for all foreigners, all dual uk citizens must travel on their uk passport or get their foreign passport endorsed. Irish citizens are except due to CTA but must enter on their Irish passport.

[@wessexdruid7598]

_"As of May 15, 2023, a total of 5,315 US citizens have renounced their citizenship, a sharp increase from the 2,390 who renounced in 2022."_ BTW, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson renounced his in 2017.

[@spacemonkey986]

You can renounce your US citizenship for a fee, and are only taxed after $127k earnings by the Fed.

[@stephenshepherd8740]

You can renounce British citizenship and, by right, get it back again, but only once. More than that, you have to get approval from the Home Secretary. It's designed for countries, like the US, which make you renounce prior citizenships before taking theirs. You can then get the British citizenship back afterwards on the quiet.

[@Candleroad]

All power to you 👍

[@stephenlee5929]

Why do most financial institutions acquiesce to US demands to know about US citizens, basically the Dollar. If you don't agree to their demands, you (the bank) are not allowed to trade in US Dollars. Its also annoying for non US citizens, as you need to effectively prove you are not a US citizen to open certain accounts.

[@donwalton6325]

Because they do business in the USA. No compliance, no business.

[@samlucas3243]

I’m wanting to be a dual citizen for as British man with southern Irish roots!🇮🇪🇬🇧

[@James-w1t]

Keep it up, Sweetie, keep it up.

[@loose_tooth]

Why would people get upset about anybody's ability to vote in multiple elections? That confuses me a bit. People are strange. My wife became a citizen during Covid, we had both put in the work for her to become a citizen (her more than me obvs) and ahe became a citizen alone, with me sat outside Hackney Town Hall... Was a bit dispiriting.

[@altosanon]

I find the voting question interesting, as I have a friend who had moved a couple of times in the EU under the freedom of movement and she can only vote in her native country and not her country of residence because she doesn't change citizenship. This included 20 years that she lived and worked in the UK. Interestingly enough she could vote in local council elections, but not the national elections that affected the taxes etc that she paid. Now she only has the right to vote in a country that she hasn't lived in for over 30 years.

[@tonys1636]

See my comment on IE and UK arrangements.

[@carolineskipper6976]

It's always seemed wrong to me that US citizens have to file taxes- or more accurately that they have to pay taxes - on money earned in another country, taxed in that country, and that stays in that country. It would be different if your UK earnings were being paid into a US bank account, but the default 'tell us everything!' seems wrong. It also seems odd that any baby born on US soil can automatically claim US citizenship regardless of their parents' status. I have old friends who have lived across the world throughout their lives, and the whole family has both UK and Australian citizenship- except for their youngest child who has US citizenship, and so presumably foregoes one of the other citizenships (you can generally only hold two different citizenships at one time). They currently live in the UK, but I believe their longterm plan is to return to Australia, and so I'm not sure which two she holds right now.

[@chrislangley4029]

Trump has talked about trying to get rid of that. There are only 2 or 3 countries in the world that this occurs

[@tonys1636]

A child born in UK to any Nationality parents is a UK citizen if the birth registered with a UK Register Office and not the parents country's Embassy or Consulate.

[@landytravels9427]

Baby Tourism - that’s how Kemi Badenoch got her U.K. citizenship before the rules were changed to stop this abuse.

[@MoodyMarco-vj3oe]

Why on Earth would anyone care if you get to vote in 2 countries? People are so weird, jealously is such a strange and stupid emotion that serves no good purpose.

[@Zatnicatel]

If you pay tax in a country, you should have a vote. Except of course that you can't in many many places, especially the tax havens. One thing the US cannot be called is a tax haven☺

[@mdnickless]

I have dual British and New Zealand citizenship and can vote in either country. That right was temporarily taken away around the time of Brexit. Funny that, the one time something comes up that particularly effects expats, and many of them weren't allowed to vote on it! 🤔

[@pete_lind]

Because in US you dont have right to vote, you need to register to vote, when Americans dont know what word, right, means. In Finland you can vote in local election, even if you are not citizen, after you have lived in Finland 2 years.

[@DenUitvreter]

OMOV used to be an important democratic principle. I don't want people voting for my government and my laws that has another country to go to.

[@hughtube5154]

​@@DenUitvreterbut Kalyn, arguably, has a more rounded view of life as she can see the pros and cons in each country. Besides: "no taxation without representation". I wonder if expat US citizens would denounce their rught to vote if they weten't obliged to pay taxes.

[@SevaIvanov1]

Actually you can access public funds on ILR

[@elliottjames8020]

As a tax accountant you can get relief on foreign taxes un your US tax return by completing form 1116.

[@Frank-dr7dr]

I moved from the UK to Canada and became a Canadian citizen and decided that I should not vote in UK elections until Brexit. That was despite my retaining British citizenship. At the time I had no opportunity to vote as I had not voted in a general election in the previous 15 years. Result: I had no say in the loss of my European citizenship. UK voting law has changed to allow me to vote in UK Again. I now make sure I vote in UK elections. They can affect me despite my living in Canada for 50+ years

[@Trebor74]

You don't live in the UK,you've taken Canadian citizenship and you vote on decisions that have zero effect on you. Sorry,zero sympathy. I'd remove your vote.

[@814912]

Have the rules on birth citizenship changed then? Because my mum was born in the 60s in the UK to German parents who were living in Britain on a temporary work contract - but she still got automatic British citizenship which she was able to pass down to me, even though I was born in Germany. I wonder when/why the rules changed...

[@carolinecrollick6305]

Boris was born in the US. He had dual citizenship but he gave up his US citizenship

[@johnsmith9903]

The "natural born" is the thing that confuses so many in the states. The reason for Citizenship by birth is real simple. Diplomats , Army and those working abroad would not be able to have children. Therefore you will not have people in the army, the 'state department' or your major international companies. So your country dies. Many forget there is a reason for that. US taxing people that do not work there is because the people in the US are so screwed up over taxes so they shift it to those that vote the least. Every other country should pull the same with people that move to the US. They'll have less of a brain drain. I'd drop the US citizenship in heartbeat. hate the country having lived here for 25 years

[@davemagrel3349]

well done!!

[@urkerab]

Apparently there is even an association of accidental Americans to help out those people who discover that they were born in the USA when the IRS comes after them or some such (I've probably grossly misrepresented this).

[@gizmo5601]

You don’t pay double taxes on any income. The US allow credit for UK tax paid against your US tax liability. The first $120k is a foreign earned income allowance, so saving the hassle of claiming the U.K. tax paid against US tax on that income.

[@anthonyholden3373]

Very interesting. Thanks

[@gchecosse]

Irish citizens can be MPs in the UK aswell. Technically anyone can be Prime Minister, regardless of nationality, but in practice it's always an MP.

[@scottirvine121]

We’ve always called it Santa? Where on earth in the UK says Father Christmas 😂

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

I say Father Christmas, English born of Irish parents. I'll be 62 this Christmas.

[@DMP9]

3:22 This isn’t true actually. Commonwealth citizens (e.g. Canadian citizens) can vote in the UK on ILR.

[@EvanJoanette]

I understand that recourse to public funds won't always be completely limited until you get UK citizenship. Can be available for folks with indefinite leave to remain (IRL) Sorry, if I misheard you. The right to vote with IRL is also more flexible if you immigrated from a commonwealth country.

[@PhilipSchofield-ly9po]

Always emjoy Girl gone London, thank you. Self deprecating humour : one of the best examples of this is Love Actually, it is so good, and SO funny. An American might think differently, sadly. Can you do a react video? Well worth watching.