Japanese American dual citizen

7 comments

1. Were you born with both citizenship ? or did you acquire US citizenship later on?

   If the former, you can choose Japanese citizenship without losing your US one.

   Make a search on r/japanlife there are plenty of topics about it with relevant details and laws depending on each situation.

2. Japan has a “Child of Japanese national” visa. Japan will probably be easier to maintain access without citizenship than the US if you have some lineage

3. Don’t renounce either nationality.

   Technically (and legally), Japan requires you to choose your nationality when you turn 20. In practice, this means that, if you choose to keep your Japanese nationality, you should try to renounce your other nationality.

   Practically-speaking, however, Japanese immigration authorities generally turn a blind eye to people who have not renounced their other citizenship.

   By the age of 20, you should submit a “notification of choice of citizenship” (国籍選択届出 kokuseki sentaku todokede) indicating you “choose” to keep Japanese citizenship. This will ensure the Japanese government doesn’t assume you chose your other nationality (and thus won’t also assume you renounced your Japanese nationality).

   Always remember to use your Japanese passport when entering and leaving Japan. If you’re passing through Immigration and are asked if you have another nationality, you should say yes, explain you are keeping your Japanese nationality and you will make an effort to renounce your other nationality. Don’t lie and say you don’t have another nationality. As I said above, the Japanese authorities typically turn a blind eye, so you won’t need to prove later that you actually renounced your other nationality. It is extremely unlikely you will ever be asked if you even tried.

4. Forget to choose. It won’t e a problem for a long time unless you try to renew your Japanese passport in a country where you are residing based on your other citizenship ship.

5. Unrelated, but figured I’d ask without making another post: Can someone receive birth rite US citizenship if one of their parents is American, but the birth is in Japan?

6. Keep your mouth shut.

   * I’m not being rude. This is what everyone does in your situation.

7. Just don’t tell them (the Japanese government )you have both.
   I am in the same situation as you but except I’m 22. I just tell them ‘I’m thinking about it’.
   As far as I know the American government tolerates dual citizen.

   Hopefully this helped.