A long-winded and unusual question

Hi guys - I'm a newbie here, and I apologize in advance because my question is going to be long-winded, and I'm not even sure what my exact question is  but I'm hoping one or more of you will be able to give me some advice, no matter how 'out there' the advice might be.

I'm a US citizen living in the UK. I'm a US citizen because I was born in the US.

My parents moved to the US in the early 1960s from the UK, and I was born in California in 1966.

We lived in Los Angeles until 1971, when my parents got itchy feet and felt homesick for the UK, and in August of 1971, we moved to London. I was 5 years old.

My parents never took US citizenship. They always remained purely British citizens, and in my entire family, I'm the only American citizen.

Apart from the period from my birth until I was 5 years old, I've lived in the UK, with the exception of the majority of 1987.

In that year, I was transferred by my company to our office in New York City. Being not much more than a boy, and having never been to NY before, I was nervous and very unhappy, so I requested another transfer, this time to our offices in Arizona, and I was there for 10 months. I returned to the UK in December 1987 because of the ill health of my twin brother, and he died four months later.

So, the timeframe is as follows:

1966 - 1971 - California
1971 - 1987 - UK
1987 - New York and Arizona
1987 - 2012 - UK

I'm a US citizen, with a US passport and a social security number.

However, as I have learned over the years, being a US citizen doesn't make someone feel particularly American, which I suppose is understandable in my case, as I've only spent one year of my adult life in the US.

With today's election taking place, I've once again been wondering just how American I really am.

I've never voted in a US election, even though I assume I have the right to do so. I dont have a US drivers license. I dont have any type of US photo ID, with the exception of my passport. In California - the state of my birth - I dont know a single person, and the same applies to the other two states I've lived in; New York and Arizona.

I suppose my question, as infantile as it may sound, is: "how do I become more American?". Obviously, I'm not suddenly going to become a stars-and-stripes waving patriot overnight, and that may never even happen - but if I did want to vote in a US election, or if I did want to avail myself of a drivers license, how would I do these things? Do I have to register to vote? Does the US embassy need to know Im living in the UK?

I have a US bank account, which I opened around 10 years ago while I was on a family vacation in Nevada. I needed a US residential address to be able to open the account, so my aunt - who happened to be with me at the time - told me to use her address, which I did. She lives in Michigan, and I've never even been to Michigan.

So would any of you happen to have any ideas or input on how a guy like me, who has spent only one adult year out of forty-six living in the US, would register to vote, or apply for a drivers license, or any of that good stuff? Where would my official state of 'residence' be, for voting purposes? The last state I lived in was Arizona, but I havent been there in 25 years. I was born in California, but since 1971, I've only ever visited as a tourist. New York I spent only a few weeks in, and Michigan - where my bank thinks I live - I've never even been to (apart from changing planes at Detroit airport, and I dont think that counts...)

I know this is probably a very wide-reaching set of questions, and it may not be relevant to this particular forum at all, but I'm really not sure who else to ask. I've spoken to the US embassy in London a couple of times and they have told me my situation is too complex to deal with on the phone or by email, and that I would need to visit the embassy in person to discuss this further. For reasons I wont bore you with, its going to be several months before I can get to London to visit the embassy, and I just wondered if any of you fine people might have some pointers for me, or even some random thoughts.

I've never felt at home in the UK. Even though I have lived here since 1971, I've never felt happy or at home. Almost all of my fantastical thoughts revolve around moving back to the US and picking up on the life I might have had there, whether good or bad, but because of my family and business circumstances, its unlikely I'll ever live in the US again.

I visit the US two or three times a year, and when I'm there, I'm much happier in so many ways, but I feel like a fish out of water, because although I'm a US citizen, I dont feel like an American, and I think I've spent a large part of my life trying to find my home.

I've never really voiced these feelings, I tend to bottle things like this up, but now that I'm staring 50 in the face, I'm thinking that I need to settle this issue once and for all, and maybe figure out who and what I am.

I'm sorry, I realise this is all very disjointed and there isn't a particular question here, but I guess I'm hoping that just by throwing this all out there, some of you might have some thoughts that might lead to the beginning of some kind of resolution for me.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I appreciate it

You can register to vote as a US citizen. You would register using your last address in the US (Arizona). You can read more about this at

https://www.fvap.gov/r3/help/fpca$002fState

Citizens residing outside the United States: Your "legal state of residence" for voting purposes is the state or territory where you last resided immediately prior to your departure from the United States. This applies to overseas citizens even though you may not have property or other ties in your last state or territory of residence and your intent to return to that state or territory may be uncertain. When completing the Voting Residence section, be sure to enter the entire mailing address of your last residence, including street or rural route and number. The address determines your proper district, ward, precinct or parish for voting purposes.

You cannot obtain a US driver's license because you must be a US resident to do so. I guess it is a bit unusual that you want to do these things to become 'more American' when it seems like you identify much more as British, but you do have the right to vote in the US elections as a citizen if you choose.

