Exclusive Citizenship Act

If I was required to swear allegiance again to the USA to protect my livelihood (90% of our income comes from the USA) then I would do so. ( I swore allegiance already at my Naturalization ceremony). The US government cheats and lies constantly so why shouldn’t we. What I would never never do is renounce my birthright citizenship in the UK.

We have already cashed in my wife’s Roth and bought 2 houses that we rent out here in England. We did that 18 months ago when it looked like Trump was going to win again. If this bill makes it out of committee or Trump issues an executive order then we’d immediately cash in my Roth and buy more houses here. Then if the USA blocks our US pensions (2 private, 2 SS) we would manage just fine, it would simply be that our kids inherit less.

I can’t see mass internment or deportation or seizing of American assets ever happening here.

I realize that we are in a much better position than you and your daughter and my heart goes out to you.

Yeah, I'm skittering down Ocam's razor for as long as I can. If this were normal times, I would have no worries about them jacking my SS or US pensions around even if there was a spat between countries. But if the Orange One got a wild hair, he could very presumably just decide they were forfeit and send them to one of his bank accounts. Congress does not appear to be willing to stop him. Since the Justice Department serves at the whim of the Executive Department, any court orders would not be enforced if he doesn't want them enforced. 

As it is, the US currently will not send SS payments to a number of countries. They can just as easily flip those switches to include more. And, actually, I expect that to happen soon to those countries on his latest s*it list.

I don't anticipate deportations or asset seizures in the near future, no. If Trump (or should I say Miller) grabs Greenland, you can bet that every American in the EU is going to be, if not already required, registered. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, I can see their ability to bring in or send out funds restricted (by either of the relevant countries). And they'll have to face the fallout from the various local populations.

What the Senator said about it only being for new citizens is not accurate. The proposed legislation, as it reads in the current draft:


SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. Findings.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) To preserve the integrity of national citizenship, allegiance to the United States must be undivided.
(2) Existing law allows certain United States citizens to maintain foreign citizenship, which may create conflicts of interest and divided loyalties.
(3) It is in the national interest of the United States to ensure that United States citizenship is held exclusively.

SEC. 3. Definitions.

In this Act:

(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise specifically provided, any term used in this Act that is used in the immigration laws shall have the meaning given such term in the immigration laws.

(2) FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP.—The term “foreign citizenship” means any status recognized by the government of a foreign country that confers on an individual the nationality or citizenship of such country or requires the allegiance of an individual to such country.

(3) IMMIGRATION LAWS.—The term “immigration laws” has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).

SEC. 4. Prohibition on dual or multiple citizenship.

(a) In general.—An individual may not be a citizen or national of the United States while simultaneously possessing any foreign citizenship.
(b) Effect of acquisition of foreign citizenship.—A citizen of the United States who, after the date of the enactment of this Act, voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship shall be deemed to have relinquished United States citizenship.
(c) Dual citizens.—

(1) IN GENERAL.— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, a citizen of the United States who also possesses foreign citizenship shall—

(A) submit to the Secretary of State a written renunciation of such foreign citizenship; or

(B) submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security a written renunciation of United States citizenship.

(2) EFFECT OF NONCOMPLIANCE.—An individual subject to paragraph (1) who fails to timely comply with that paragraph shall be deemed to have voluntarily relinquished United States citizenship for purposes of section 349(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1481(a)).

(d) Effective date.—This section shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. Administration and enforcement.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act—

(1) the Secretary of State shall—

(A) promulgate regulations to carry out this Act, including procedures for declaration, verification, and recordkeeping of exclusive citizenship; and

(B) coordinate with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that any individual deemed to have relinquished citizenship under this Act is appropriately recorded in Federal systems and treated as an alien for purposes of the immigration laws; and

(2) the Secretary of Homeland Security shall publish in the Federal Register a notification of the requirement under section 4(c).



I don't see this passing, as too many people have too much interest in keeping their dual citizenships. If by some stretch it did pass, it'd be tied up in court for a very long time.  Here's a write-up from the National Law Review about it:   https://natlawreview.com/article/american-citizens-and-nothing-else-what-exclusive-citizenship-act-2025-would-do-and

The dual citizen would have to renounce a non-US citizenship by doing so through the non US country's process. A declaration to the US is meaningless. The act would also affect Melania and Barron as they have Slovenian passports. I'm waiting until the results of the mid-terms to decide if I will leave the US and move back to the UK, but before any move I will start my SS even though I would have waited a few years in normal circumstances. I can't see this administration making it easy to claim SS with a foreign address. I also plan to move substantial assets to the UK if I move even though that would be very tax inefficient. Losing some money to taxes is far less than many people have or will lose in all this.

As the act reads right now the only consequence is that you lose a citizenship of your choice. Of course more legislation could be enacted to restrict SS and apply financial constraints on US assets held by non US citizens. But look on the bright side, if a dual citizen gives up US citizenship no more IRS...although I wouldn't put it past the IRS to say that for it's purposes they would still consider you a US citizen.

