I-485 & dual citizenship

[jgonza18]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan
I have dual citizenship. The USCIS is asking for a letter of renunciation to my country of birth nationality to process my I-485 application. I do not have a letter of renunciation because it was not necessary to acquire my 2nd citizenship. Is dual citizenship a restriction/obstacle to approve my I-485 application?

[evcalyptos]

Originally Posted by jgonza18

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan
I have dual citizenship. The USCIS is asking for a letter of renunciation to my country of birth nationality to process my I-485 application. I do not have a letter of renunciation because it was not necessary to acquire my 2nd citizenship. Is dual citizenship a restriction/obstacle to approve my I-485 application?

What are your citizenships? I've not heard of this before but am curious. The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is that there is some known conflict between the two.. some countries do not allow dual citizenship.
The US doesn't usually care.

[jgonza18]

Citizenships from Mexico & Panama. Both allow dual citizenship.
Thanks.

[ImmigAttyLana]

I don't see how this can be a valid request when you file I-485 since that's only for permanent residence in the US and not citizenship.

[evcalyptos]

Originally Posted by ImmigAttyLana

I don't see how this can be a valid request when you file I-485 since that's only for permanent residence in the US and not citizenship.

It certainly is different.

jgonza18, please post more of the direct text from the request letter you received. If not a letter, how is 'USCIS (is) asking for a letter of renunciation to my country of birth nationality' ?

[jgonza18]

The Request For Evidence letter I received says:
"Submit a copy of your birth certificate showing your parantage, which has been registered with the proper civil authorities of the country of you birth (Panama).
The document that you submitted was a late registration in Mexico. According to Panamanian Citizenship Laws, if you were born in Panama with one Panamanian parent you are a citizen of Panama. Did you voluntary submit a letter of renunciation? Could you please send a copy of that letter?".

What could the letter of renunciation be needed for? Mexico and Panama both accept dual nationality and do not require renunciation to other nationalities.

Thanks for the interest and help.

[evcalyptos]

Originally Posted by jgonza18

The Request For Evidence letter I received says:
"Submit a copy of your birth certificate showing your parantage, which has been registered with the proper civil authorities of the country of you birth (Panama).
The document that you submitted was a late registration in Mexico. According to Panamanian Citizenship Laws, if you were born in Panama with one Panamanian parent you are a citizen of Panama. Did you voluntary submit a letter of renunciation? Could you please send a copy of that letter?".

What could the letter of renunciation be needed for? Mexico and Panama both accept dual nationality and do not require renunciation to other nationalities.

Thanks for the interest and help.

Because you are reading what you want to see.

Whatever you submitted does not add up. They want to see your birth certificate validated and proof of that citizenship.. the way I'm reading it the first time through is that you are claiming Mexican citizenship that you shouldn't have?

They want to know what happened to your Panamanian citz?

Did you submit a Panamanian and a Mexican passport?

[FlyingRon]

They want to know IF you renounced your Panamanian citizenship at the time you later acquired Mexican citizenship. They are NOT requiring you to do so, they just want to know your status and if you did renounce, a copy of the that renounce letter.

[evcalyptos]

Originally Posted by FlyingRon

They want to know IF you renounced your Panamanian citizenship at the time you later acquired Mexican citizenship. They are NOT requiring you to do so, they just want to know your status and if you did renounce, a copy of the that renounce letter.

That is more like it.. or they see that he was born in Panama but only presented himself as a Mexican citizen? And they want to know what happened to the Panamanian citizenship.

[jgonza18]

All the evidence (birth certificate, passport, etc.) I submitted was all legal documentation from Mexico. I did not submit any document I have from Panama.

Since legal dual nationality does seem to be an issue, and the USCIS needs to know if one has renounced or not to the other nationalities, it would be good if there was something in the I-485 form instructions to ask for additional documentation when the Country or Birth and the Country of Nationality are different.

I am still trying to find out if they can reject my application if I answer them that I do not have a letter of renunciation because it was/is not required when I acquired the Mexican nationality.

[FlyingRon]

The issue is not that you are dual citizen, but the fact that you submitted incomplete/conflicting information on your citizenship.

You neglected to send them the Panamanian birth certificate.
They don't know based on all your Mexican documentation whether you renounced the Panamanian nationality or not. That's why the phrased it in the form of a question. If you did renounced, they want that documentation. If you didn't, tell them that.