Getting a Foreign Resident Visa Doesn't Mean Giving Up Your Citizenship

"I don't want to give up my U.S. citizenship when we move overseas," a woman at an InternationalLiving. conference we recently attended confided to us.Lucky for her, she doesn't need to do that.Residency and citizenship are not the same thing. This is one of the most.mon causes of confusion we've found among future expats. You don't give up citizenship in your home country when you move to another country.Instead, you'll be given a visa that allows you to spend time in the new country. Most countries offer many different visa options to foreigners, from tourist visas that allow you to be in the country for a limited amount of time usually 30-90 days to a resident visa for those who opt to live there full- or part-time.

Depending on the country, there are many different types of residence Tips for Traveling to China - China Visa Application Center. For instance, you may qualify for a student or humanitarian visa if you'll be attending school or volunteering. If you'll be working for a multi-national or national corporation you'll qualify for a work visa.Most of us, though, who are planning to retire or live in a country on savings or money we earn from back home will apply for another type of residence visa. In many countries, if you buy real estate there, you'll qualify for an investor visa. And some countries offer retirement or immigrant visas to those who can prove they have a pension or enough i.e to support themselves.

But you'll never be asked to give up your citizenship to obtain one of these visas. Only if and when you might apply for citizenship in another country would you need to consider renouncing your natural citizenship. And we don't personally know anyone who has ever done that.Obtaining dual citizenship is a different story. There can be many benefits to holding passports from two countries. If your parents or grandparents were born in Ireland or another country of the European Union,The Food of China - China Visa Application Center for example, you may be able to obtain a passport from that country. This would allow you to travel freely and work in Europe.