Important Passport Information for Dual Citizen Americans

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If you're like most people, you go straight to filling out the forms and don't both reading the directions. If you're applying for an American passport (Form DS-11) and are a dual citizen, not reading the directions could cause you serious problems. When you sign, you declare that all the information is correct under penalty of perjury.

What many people may not know is that on the 4th page there is a section called Acts Or Conditions.  The second paragraph talks various topics and one of them is about people who have acquired another citizenship after becoming an American citizen. If you have become a naturalised Peruvian citizen, then this pertains to you.

Completing the form by hand
If you're filling out the form by hand all you need to do is print the Acts Or Conditions section and cross out the information that pertains to you. So if you have become a citizen you would have to cross out the section that says, "been naturalized as a citizen of a foreign state". If you also took an oath of allegiance, then you would also cross out the section that states, " taken an oath or made an affirmation or other formal declaration of allegiance to a foreign state".

After doing that, you will have to write an explanation. So if you acquired Peruvian citizenship, explain where and when you did it. You might also want to state that you have no intention of ever renouncing American citizenship.

If your name has changed, you will also have to write that information down as well. It doesn't matter why you changed your name: marriage, divorce, adoption, court orders, or naturalisation. They don't have much room for different names, so you might have to attach another piece of paper.

Completing the form online
If you're filling out the form online, you will have to do the same as if you were completing it by hand: print and cross out the information that doesn't pertain to you and then write an explanation.

If your name has changed, you will also have to write that information down as well. It doesn't matter why you changed your name: marriage, divorce, adoption, court orders, or naturalisation. There is only room for two different name changes on the online application. Although you can enter more than two, when you go to print, only two will show up. If you have more than two simply attach another piece of paper.

NB: I'll be taking a break from blogging at The Ultimate Peru List in July and August. While I'm gone you can take a look at my other blogs. New posts will be published starting in September. 

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