How Is Choice Of Citizenship Enforced For An 18 Year Old?

[mnbcm]

This won't be an issue for at least 18 years, but it may determine where we have our first child. I've read that a child born to a U.S. father and Thai mother has to choose citizenship at age 18. Can you please explain how this is enforced? Assuming our child is born in Thailand, can't I just go the U.S. embassy and register the birth to get a passport and then have my wife register the birth in Thailand and get a Thai passport? I'd like my child to maintain dual citizenship in the future if possible. Thanks for the great advice!

[Mario2008]

There is no such need to choose under US and Thai law, your child can keep dual nationality.

Have a look here, from post 54/54 onwards about the not having to choose under Thai law.

You register the birth at the amphur where the child is born, you can then also register the birth at the Us embassy:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/birth...n-thailand.html

[samran]

such a choice is neither required or enforced.

Those who tell you otherwise have either not read the law, or are talking about an outdated regulation which was annulled in 1992.

[Arkady]

Thai law - dual nationals born to Thai and foreign parents have the right but not the obligation to surrender their Thai nationality at the age of 20. There is no way under Thai law for Thais who are Thai by birth to a Thai parent to have their Thai nationality revoked against their wishes.

US law - the long and the short is that dual kids are no longer obliged to choose when they reach majority, although I believe they have the right to renounce then, as in Thailand. You have to enter the US only on your US passport and, of course, later on you get to file and pay US taxes, wherever you live.

[PFV]

....I'd like my child to maintain dual citizenship in the future if possible. Thanks for the great advice!

I cannot address Thai regulations, but dual citizenship has never been an issue for the US.

In the old days, there were certain actions that could cause authorities to *possibly* revoke the US citizenship of dual nationals, such as acquiring a foreign passport, voting in foreign elections, working for a foreign government, returning to live in one's country of birth in the case of naturalized citizens, or serving in armed forces actively engaged in conflict against the US. Moreover, a child born abroad of only one US citizen parent had to live a certain number of years in the US, prior to a certain age, in order to retain US citizenship. (I believe that it was 3 or 5 years before 28 years of age, but don't remember exactly.)

At any rate, the US congress repealed this rule during the Carter adminsitration and most of the other limitations were not enforced or officially repealed as far back as the late 70's.

I even remember when US diplomats in Italy were urging dual-nationals to vote in Italian elections when everyone was afraid that the communist party would take over (long, long time ago).