In April 2025, United States Senator Chris Van Hollen arrived in El Salvador to visit Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal resident of Maryland who was wrongly deported, removed, and imprisoned by the Department of Homeland Security. According to an ABC News report, Van Hollen asked Abrego about his future plans in the U.S., which would include pursuing naturalization and dual citizenship, a status the Maryland senator personally knows about.
Van Hollen was born in Pakistan to parents stationed with the U.S. Foreign Service in Karachi. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan follows the jus soli principle of birthright citizenship, thus granting him nationality. He acquired de facto American citizenship through section 301 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA). He isn’t the only U.S. senator born abroad. Ted Cruz, for example, was born in Canada and acquired citizenship through the jus sanguinis principle of ancestry. Below, the San Diego immigration attorneys from KS Visa Law explain what the law says about U.S. citizens holding multiple citizenships.
Dual Nationality and Multiple Citizenship in the U.S.
INA section 101(a)(22) allows American citizens to acquire or keep foreign citizenship status. Let’s say a Congolese man marries an American woman who sponsors him through the K-1 fiancé visa. When he takes the Oath of Allegiance and gets his Naturalization Certificate years later, he becomes a dual citizen.
Some individuals hold citizenship in more than two nations. Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, for example, is a South African citizen through birthright, a Canadian citizen through ancestry, and an American citizen through naturalization. According to the legal analysis of INA section 101 by the U.S. Department of State, Americans can acquire foreign citizenship through ancestry and naturalization without restrictions. Other countries may impose restrictions that require foreigners to renounce their U.S. citizenship. Examples include the Netherlands, Nepal, and Qatar.
If you immigrate from a nation prohibiting dual citizenship, becoming a naturalized American would automatically revoke your status. The People’s Republic of China is an example. However, there are rumors about naturalized Chinese Americans who hold citizenship from both countries through their connections with the Communist Party. Hollywood superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger is an exception to the Austrian prohibition against dual citizenship.
When Is Dual Citizenship Not Recommended?
Foreigners who immigrate to the U.S. are encouraged to petition for naturalization after they get their green cards and establish legal residence for at least five years. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency describes naturalization as an important aspect of shared American values, such as equality and freedom.
USCIS won’t force you to renounce foreign citizenship to become an American. If you hold a passport from a nation that prohibits dual citizenship, you may automatically lose it after the naturalization ceremony. As mentioned above, you might be able to pursue some exceptions through an immigration law firm in the U.S. working with attorneys in your country of origin.
If you’re seeking employment at government agencies that deal with intelligence matters, holding dual citizenship could disqualify you from obtaining the necessary security clearances. The same applies to other highly sensitive roles, such as getting assigned to special forces units or elected to specific public offices, particularly if you’re a citizen of an adversary nation.
If you need more information about multiple citizenship or you’re in need of U.S. citizenship and immigration services, San Diego is home to the reliable immigration lawyers at KS Visa Law. We have been helping people obtain citizenship and permanent residency for more than two decades. Give us a call today.
