Does anyones RW have a USA Passport?

[Ravens9273]

Curious to see if anyones wife managed to get a USA passport and how they did it?

[krimster]

Mine does.  There's only one way, which is to become a US citizen.  My wife came to the USA in Aug 1999, she became a citizen in the summer of 2004, applied for an expedited passport on the same day, received it about two weeks later

[ccarten]

My does too.  She came here in July 2001.  She is now a US citizen and got a US passport.  She also went back to Ukraine using her US passport to visit family last year.

[Ronnie]

This question makes one curious.  What was your purpose in asking?  Are you thinking there might be ways other than naturalization?

[tfcrew]

So far, all the posters have Ukrainian wives.
I saw this regarding Ukraine citizenship...

Loss of the citizenship of Ukraine
Citizenship of Ukraine shall be lost:

   1. if a citizen of Ukraine voluntarily acquired citizenship of another state;
   2. if a person is enrolled for military service, security service, law enforcement authorities, judicial bodies or other bodies of state power of foreign state without the consent of the public authorities of Ukraine, and if respective public authorities of Ukraine have made a request thereto;
   3. if citizenship of Ukraine has been acquired as a result of submitting information or documents known to be false;
  4. if a person residing/sojourning beyond the borders of Ukraine has not, without good reasons, undergone consular registration over seven years. Good reasons shall be the following: absence of diplomatic missions and post of Ukraine in the country of domicile, lengthy illness, hostilities and other emergencies.

For a citizen of Ukraine an affiliation to foreign citizenship shall not be recognized until the decision on his/her loss of citizenship of Ukraine is adopted.

http://www.ukrconsul.org/Citizenship_ukraine_EN.htm#2

[GoodOlBoy]

My does too.  She came here in July 2001.  She is now a US citizen and got a US passport.  She also went back to Ukraine using her US passport to visit family last year.

Hi Ccarten.

You might tell your wife to check on Ukrainian law.

She could be making a very BIG mistake, using her USA passport.

Unless she has already renounced her Ukrainian citizenship.

The Ukraine DOES NOT accept dual citizenships.

My neighbor here in Sunny Isles Beach, FL is Ukrainian and she bought tickets using her USA passport and got stopped last time she went home and told not to come back until she has notified the Ukraine government of her decision.

She also owns several pieces of property in the Ukraine, which is another problem.


GOB

[krimster]

tfcrew,
   In actuality this is not a problem.  There are a few reasons why your wife might want to go through the hassle of retaining her Ukrainian citizenship, such as if she owned property there or might through inheritance in the future.  My wife has let her Ukrainian passport expire now, we no longer need it...

Just FYI, my wife lived three years in Ukraine with dual passports, bought/sold real estate, got a Ukrainian drivers license, voted in 2004 election, flew on local Ukrainian airlines all done with her Ukrainian passport all without even the hint of any hassle

[GoodOlBoy]

flew on local Ukrainian airlines all done with her Ukrainian passport all without even the hint of any hassle

I agree, No problem, as long as you don't whip out your GoodOl' USA passport and start waving it around in the Ukraine....then you can have a BIG problem (like my Ukrainian neighbor has).

Also, if I am not mistaken, the Ukraine (and Russia) have this little "pesky" law about residency.

If you are a citizen and not "in country" for 183 days (appx.) out of a calendar year, you may also have a residency problem.  


GOB

[Ravens9273]

This question makes one curious.  What was your purpose in asking?  Are you thinking there might be ways other than naturalization?

Ronnie,
Do you purposly try to irritate everyone??
Now you wonder why you are always in a heated discussion on these boards. Check your ego in at the door. I think most here have had enough of it. You can never make a simple response to anything here without trying to stir something up.
 

Since you always claim to know so much then you should already know with a Ukrainian Passport travel is in simple terms a PAIN. We like to travel. Enough information for you???

[Ronnie]

So you didn't know passports are only issued to citizens.  That's cool.  Now your question makes perfect sense.  My wife travels on her Ukrainian passport just fine. Schengen visa is not a problem, you just have buy travel insurance and show your confirmations.  Caribbean basin?  No visa required if she has a green card and Ukrainian passport.

