Ban on dual citizenship?

There is a pending legislation introduced by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno from Ohio which bans dual citizenship --meaning that it is unlawful to hold U.S. citizenship while also being a citizen of another country. If this bill becomes law, you would have to relinquish U.S. citizenship if you voluntarily acquire foreign citizenship after the effectivity of this law and if you are currently a dual citizen, you would have to renounce whether your U.S. citizenship or your foreign citizenship within one year after its enactment.

Remember, this is still a bill, a proposal and still face major hurdles as it goes through the legislative process. This is not a law yet. Even if passed, this will surely be challenged in courts and will go all the way up to the Supreme Court. So for now, do not panic, but be aware and vigilant. This bill has very major practical and real life ramifications if this passes. So as early as now, people should not be complacent.

* * *

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing new guidance that limits the age of foreign nationals’ photos that can be used to create immigration documents to no more than three years. This update enhances national security and prevents identity fraud.

Effective immediately, the new guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual limits the use of photos to those that were taken within three years of the date a person files a USCIS form. Additionally, self-submitted photos will no longer be accepted. Only photos taken by USCIS or other authorized entities will be used. This ensures every photo used in a secure document is recent, accurate, and reliable --key requirements to preventing fraud and identity theft.

Robust screening and vetting processes are critical to protecting the security and integrity of the U.S. immigration system. COVID-19-era flexibilities, which allowed the reuse of photos for up to 10 years even if a person’s appearance changed significantly, were kept in place longer than necessary. This compromised USCIS’ ability to verify, identify, and properly screen aliens.

This policy change aligns with Department of Homeland Security priorities to modernize screening and vetting processes and address the vulnerabilities in identity documents.

Certain forms will require a new photo, regardless of when an applicant’s or petitioner’s last photograph was taken. These include Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card; Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status; Form N-400, Application for Naturalization; and Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship.