Yes, the US allows dual citizenship. The State Department says US law does not require a citizen to choose between US citizenship and another nationality, and you can acquire a second citizenship without US permission. You keep your US citizenship unless you voluntarily give it up with the intent to do so. The catches are practical. You must use your US passport to enter and leave the US, you stay subject to US tax on worldwide income wherever you live, and some other countries make you choose.
Last checked: October 2026
In short:
- Getting a second passport does not cost you US citizenship. Loss requires a voluntary expatriating act done with the intent to give up citizenship, such as formally renouncing at a US embassy or consulate abroad.
- US citizens are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live. Dual citizens abroad still file a Form 1040, an FBAR if foreign accounts exceed USD 10,000 in total, and often Form 8938.
- Renouncing now costs USD 450 (cut from USD 2,350 on 13 April 2026). You may owe exit tax as a “covered expatriate” if your net worth is USD 2 million or more, your average annual income tax over the past 5 years exceeds USD 211,000 (2026 figure), or you can’t certify 5 years of tax compliance.
What US law actually says
The State Department’s dual nationality page sets out the position:
- US law does not require you to choose between US citizenship and another nationality.
- You can acquire a foreign nationality by birth, descent, marriage or naturalisation without asking the US government.
- Dual nationals owe allegiance to both countries and must obey the laws of both. Each country can enforce its laws on you, including military service or tax rules.
- Consular help may be limited, especially in your other country of nationality. If you are arrested in that country, the US may have little standing to help.
When can you lose US citizenship? Section 349 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) lists potentially expatriating acts. These include naturalising in another country on your own application after age 18, swearing allegiance to another state, some foreign government jobs, serving in a foreign military engaged against the US, and formally renouncing. The State Department stresses that loss is not automatic. The act must be voluntary and done with the intent to give up US nationality. Someone who naturalises in Portugal or Italy to get an EU passport, and keeps filing US taxes and using a US passport, has not lost US citizenship.
Travelling as a dual citizen
- Entering and leaving the US: you must use a valid US passport. Under 22 CFR 53.1 it is unlawful for a US citizen to enter or depart the US without one, except in limited cases.
- Everywhere else: US law lets you use your foreign passport to enter and leave other countries. Most dual citizens show the US passport to the airline when flying to the US and use the other passport for its home country and visa-free access elsewhere.
- The other country’s rules: check whether your other country requires its citizens to use its passport at its border.
Taxes: citizenship-based taxation
The US taxes by citizenship, not residence. A dual citizen living permanently in Lisbon or Dubai has the same basic filing duty as one living in Ohio. See US expat taxes (2026): filing, FEIE, FBAR and catching up for the full picture.
| Obligation | What it covers | Threshold or date |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1040 | Worldwide income | Automatic extension to 15 June if you live abroad; 15 October with Form 4868 |
| FBAR (FinCEN 114) | Foreign financial accounts | Total balance over USD 10,000 at any time in the year; due 15 April, automatic extension to 15 October |
| Form 8938 (FATCA) | Foreign financial assets | Living abroad: over USD 200,000 at year end or USD 300,000 at any time (single); USD 400,000 / USD 600,000 (joint) |
| Form 8938, living in the US | Same | USD 50,000 / USD 75,000 (single); USD 100,000 / USD 150,000 (joint) |
| Form 3520 | Foreign trusts and some foreign gifts | Applies to transactions with foreign trusts |
Two reliefs usually keep the bill down:
- Foreign earned income exclusion (FEIE): up to USD 132,900 for 2026 (USD 130,000 for 2025) on Form 2555, if you pass the bona fide residence test or are abroad 330 days in 12 months.
- Foreign tax credit: credit for income tax paid to your other country. Which one is better depends on your other country’s tax rates. See FEIE vs Foreign Tax Credit (2026): which one US expats should use.
Your second country may tax you too, based on residence. Dual citizenship alone does not change where you are tax resident.
Countries that don’t allow dual citizenship with the US
The US doesn’t make you choose, but the other country might. Before applying for a second citizenship, or if you hold one from birth, check that country’s law. A few examples from official sources:
| Country | Rule |
|---|---|
| Japan | Japanese nationals lose Japanese nationality if they voluntarily acquire another. Dual nationals from birth must choose before age 22 (Nationality Law, articles 11 and 14). |
| Singapore | Does not allow dual citizenship. New citizens are expected to renounce their foreign citizenship. |
| India | No dual citizenship. The Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card is a long-term visa-type status. Indian missions say it “is not to be misconstrued as dual citizenship” and it carries no voting rights. |
Other countries allow dual citizenship only in some cases, or only for citizens by birth. See Dual citizenship (2026): which countries allow it and which don’t for a wider list.
How Americans usually get a second passport
Most Americans who hold two passports got the second one in one of three ways. See Second passport (2026): how to get one by descent, residency or investment for a full comparison.
1. Descent. Usually the cheapest and fastest route if you qualify.
- Ireland: you can register on the Foreign Births Register if a grandparent was born in Ireland, or a parent was an Irish citizen when you were born. The fee is EUR 278 for adults (EUR 270 plus EUR 8 postage) and processing currently takes about 12 months. Citizenship starts from the date you are registered. See Irish citizenship by descent (2026): grandparent rule, FBR, costs.
