Dual Nationality
United States law does not mention dual nationality or require persons with more than one nationality to choose one over another. Section 349(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides that U.S. citizens are subject to loss of citizenship if they obtain naturalization in a foreign state voluntarily and with the intention to relinquish U.S. citizenship. However, the Department of State has a uniform administrative standard of evidence based on the premise that U.S. citizens intend to retain United States citizenship when they obtain naturalization in a foreign state. Persons who wish to relinquish U.S nationality by naturalizing in Uzbekistan should contact the U.S. Embassy.
An American dual national must enter and leave the United States on a valid U.S. passport. Such a person is free, however, to use any other passport to which he is entitled to enter and leave any other country.
The United States will not issue visas to its citizens. This includes persons born abroad who are entitled to U.S. citizenship. Such persons are U.S. citizens at birth even before they are documented as U.S. citizens.
Uzbekistan does not recognize dual nationality. It considers any dual national to be solely an Uzbek citizen. Thus, the ability of the U.S. Embassy to provide assistance to an American-Uzbek dual national in Uzbekistan may be limited.
Some issues that a dual national may face in Uzbekistan are obligatory tax payments and, for male citizens, military service.
Acquisition of Uzbek Citizenship
Citizenship of Uzbekistan can be acquired:
- upon birth; or
- as a result of being granted citizenship under certain conditions provided for by the Uzbek Law on Citizenship.
A person holding Uzbek citizenship will not be recognized by Uzbekistan as a citizen of any other country.
A child is considered to be an Uzbek citizen if:
- both parents at the time of the child’s birth were citizens of Uzbekistan regardless of the fact where the child may been born in the world.
- if one of the parents is an Uzbek citizen and the child is born in Uzbekistan.
- if one of the parents is an Uzbek citizen and the child is born outside of Uzbekistan, but either or both of the parents had a permanent place of residence in Uzbekistan at the time of the child’s birth.
- if only one of the parents is an Uzbek citizen and if at the time of the child’s birth both parents had a permanent place of residence beyond the boundaries of Uzbekistan, the child's citizenship shall be defined by the consent of the parents expressed in writing.
- a child, one of whose parents at the moment of the child's birth was a citizen of Uzbekistan, and the other one was a person without citizenship, or was unknown, regardless of the birthplace.
Renunciation of Uzbek Citizenship
Renunciation of Uzbek citizenship is possible upon submission of a personal petition. The petition may be denied if the person has unfulfilled legal or specific material obligations to the Uzbek Government, or has a personal connection with vital interests of the State and/or public organizations. Renunciation requests may not be granted if criminal proceedings have been instituted against the person, if a criminal sentence has been imposed against the petitioner, or if it is not in the security interests of Uzbekistan.
According to Uzbek law, these petitions may be filed at an Uzbek diplomatic or consular office outside of Uzbekistan. There is no legal requirement for a dual national to travel back to Uzbekistan to file the petition. Petitioners should expect a delay of up to one year or more before any decision is rendered by the Uzbek Government.
References:
U.S. State Department Comments on Dual Citizenship
Basic Primer on U.S. Citizenship
Basic Primer on Uzbek Citizenship
English translation of the Uzbekistan law on Citizenship, dated 2 July 1992
Procedure of Submitting the Applications for Renunciation of Uzbek Citizenship