We’ve had a few questions asked to us recently about the advantages and disadvantages of attaining US citizenship. So we compiled a list of Advantages and disadvantages of Citizenship over Lawful Permanent Resident Status.
Advantages:
As a US Citizen, you gain the advantage of having shorter waiting periods to bring to the US relatives from abroad permanently.
As a US Citizen, you gain the ability to travel as you wish, unrestricted by US advanced parole / re-entry visa restrictions.
As a US Citizen, you gain protection from most forms of deportation, the most notable exception being if you lied about being a US citizen in the past or otherwise committed fraud to attain your Citizenship.
As a US Citizen, you gain the right to vote in US elections.
As a US Citizen, you gain the ability to serve as a juror in the courts (some might consider this a disadvantage as well)
As a US Citizen, you gain the ability to hold most political offices, with the most notable exception being the Presidency (a person must be a natural born US Citizen in order to become President).
As a US Citizen, you gain eligibility to apply for certain kinds of federal and state level jobs.
As a US Citizen, you are assured the ability to draw on Medicare (health insurance for persons aged 65+) for free (assuming you meet the eligibility requirements). LPR’s can sometimes get medicare, or other programs on a state by state basis, but these programs often have premiums which you must pay akin to normal insurance, residency time requirements or other very restrictive requirements beyond the standard medicare eligibility.
As A US Citizen, you are subject to less taxation in certain areas (especially estate taxes). Permanent residents of the United States, while entitled to the same estate tax exemption for the United States estate tax as US citizens, are subject to United States estate tax on their worldwide assets, including assets held in the home country.
As a US Citizen, you generally gain the ability to draw upon the full benefit of your social security if you retire abroad, although there are exceptions (LPR’s often receive less, and there are more restrictions. More information on Social Security benefits and the differences between US Citizens and LPR’s is available here)
As a US Citizen, your children under the age of 18 will generally automatically receive US citizenship as well.
Disadvantages:
As a US Citizen, you must take an oath renouncing your native citizenship. This generally leads to losing your citizenship in your native country, although some countries do not recognize this kind of renunciation of citizenship through oath. Renouncing your citizenship in your native country means losing right to vote in your native country, as well as leading to difficulty maintaining property in your native country. Some countries, such as Israel, allow Dual Citizenship, where you are a citizen of both countries at once, and subject to the benefits and obligations of both citizenship at once, but many, like India and China, do not.
As a US Citizen, you must renounce any noble titles.
