Worth It to Give Child US Citizenship?

[9S_]

Is it worth it, in the long run, to give your child US citizenship? So they’ll be both citizens of Thailand and the US

Personally I’m not allowed to invest in non-US based entities without having to deal with the IRS. My fear is the my child when she grows up will face the same issues. Also she’ll have to file every year and do the FBAR. 
 

Any benefits at all?

[JamesE]

On 7/3/2021 at 9:16 PM, 9S_ said:

Is it worth it, in the long run, to give your child US citizenship? So they’ll be both citizens of Thailand and the US

Personally I’m not allowed to invest in non-US based entities without having to deal with the IRS. My fear is the my child when she grows up will face the same issues. Also she’ll have to file every year and do the FBAR. 
 

Any benefits at all?

Travel. That blue passport opens a lot more doors than one from Thailand. If things ever went belly-up in TLOS it could be a get out of jail free card.

The tax thing I'm ambivalent on. The IRS, despite all the crazy rules implemented by Congress, is a pretty neutral organization. Having two passports shouldn't complicate things as assets in Thailand would be held by the Thai half of her citizenship and assets in the US would be held by the US half. One government would not necessarily have to know what she is holding under the other.

[9S_]

On 7/6/2021 at 6:02 AM, JamesE said:

Having two passports shouldn't complicate things as assets in Thailand would be held by the Thai half of her citizenship and assets in the US would be held by the US half. One government would not necessarily have to know what she is holding under the other.

Thanks I never thought about registering banks via Thai side only. 

[TiT]

Definitely get the child US citizenship, this isn't even a question.

[MrStretch]

To be honest, the tax thing isn't much of an issue unless she becomes wealthy.

Current regulations state that you have zero tax liability if your annual income is less than something like $108,000 annually, providing you are out of the country for 335 days in a year. 

She has to file, yes, but doesn't have to pay until she exceeds whatever that absurd amount is. And unless there's some reason for it, the IRS doesn't come looking for people that follow the rules.

I think the benefits; blue and gold passport, education, security, etc. are worth registering her as an American and keeping her passport up to date, which can be done remotely.

 

[AussieBob]

I would think so for many reason known, and for even more reasons unknown. 

Just one example - you decide you have to leave Thailand - because:.....................

You have a car accident and the other Party is powerful/connected and things get very bad;

The Junta is voted out in 2023, but decide to 'do a Myanmar' and they also make it very clear that it is time for all long term Expats to leave - tourists only;

Chine gets seriously involved in Thailand affairs, and take the same approach as they do in China towards Expats who want to stay in their country long term;

Etc etc etc etc.

[gummy]

I didn't think you could give a child citizenship.  They either are by birth or not or do you really mean just getting her a passport to which she is entitled anyway ?

[Santa]

2 minutes ago, gummy said:

do you really mean just getting her a passport to which she is entitled anyway ?

Not necessarily true. Laws are still in place in Thailand whereby  a luk krung child should/must choose as to which nationality they want to be when reaching 18 I believe.

[longwood50]

On 7/6/2021 at 6:02 AM, JamesE said:

is a pretty neutral organization.

Oh you mean the one that purposely denied tax exempt status to conservative organizations and did targeted probes of peoples taxes.  Or the one who ignore the tax bill of people like Al Sharpton.  There is nothing neutral about any government organization.  If you are employed by the government you are for "big government" and all those who politically support big government, your job depends on it. 

[longwood50]

I would think that the child either is or is not a USA citizen.  If born when on U.S. soil, they are a U.S. citizen.  If born to a parent who is a U.S. citizen, they are a citizen.  Now getting a passport is a different issue.  A person any person has to supply documentation to support their claim to be a U.S. citizen when obtaining a passport.  Personally, I would do it.  Having the passport opens up a lot of choices if the person wants to avail themselves of them, and has no drawback that I can see. 

[gummy]

47 minutes ago, Santa said:

Not necessarily true. Laws are still in place in Thailand whereby  a luk krung child should/must choose as to which nationality they want to be when reaching 18 I believe.

You appear to be talking tripe yet confirming what I said is true.? I said it is not the parents who give the child a nationality, it is what you are born with. You have just confirmed that what I said is correct. And by the way it was about giving a Child a nationality. Most countries, other than Thailand consider that at 18 the person is an adult and we are talking about children here

[Santa]

39 minutes ago, gummy said:

You appear to be talking tripe yet confirming what I said is true.? I said it is not the parents who give the child a nationality, it is what you are born with.

Sorry you got me confused.

[JamesE]

10 hours ago, longwood50 said:

I would think that the child either is or is not a USA citizen.  If born when on U.S. soil, they are a U.S. citizen.  If born to a parent who is a U.S. citizen, they are a citizen.  Now getting a passport is a different issue.  A person any person has to supply documentation to support their claim to be a U.S. citizen when obtaining a passport.  Personally, I would do it.  Having the passport opens up a lot of choices if the person wants to avail themselves of them, and has no drawback that I can see. 