Now did you really need to come unglued?

[JR]

Hi Ccarten.

You might tell your wife to check on Ukrainian law.

She could be making a very BIG mistake, using her USA passport.

Unless she has already renounced her Ukrainian citizenship.

The Ukraine DOES NOT accept dual citizenships.

My neighbor here in Sunny Isles Beach, FL is Ukrainian and she bought tickets using her USA passport and got stopped last time she went home and told not to come back until she has notified the Ukraine government of her decision.

She also owns several pieces of property in the Ukraine, which is another problem.


GOB

My ex had the same problem. Russia doesn't accept dual citizenship. Though she got a "White Passport" from the USA.

[Ooooops]

My ex had the same problem. Russia doesn't accept dual citizenship.

Errrr.... Why is it a problem?       Russia also doesn't require to relinquish Russian citizenship if you get another one on top of it.   Not like Ukraine.   

[GoodOlBoy]

Errrr.... Why is it a problem?       Russia also doesn't require to relinquish Russian citizenship if you get another one on top of it.   Not like Ukraine.   

Exactly Ooooops!!

I did some serious checking into this topic, because my Marina (Russian) is preparing for her citizenship interview (July) here in the GoodOl' USA. 

She does not want to renounce her citizenship to Russia and I don't blame her. She is and always will be a Russian. 

So far, Russia has turned a "blind eye" to this situation....in fact Russia doesn't really care how many foreign passports (citizenships) a Russian may have....just as long as they keep their Russian Internal Passport and International Passport current.

But in Russia, there still is that "pesky" 183(appx.) day residency rule??

The Ukraine is a completely different situation. You must make a decision on citizenship before you become a citizen of the GoodOl' USA (or any other country) or be very careful trying to "sneak" around the Ukraine and Ukrainian laws with 2 different passports. If they "catch" you the fines are HUGE and the taxes on your Ukrainian property because you are now considered a "foreigner"......well it's bad.

I am not offering any advice here, BUT....My Ukrainian neighbor now wishes she had just kept her 10 year GC. 

She told me that one of the reasons she wanted her GoodOl' USA citizenship/passport was so she could vote this last time in our general elections! 


GOB

[tfcrew]

 

I am not offering any advice here, BUT....My Ukrainian neighbor now wishes she had just kept her 10 year GC.   

She told me that one of the reasons she wanted her GoodOl' USA citizenship/passport was so she could vote this time in our general elections!

 
 This is like some of the posts on the 'Bermuda Vacation' thread from last week.
I posted this link...
Advantages of US Citizenship
http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/citizenship.html
Voting is certainly a privilege ..I wouldn't call it an advantage though.
I don't really see any advantages other than a passport to travel anywhere.
As far as standing up and formally 'renouncing' citizenship...who has done this?
I listed this requirement from the Ukrn Embassy site earlier...

to undergo  consular registration over seven years.

I think that bears more review than it has been given. Does the consulate stamp the passport proving review etc??

**Adding that how can Ukrainian citizens just keep renewing the US resident card without eventual repercussions concerning their native citizenship?

[Ravens9273]

Part of the reason I originally started this thread was because my wife and I want to travel all over the world. Her having a Ukrainian passport will always creat issues to do so. As far as I knew you had to be a US citizen to get a US Passport.
However as many know I made posting concerning selling on ebay. Because of this I visit Post Office on regular bases to ship packages of items sold.
Where I live is a very strong Russian community. Half the people in the area are Russian. All hair salons in area are Russian. All Vegtable stores in the area are Russian.
Because of going to post office regularly I see many there apply for US passport. As many as I have seen I know all could not have been US citizens. I have seen some who needed translator to speak to person at post office about their paperwork.
Now granted I do not know the end results of what happened and if any ever got a passport. However it made we wonder if they know something I did not and if it was possible for for them to get a passport. This is reason I came here to ask.