- Italy: Decree-Law 36/2025 (converted by Law 74/2025) narrowed citizenship by descent for people born abroad with another nationality. You now generally need a parent or grandparent who held only Italian citizenship, or a parent who lived legally in Italy for 2 consecutive years after becoming Italian and before your birth. Many great-grandparent claims no longer work. See Italian citizenship by descent (2026): what the new law allows.
2. Residency, then naturalisation. Live in a country for its required period, meet its language and integration tests, then apply. This takes years and usually means real tax residence there. If your goal is to leave the US altogether, see How to leave the US (2026): a checklist for moving out of the US.
3. Investment. Several Caribbean states sell citizenship for a donation or property investment. It is fast but expensive. See Citizenship by investment (2026): Caribbean programmes compared.
Renouncing US citizenship
Some dual citizens eventually renounce, usually to end US tax filing. It is final, so understand the process first.
The process:
- Renunciation under INA 349(a)(5) must happen outside the US, in person before a US consular officer.
- You attend two interviews (at least one in person) and sign the oath of renunciation (form DS-4080).
- The State Department approves a Certificate of Loss of Nationality (CLN).
- The fee is USD 450. A final rule published on 13 March 2026 cut it from USD 2,350, effective 13 April 2026. Older guides quoting USD 2,350 are out of date.
What it doesn’t do:
- The State Department says the decision is “final and irrevocable”, with narrow exceptions.
- Without another nationality you may become stateless.
- To visit the US afterwards you need a visa or must qualify for the Visa Waiver Program.
- Existing US tax or military service obligations may stay unchanged. The State Department shares CLN records with the IRS.
Expatriation tax (Form 8854). In the year you expatriate you file a final return and Form 8854. Failing to file can lead to a USD 10,000 penalty. You are a covered expatriate if any one of these applies:
| Test | 2026 threshold |
|---|---|
| Net worth on the date you expatriate | USD 2 million or more |
| Average annual net income tax for the 5 years before | More than USD 211,000 (USD 206,000 for 2025) |
| Tax compliance | You can’t certify on Form 8854 that you met all federal tax obligations for the previous 5 years |
Covered expatriates are treated as if they sold everything the day before expatriating. Gains above an exclusion of USD 910,000 for 2026 (USD 890,000 for 2025) are taxed.
Two exceptions from the first two tests:
- You were a dual citizen from birth, are still a citizen and tax resident of the other country, and were a US resident for no more than 10 of the last 15 tax years.
- You expatriate before age 18½ and were a US resident for no more than 10 tax years.
You still have to pass the compliance test, so get 5 years of returns and FBARs up to date first. For more on exit taxes generally, see Exit tax explained: which countries charge it when you leave.
Related guides: Dual citizenship (2026): which countries allow it and which don’t · Second passport (2026): how to get one by descent, residency or investment · How to leave the US (2026): a checklist for moving out of the US · US expat taxes (2026): filing, FEIE, FBAR and catching up · Irish citizenship by descent (2026): grandparent rule, FBR, costs
Quick answers
Q: Does the US allow dual citizenship?
Yes. US law does not require you to choose between US citizenship and another nationality, and you can acquire a second one without US permission. You lose US citizenship only through a voluntary expatriating act done with intent to give it up. You must still use your US passport to enter and leave the US.
Q: Do dual citizens living abroad have to pay US taxes?
They have to file. The US taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live, so dual citizens file Form 1040 and an FBAR if foreign accounts exceed USD 10,000 in total. The foreign earned income exclusion (USD 132,900 for 2026) and foreign tax credits often reduce the US tax owed to little or nothing.
Q: How much does it cost to renounce US citizenship?
The State Department fee is USD 450 from 13 April 2026, down from USD 2,350. You may also owe exit tax if you are a covered expatriate: net worth of USD 2 million or more, average annual income tax over USD 211,000 for 2026, or no certification of 5 years’ tax compliance.
Sources
- US Department of State: Dual nationality
- US Department of State: Relinquishing US nationality
- US Department of State: Relinquishing US nationality abroad
- US Department of State: Form DS-4080, oath of renunciation
- Federal Register: fee for Certificate of Loss of Nationality (2026-04931)
- Taxes for Expats: US citizenship renunciation fee cut 2026
- Cornell LII: 22 CFR 53.1, passport requirement
- IRS: US citizens and resident aliens abroad
- IRS: comparison of Form 8938 and FBAR requirements
- IRS: foreign earned income exclusion
- IRS: expatriation tax
- IRS: instructions for Form 8854
- KPMG: IRS 2026 inflation adjustments for expatriates (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Ministry of Justice, Japan: The Nationality Law
- Singapore ICA (Ask.gov.sg): renouncing Singapore citizenship
- Consulate General of India, Toronto: OCI general information
- Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland: registering a foreign birth
- Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Italy: citizenship
This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before acting.
Over to you: If you hold a second passport alongside your US one, which route did you use and how long did it take? And if you renounced since the fee dropped to USD 450 in April 2026, how long did your consulate take to schedule both interviews?