But you'd be wrong. Unless the parents (or at a later date, the child) file the necessary paperwork at the embassy there is no citizenship granted. So it's entirely possible to be born overseas to two US citizen parents and not be a US citizen. In a country like Thailand, where there is no birthright citizenship of any form, the child could end up being a stateless person.

[satpete]

check at internet which passport is more important,

everyone in the world is looking for US passport or for Green Card,
don´t be crazy to get Thai one

a German resident advice

Edited July 15, 2021 by satpete

[longwood50]

12 hours ago, JamesE said:

But you'd be wrong. Unless the parents (or at a later date, the child) file the necessary paperwork at the embassy there is no citizenship granted. So it's entirely possible to be born overseas to two US citizen parents and not be a US citizen. In a country like Thailand, where there is no birthright citizenship of any form, the child could end up being a stateless person.

 

Child Born Between November 14, 1986, and June 11, 2017

If at the time of your birth, both your parents were U.S. citizens, married, and at least one had a prior residence in the U.S., you automatically acquired U.S. citizenship with no other conditions for keeping it.

If your parents were married, but only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth, that parent must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least five years before your birth, and at least two of those years must have been after your parent reached the age of 14.

 

You could be right, but this is from the web site of a group of immigration attorneys.   I was always of the understanding that if you were the child of at least 1 U.S. citizen you automatically got citizenship which is what the statement from the immigration web site implies.  Now if there are additional reporting requirements because of the birth taking place outside of the USA that I am unaware of. But I would call the U.S. Embassy to verify and as stated, I sure would go through the process.  Everything to gain, nothing to lose. 

 

 

[JamesE]

10 hours ago, longwood50 said:

Child Born Between November 14, 1986, and June 11, 2017

If at the time of your birth, both your parents were U.S. citizens, married, and at least one had a prior residence in the U.S., you automatically acquired U.S. citizenship with no other conditions for keeping it.

If your parents were married, but only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth, that parent must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least five years before your birth, and at least two of those years must have been after your parent reached the age of 14.

You could be right, but this is from the web site of a group of immigration attorneys.   I was always of the understanding that if you were the child of at least 1 U.S. citizen you automatically got citizenship which is what the statement from the immigration web site implies.  Now if there are additional reporting requirements because of the birth taking place outside of the USA that I am unaware of. But I would call the U.S. Embassy to verify and as stated, I sure would go through the process.  Everything to gain, nothing to lose.

Correct. But your parents or you have to assert that claim by filing a DS-2029 with the US Department of State. It's the government, a form will always be required. The full details are at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/birth-abroad.html

[Marc26]

I am a US citizen living outside the US for almost 20 years now. I should have gotten rid of my US passport a long time ago

 

But you should get your child a US passport so that they may attend university there and work, if they wanted to.

They can do all this without any downsides because they will have no assets.

Then, if they won't live a life in the US by the time they are in their mid-20's/early 30's before they accumualte any assets, they can always renounce their citizenship with minimal(or no) financial burden

[Rain]

On 7/11/2021 at 2:53 PM, TiT said:

Definitely get the child US citizenship, this isn't even a question.

Actually, could be challenged if one gives it some deeper thought.

 

[GMoney2312]

On 8/20/2021 at 7:51 PM, Rain said:

Actually, could be challenged if one gives it some deeper thought.

True, but I will always take more options than less.

[Marc26]

5 hours ago, GMoney2312 said:

True, but I will always take more options than less.

Well as I stated above, more options isn't exactly better options

 

I would advise anyone to get a child a US passport 

 

I would then advise them to think about getting rid of that US passport in their 20's if they aren't going  to have a life in the US

It's nothing but an anchor financially with all the compliance and tax laws put on them.

 

And honestly, if you are financially stable as a family and have travelled as a family and the child has a good school history 

They won't have many issues obtaining visas and traveling globally 

[NCC1701A]

On 7/4/2021 at 11:16 AM, 9S_ said:

Is it worth it, in the long run, to give your child US citizenship? So they’ll be both citizens of Thailand and the US

as bad as things are with the communist takeover of the USA citizenship is still very valuable. 

[Poolie]

9 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

as bad as things are with the communist takeover of the USA citizenship is still very valuable. 

And of course, the stigma.

[Marc26]

12 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

as bad as things are with the communist takeover of the USA citizenship is still very valuable. 

Why do you think it is very valuable?

For travel reasons?

 

I think the negative far outweighs the positive in having a US passport 

[TiT]

On 8/20/2021 at 5:51 AM, Rain said:

Actually, could be challenged if one gives it some deeper thought.

Try telling your kid that you had the option to send them abroad to get a halfway decent education and to be able to make it in the world professionally, but you decided it wasn't in their best interests.

[Marc26]

2 minutes ago, TiT said:

Try telling your kid that you had the option to send them abroad to get a halfway decent education and to be able to make it in the world professionally, but you decided it wasn't in their best interests.

Why do you need a US passport for that?

 

And have you seen the cost of University in the US?

Much cheaper options in other countries that would afford your child the same opportunities