[Ooooops]

Part of the reason I originally started this thread was because my wife and I want to travel all over the world. Her having a Ukrainian passport will always creat issues to do so. As far as I knew you had to be a US citizen to get a US Passport.
However as many know I made posting concerning selling on ebay. Because of this I visit Post Office on regular bases to ship packages of items sold.
Where I live is a very strong Russian community. Half the people in the area are Russian. All hair salons in area are Russian. All Vegtable stores in the area are Russian.
Because of going to post office regularly I see many there apply for US passport. As many as I have seen I know all could not have been US citizens. I have seen some who needed translator to speak to person at post office about their paperwork.
Now granted I do not know the end results of what happened and if any ever got a passport. However it made we wonder if they know something I did not and if it was possible for for them to get a passport. This is reason I came here to ask.

I usually try not to over quote...   but this is something special....   

[Aloe]

I'm pretty sure that she will not have any problems getting any visa with a green card in her ukrainian passport. The main concern for the embassies is that a person from a "less developed country" might stay in their country illegally, but since she already has residence in the us, that fear is removed.

[tfcrew]

Here's a couple more links...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_passport

http://www.migrantinfo.org.ua/index.php?lng=eng&menu=topics&tbl=countries_topics&topic_id=1

[tfcrew]

 Also...
Regarding 'renouncing former citizenship' [as mentioned earlier] this is automatically done when taking naturalization pledge.......

The oath of allegiance is:

"I hereby declare, on oath, that  I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;  that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=931696981298d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=d6f4194d3e88d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD

[tfcrew]

I can't link this info directly, but this is from the Texas Honorary Ukrainian Consulate.
So I will stick it here for future reference.

 

HONORARY CONSUL OF UKRAINE
GREGORY BUCHAI
Houston, Texas

Thank you for your questions.
The main functions of the Honorary Consuls of Ukraine are:
•   to promote friendly relations between Ukraine and the United States of America;
•   to further the development of commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between Ukraine and the United States of America;
•   to inform authorities concerned about Ukraine, its developments in commercial, economic, cultural and scientific life;
•   to help protect the interests of Ukraine and its nationals, both individuals and corporations, within the United States; and
•   to render assistance within their consular jurisdiction to any of Ukrainian national who is in distress;
Ukrainian visas and passports must be requested directly from the Ukrainian Consulate in Washington, D.C.
Tourist Visas are not required to travel to Ukraine for US citizens for stays of less then 90 days - per President Yushchenko decree of July 1, 2005.   
To obtain visa forms for other purposes, passport and answers to questions, read carefully the appropriate section and follow the instructions in http://www.mfa.gov.ua/usa/en  - Read the Ukrainian version for more complex passport or visa issues. Contact http://www.washingtonexpress.com/services/passport-services.asp for Ukrainian passport delivery and pickup services. For Ukrainian passport application forms go to: http://www.mfa.gov.ua/usa/ua/publication/content/6967.htm 
 
For questions which are not available on the website, send an email to the Ukrainian Embassy at notariat@ukremb.com in Washington D.C., or send a fax to 202 333 7510.
 
Alternatively, you may call the Consular office 202 349 3398, 349 2920 between 2 and 5 PM, EST, or the embassy main number (202) 333 0607 (Dial "0" for the operator).
 
To travel to Ukraine, go to http://www.scopetravel.com/, Ukraine International Airlines, (800) 876 0116, or your travel agency. They can prevent problems; arrange travel, hotels and visas to great locations in Ukraine.
 
To learn about Ukraine go to www.brama.com.
 
To receive notices of Ukrainian events in Texas send an email address to: olia2bill@mindspring.com

Insure that a self return Express Mail envelope , with the two money orders, are sent  to the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington, D.C. with any VISA request forms. Expect a two week turn

[Ooooops]

Also...
Regarding 'renouncing former citizenship' [as mentioned earlier] this is automatically done when taking naturalization pledge.......

Yes, but Russia doesn't give a hoot about that and still considers that person her citizen.   I had to pay  to get rid of Russian citizenship.    Lucky for me, it was only USD $100 at that time.