The concept of dual citizenship means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. The laws applicable to such situations are complex. Each country has its own citizenship laws based on its own public policies. It is therefore common for people to have dual citizenship by the automatic operation of laws that apply to them, rather than by choice.
Permanent residents who become naturalized as U.S. citizens will generally not relinquish the citizenship of their country of birth if the laws of their home country continue to automatically grant them citizenship without any action on the citizen’s part. However, permanent residents who become naturalized as U.S. citizens and who take active steps to acquire or maintain a foreign citizenship may risk losing their U.S. citizenship status.
The U.S. Government does not encourage dual citizenship as a matter of policy. Government policies change constantly and, although U.S. citizenship is rarely revoked, persons who may be affected by the laws and policies regarding dual citizenship should carefully consider their options with an attorney before taking any action that could affect their citizenship status.