Schwarzenegger has retained his Austrian citizenship

[othermeans]

In their rush to anoint the governator, the Republicans have failed to point out one thing that might dissuade Americans from supporting the amendment: "Schwarzenegger, 57, has been a U.S. citizen since 1983. He has retained Austrian citizenship."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2004-12-02-schwarzenegger-amendment_x.htm?csp=34

[rabid_nerd]

1. I still don't support the amendment without Arnold

INVEST ONE GENERATION... That's all.

So you can't be President, your children can. Isn't that good enough you selfish so and sos??

[lawladyprof]

14. I am not an immigration lawyer but I am a dual national

British-US. As I understand it, the US does not recognize my dual nationality but Great Britain does. In order to no longer be a British subject/citizen, I would have had to renounce my British citizenship formally. I am exploring getting British citizenship for my children--making them British citizens by descent (rather than birth) and it is my understanding from talking to several attorneys that the US would not consider this a renunciation of their American citizenship unless they formally renounced it. Although this was not always the case, I can travel on either passport.

[robbedvoter]

2. So what? Diebold still luvs him.

You write as if that matters.

[sam sarrha]

3. So when he fucks up this country as president he has someplace safe to go

[dogtag]

4. I'm curious as to how he was able to 'retain' his

Austrian citizenship. Part of the deal in getting US citizenship was that you had to give up any and all others. Was there a special dispensation for Arnold in 1983? Any immigration lawyers aboard?

[gWbush is Mabus]

5. frequent travellers can get dual-citizenship

[brook]

6. Hmmm...

this says no

The laws may have changed, but Austria is listed as a "lose" here.

When I was living abroad, dual citizen was relatively easy to get, especially for a woman. Men of draft age had to make a choice at 18. (1950's-60's.)

[dogtag]

8. It looks as though Arnold had to reapply to become an

Austrian citizen AFTER obtaining his US papers. I think he may have had designs on running for office in Austria at some point.

[zann725]

10. Didn't he marry Maria in about 1983? If so, interesting....

n/t:think:

[Telly Savalas]

13. Huh?

I don't think this is true. I'm pretty sure the U.S. recognizes dual citizenships in most cases. Why would they have made an exception for a bodybuilder way back then?

[patricia92243]

7. I thought a citizenship to another country had to be dropped in order to

become a US citizen.. It used to be that way. Might have changed. I knew a girl from England who would not get her US citizenship, because she did not want to give up her British citizenship.

[dogtag]

9. Yep, that's the way it works for 'normal' people.

[ibegurpard]

11. I'm not sure that's the case anymore

And in my situation, I've always had dual citizenship because I was born in Canada but my parents were American citizens.

[Tharks]

12. amendment sounds like a bad idea

I can't even really justify why I feel that way - it just doesn't seem like an immigrant should be able to become the President. They won't have known what it is like to grow up American, go through the American school system, experience American teenage issues, go to American college, live through American history and so on and so forth.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

15. When my husband became a citizen in June 1999, the only he

had to do was hand in his "green card" after taking the oath. He still holds his Irish/EU passport, but when he leaves or returns to the US he shows his American passport.

The US doesn't make anyone formally renounce citizenship when they become US citizens.

[lawladyprof]

16. But the US government considers him (like me) to be

only a citizen of the US. Now the British government recognizes that I have citizenship in both countries but the US government I am a US citizen only. I don't know all the ins and outs of it really--like what would happen if I tried to re-enter the US using my British passport after a trip abroad.

[Czolgosz]

17. I badly wish I had friends in Austria who could help me start an

"Amend for Hasselhoff" movement in Austria to seek amendment of its election laws so that David Hasselhoff could be elected to run the country. Of course, the idea would be ridiculed in Austria, but somehow I think the scorn heaped on "Amend for Hasselhoff" in Austria would reflect appropriately on this "Amend for Arnold" nonsense here in the US.

[othermeans]

18. That is a great idea! Hasselhoff is so popular in Europe thought it might

just pass!