The dual citizen would have to renounce a non-US citizenship by doing so through the non US country's process. A declaration to the US is meaningless. The act would also affect Melania and Barron as they have Slovenian passports. I'm waiting until the results of the mid-terms to decide if I will leave the US and move back to the UK, but before any move I will start my SS even though I would have waited a few years in normal circumstances. I can't see this administration making it easy to claim SS with a foreign address. I also plan to move substantial assets to the UK if I move even though that would be very tax inefficient. Losing some money to taxes is far less than many people have or will lose in all this.

As the act reads right now the only consequence is that you lose a citizenship of your choice. Of course more legislation could be enacted to restrict SS and apply financial constraints on US assets held by non US citizens. But look on the bright side, if a dual citizen gives up US citizenship no more IRS...although I wouldn't put it past the IRS to say that for it's purposes they would still consider you a US citizen.

As well as SS I am also in receipt of 2 US private pensions, so if I were to give up my US citizenship wouldn’t the IRS still want to tax that US based income?  I could cash in my Roth and buy houses to let over here like my wife has done but I would still be in receipt of those pensions so can’t get rid of all US income.

As well as SS I am also in receipt of 2 US private pensions, so if I were to give up my US citizenship wouldn’t the IRS still want to tax that US based income?  I could cash in my Roth and buy houses to let over here like my wife has done but I would still be in receipt of those pensions so can’t get rid of all US income.

Yes, US based assets would still be within the IRS net. I meant that the citizenship aspect of taxation would be affected. But I think this unique citiizenship law is a bit of a red herring for now.

Yes, US based assets would still be within the IRS net. I meant that the citizenship aspect of taxation would be affected. But I think this unique citiizenship law is a bit of a red herring for now.

Thanks for the confirmation on the tax situation.

I think if this law actually makes it out of committee and then becomes law it will be a long time before they apply it to existing dual citizens and then track us all down.

As well as SS I am also in receipt of 2 US private pensions, so if I were to give up my US citizenship wouldn’t the IRS still want to tax that US based income?  I could cash in my Roth and buy houses to let over here like my wife has done but I would still be in receipt of those pensions so can’t get rid of all US income.

Yep. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-aliens-sourcing-of-income

I don't think this bill is going to make it - it's a vanity piece to show the people in the home district that the author is "doing something" in DC.  The fact that it has appeared at all, like the recent bill to authorize Trump to annex Greenland, are exceptionally troubling signs, though.

Like Nun, I'm waiting for the mid-terms.  If it goes badly, there's going to be a rush of people wanting to leave. Right now a 20ft cargo container of goods shipped from NY to France is running about $12,000 for this fall (recent estimate). Or about $8,000 for three lift-vans delivered as space becomes available. (The slow-boat route.)  It's probably about the same to the UK.  That'll go up when demand goes up.

And then there will be the housing crunch - and I know there already is one in the UK.  It's quite tempting to go over to anywhere but here before the mid-terms, secure a place, put most of the household in storage (you get a year to import them duty-free in the EU - not sure anymore about the UK) and then decide what to do later. Our lease ends in October.

There are differences in the tax treaty between people who are US citizens living abroad and foreign citizens living abroad (as far as US sourced income goes). I don't remember what they are, but at least in the UK/US treaty I remember running across them. If I were to move to, say, France, all my US sourced income, because it's retirement-related, would  be taxed ONLY in the USA if I remain a US citizen.  I am not positive that would remain as such if I was tax-resident in France as EU and not USA. I think that I'd be having to pay France and then get a credit on my US taxes.

My brain hurts.

Yep. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nonresident-aliens-sourcing-of-income

I don't think this bill is going to make it - it's a vanity piece to show the people in the home district that the author is "doing something" in DC.  The fact that it has appeared at all, like the recent bill to authorize Trump to annex Greenland, are exceptionally troubling signs, though.

Like Nun, I'm waiting for the mid-terms.  If it goes badly, there's going to be a rush of people wanting to leave. Right now a 20ft cargo container of goods shipped from NY to France is running about $12,000 for this fall (recent estimate). Or about $8,000 for three lift-vans delivered as space becomes available. (The slow-boat route.)  It's probably about the same to the UK.  That'll go up when demand goes up.

And then there will be the housing crunch - and I know there already is one in the UK.  It's quite tempting to go over to anywhere but here before the mid-terms, secure a place, put most of the household in storage (you get a year to import them duty-free in the EU - not sure anymore about the UK) and then decide what to do later. Our lease ends in October.

There are differences in the tax treaty between people who are US citizens living abroad and foreign citizens living abroad (as far as US sourced income goes). I don't remember what they are, but at least in the UK/US treaty I remember running across them. If I were to move to, say, France, all my US sourced income, because it's retirement-related, would  be taxed ONLY in the USA if I remain a US citizen.  I am not positive that would remain as such if I was tax-resident in France as EU and not USA. I think that I'd be having to pay France and then get a credit on my US taxes.

My brain hurts.

If you leave the US your tax situation will depend on where your move and how that country taxes foreign income. That's often a moving target as the rules change . For the UK there's now a four year window where foreign income/gains isn't taxed by the UK. After that HMRC will tax worldwide income of UK residents. It's useful to know various US accounts are taxed, particularly retirement accounts and ROTHs.