European Immigratin Help PLEASE!

[charlottematt2]

US Citizen - college graduate - Marketing
Also licensed teacher - high school

I want to immigrate to the EU. What is the easiest country to get into?

Can a US citizen have two passports?

Must I have a job offer before I go?

Can an ESL teacher apply for a work permit?

What is the best way to get into the EU?

[amhilde]

A US citizen can carry two passports provided they are a dual national. Becoming a citizen of another country, especially the EU, is not easy, unless you are willing to formally relinquish your US citizenship and take up citizenship of another country. This is a rather drastic method, however, and would mean that you could never regain US nationality, and would lose all benefits of a US citizen- including the ability to work here and stay longer than a certain time period. Most countries ( I know the regs for the UK and Sweden the best) require at least 5 years of residence in the country before you can apply for nationalization.

If you are qualified as an ESL teacher then you would have the best luck working in the newer central EU states though the working requirements for CZ are quite interesting. If you have the certificates and qualifications then you would probably make an ok wage, though from what I have heard from other ESl ppl in that part of Europe- its enough to live on but not much to save. If you meet the points threshold for the UK HSMP then you could try that route to legally work in the UK. Any country in the EU is going to be difficult to gain employment unless you get an employer to sponsor you, and, unless you have specific language skills, getting a job could be difficult. If you have a German parent you can claim German citizenship, and the Irish have their granparent or ancestor laws- you culd always check that if you have that background.

The EU is extremely difficult to get into, especially if you dont have a high-demand IT skill set, because the bureaucracy can be crazy and the language issues. You dont have to have a job before you go over, but if you do find someone who would sponsor you a work permit, then you would have to leave the country, have the papers sent to you in the US, and then re-enter the country with the proper work papers. Even with this you are limited to continue working for that employer.

Try eslcafe.com- lots of those people have been round the ESL block and know whats going on on the ground. That would be your best chance, though more for countries in the south and east of Europe.

[John]

unless you are willing to formally relinquish your US citizenship and take up citizenship of another country

Incorrect ... the US permits its Citizens to also hold other nationalities as well.

The only thing it does insist upon is that the US passport is used to enter the US (and the other passport is not used for that purpose).

There are quite a few members of this Board who will confirm this ... they are both a US Citizen and are now also, say, British as well.

[JAJ]

The EU is extremely difficult to get into, especially if you dont have a high-demand IT skill set, because the bureaucracy can be crazy and the language issues. .

The EU is not a country so it's not a question of "getting into the EU." There are 25 sovereign states to consider, each of which have their own immigration and nationality rules. In fact it's 29 if you consider the EEA states and Switzerland on top.

It's not just a question of which country is 'easier' to get into initially either. If it's intended to be a long term move, then you have to consider which have the more straightforward rules on long-term permanent residence and the acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation.

[darko]

unless you are willing to formally relinquish your US citizenship and take up citizenship of another country

Incorrect ... the US permits its Citizens to also hold other nationalities as well.

The only thing it does insist upon is that the US passport is used to enter the US (and the other passport is not used for that purpose).

There are quite a few members of this Board who will confirm this ... they are both a US Citizen and are now also, say, British as well.

However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

Source

[John]

I think it is far better if I let those members of this Board who were already a US Citizen and then applied for and got British Citizenship to answer the point you make.

There is one member of this Board who is a citizen of Brazil, USA and now Britain.

[ppron747]

As explained to me by a US consular officer, the position is that a US citizen committing "an expatriating act" can thereby be deprived of his/her US citizenship. The State Dept used to interpret the acquisition of a foreign citizenship as an expatriating act, as a matter of course, and would notify "perpetrators" that they were no longer US citizens.

Following a court case some years ago, they are no longer able to make this automatic connection. If they are considering withdrawing US citizenship, they now have to give the person the opportunity of explaining why they have not expatriated themselves - eg that they continue to maintain close links with the USA, they have only obtained another citizenship to enable them to pursue their livelihood, etc, etc.

So I think the bottom line is you can lose your US citizenship by acquiring another, but it is relatively simple to avoid it.

[amhilde]

John-

I am aware that a US citizen can hold two citizenships at the same time, but the point of my post was that you cannot walk into a country and claim citizenship straightaway without a period of time living in the country, or some other outstanding factors such as ancestry, birth, or other linkages to the country. It was my belief that it is possible to "cross over" quickly if one renounced for the US- I had looked into that option for the UK a number of years ago.

JAJ-

My use of the term EU in this instance was in regards to the countries in that area and that as a whole, regardless of the country, there are strict immigration policies.

[John]

It was my belief that it is possible to "cross over" quickly if one renounced for the US

No doubt you now realise that there is no provision in British nationality law to speed up getting British Citizenship if one renounces the previous nationality. Simply, renoucing US Citizenship would make absolutely no difference to getting British Citizenship.

Indeed it would be a foolhardy thing to do ... renouncing one's citizenship before acquiring another.

[ppron747]

It was my belief that it is possible to "cross over" quickly if one renounced for the US

No doubt you now realise that there is no provision in British nationality law to speed up getting British Citizenship if one renounces the previous nationality. Simply, renoucing US Citizenship would make absolutely no difference to getting British Citizenship.

Indeed it would be a foolhardy thing to do ... renouncing one's citizenship before acquiring another.

In fact, John, I believe that in most cases it would be impossible - there's a convention covering the reduction of statelessnes, and AIUI countries are forbidden to allow their citizens to renounce citizenship if the result would be that the person is rendered stateless.

POSTSCRIPT: the Convention is at http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/treaty4_.htm . Those rugged individualists to the north of Mexico and the south of Canada seem not to have ratified it.....

[JAJ]

[

In fact, John, I believe that in most cases it would be impossible - there's a convention covering the reduction of statelessnes, and AIUI countries are forbidden to allow their citizens to renounce citizenship if the result would be that the person is rendered stateless.

POSTSCRIPT: the Convention is at http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/treaty4_.htm . Those rugged individualists to the north of Mexico and the south of Canada seem not to have ratified it.....

It is possible to renounce US citizenship without having another (although foolish).
http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship ... p_776.html

D. DUAL NATIONALITY / STATELESSNESS

Persons intending to renounce U.S. citizenship should be aware that, unless they already possess a foreign nationality, they may be rendered stateless and, thus, lack the protection of any government. They may also have difficulty traveling as they may not be entitled to a passport from any country. Even if they were not stateless, they would still be required to obtain a visa to travel to the United States, or show that they are eligible for admission pursuant to the terms of the Visa Waiver Pilot Program (VWPP). If found ineligible for a visa or the VWPP to come to the U.S., a renunciant, under certain circumstances, could be permanently barred from entering the United States. Nonetheless, renunciation of U.S. citizenship may not prevent a foreign country from deporting that individual back to the United States in some non-citizen status.