Thanks Yes I agree its unusual, but after all these years, I think I'm still trying to find where I actually belong. I dont feel I belong in the UK, and I feel the same about the US, so in essence I suppose I'm screwed no matter how you look at it, but I guess I'm just trying to find some resolution for many years of confusion.

As far as registering to vote using my last address in Arizona, I dont even remember what that was, so I guess I'm kind of screwed there too...

I messed up my earlier quote but the biggest thing I am assuming you have not done is file income tax returns with the IRS. US citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, and it is likely you have earned above the minimum amount required to file.

Is it really unlikely you have no way of finding out your last US address?

Just saw your note about tax returns - no, I never did that, at least I dont recall doing it. I worked for 2 months in NY and 10 months in AZ, and my income wasnt large (even on 1987 standards) so I dont know if thats a long enough period to require me to file.

It's not just the period when you worked in the US. It is a requirement regardless of where you have earned money.

"US citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, and it is likely you have earned above the minimum amount required to file."

Really? So because I worked for around a year in the US, I'd have to pay taxes to the US on my UK income from 1982 (when I started work) until I retire? Unlikely, in so far as 'hell would freeze over first'. Why would I do that?

It's not a requirement to pay; it is a requirement to file returns. There is a tax treaty between the UK and the US which makes it unlikely you would owe tax (avoids citizens being subject to double taxation). But it is a requirement for US citizens to file if they earn over a minimum amount.

And it's not a requirement because you once worked there. It's a requirement because you are a US citizen.

Ok thanks, that makes sense. I should check into that too.

Thanks Yes I agree its unusual, but after all these years, I think I'm still trying to find where I actually belong. I dont feel I belong in the UK, and I feel the same about the US, so in essence I suppose I'm screwed no matter how you look at it, but I guess I'm just trying to find some resolution for many years of confusion.

NOt sure if this will make you feel better but many people who have lived in two countries do not feel like they have a "home." It is an incredibly common feeling.

Yes I'm sure you're right. Even though I've been here forever, I still don't feel like I truly belong anywhere

I think you travel on a US passport? So what do they say to you when you enter the UK?

Are you registered as a UK citizen?

I realize your parents are British and I think that qualifies you to become a British citizen.

We are bring up issues that you may wish you had never advertised your circumstances .

OnTheFence, it seems that we are in very similar situations. I was a bit older than you when I came to stay in the UK (13) and like you I was born in the States and have retained my US citizenship.

Unlike you, however, Scotland has become very much home to me. I feel more of a Scot than an American, although I still have a great fondness for so many aspects of American life (baseball, foods, etc.). My wife (a Scot) and I often go to the States for holidays, usually visiting relatives in Michigan/Arizona/Colorado, but sometimes striking out to other areas. It's something we both really enjoy doing, but could I actually live there? I'm not so sure.

I just couldn't give up 7 weeks vacation time (plus up to 26 flexible working hour days) each year, free health care, etc. I've worked with the National Health Service for over 30 years, have been a union man throughout that time, and have fairly left wing views. Those latter two points have resulted in several raised eyebrows among family, friends, and people I've encountered over the years in the States. So, there are some aspects of life - and fairly major ones at that - where I believe the UK is superior to the US. I also suppose that as a person who works to live rather than vice versa I also couldn't get used to the work ethic that seems to be necessary to succeed on even the most basic level in the States.

I mentioned that I consider myself more of a Scot these days. My heritage is Scots through my mothers side, and even when I was growing up in Michigan there was a great deal of Scottish related activity going on. Music, visits to/from my grandparents in Scotland, Scottish ex-pat family friends. So, when the time came to move here, I was pretty familiar with Scottish life in general. I don't feel "British" in any way however. In fact, the only circumstances under which I would consider rescinding my American citizenship would be if Scotland were to become an independent country. Strangely, when I'm in the States, I often make a concious effort to emphasise my Scottishness, but if I meet with or speak to an American here in the UK, I find myself lapsing into a more broad American accent.

I've never had any difficulties reentering the UK after travelling abroad. The biggest pain these days is the fact that I have to carry both my current AND my last expired passport, as it contains my "Given leave to enter for an indefinite period" stamp. This stamp used to get transferred to a new passport automatically, but at some point the rules were changed and apparently it would cost me £1500 to have the stamp transferred now. So its a pain, but not THAT big a pain!

I hope you find it within yourself to reach a comfortable medium with your situation. Its definitely not an unusual one though, although different people deal with it in a variety of ways.

Normcash, why don't you just apply for citizenship? You don't need to renounce your US citizenship to do it, you just become a dual citizen. Makes the passport issue much easier!

Normcash, why don't you just apply for citizenship? You don't need to renounce your US citizenship to do it, you just become a dual citizen. Makes the passport issue much easier!

Well, as I said in my ramble. I don't feel "British" in any way. I really don't want to go off on a tangent trying to differentiate between the "Scottish"/"British" thing, but its just the way I feel. I have no desire to become a British Subject, regardless of the convenience that that status may bring.