Khaberni - The Guardian revealed on Tuesday, an increasing trend of renouncing citizenship among Americans residing in several European countries, due to feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration with President Donald Trump's administration policies and American tax measures.
Referring to the numerous requests for renunciation of citizenship, the newspaper stated that this has caused delays in appointments and increased waiting periods, noting that it exceeds 14 months at the consulate in London, and the same applies to Sydney and most major Canadian cities, while in many European cities, the current waiting period is 6 months.
According to the British newspaper, this year is expected to be exceptional in terms of the number of Americans renouncing their citizenship, estimated to be similar to 2020, in which more than 6,000 Americans took steps to abandon their country’s identity, noting that the number was estimated in the hundreds annually in the first decade of the second millennium.
The growth of this phenomenon is attributed to a combination of reasons, according to Guardian's report which addressed statements and motives from several Americans who took this step.
Reasons for Renouncing Citizenship
According to the newspaper, Americans have often joked about pretending to be Canadians while abroad, simply because they feel embarrassed about belonging to a country characterized by "arrogance".
However, recent developments in the United States, represented by the negative political climate, internal divisions, and Trump administration’s foreign policy, have prompted thousands of Americans to renounce their citizenship.
The newspaper quoted American Paul (55 years old), who relinquished his citizenship, as saying "My gift to myself was freeing myself from political dependency," while Joseph (36 years old) said "I don’t want to be a citizen under a dictatorial regime."
Compounded Challenges
Guardian noted the possibility of the U.S. government flatly rejecting requests for renunciation of citizenship, which would relegate the applicants to become "tax-subjected expatriates", a tax classification and financial disaster, according to the newspaper.
It explained that the aforementioned classification lasts for life, and might result in being denied entry to the United States again or being interrogated at the borders.
The newspaper referred to the legislation that will take effect in December, which automatically enrolls Americans in mandatory conscription, adding that it did not cause much uproar in the United States upon its approval, "If you have a child aged 18 whom you raised in Europe, for instance, and you read about the American war in Iran, you might feel very worried," according to the report.
Tax Policies
One of the main reasons for renouncing citizenship, according to the newspaper, is the American tax policies, as the United States is the only country in the world, apart from Eritrea, that imposes taxes based on citizenship, not residency.
It said that the previous procedure produces some unusual detailed aspects, such as if an American residing abroad divorced his non-American wife and their properties were divided, the American pays tax on his ex-wife’s share.
Under Obama's Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, foreign banks need to identify their American clients and deliver their information.
