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What passport to use traveling to USA with two citizenships? (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by Grogon@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Can I use my german passport to travel to USA or do I use my US passport?

And if I lived and worked in germany my whole life and never in the USA and never filed taxes can I enter USA without problems?

I just found out I am us citizen a few years ago don't ask why but I'm 34 and recently traveled to US with my german passport and they were all like "wtf where is your passport" and I'm like: "Here.." and they "Yeah your american passport?!" and I'm "I'm german" and he is like: "Dude you are born on american ground you are american!"

Well they let me travel in to the states without american passport but told me to go to the embassy as soon as I arrive back in germany or else I won't be able to enter USA again.

That being said, I done that. Now I have my american passport. But do I show both passports or only US passport? And after doing my research I found out americans file taxes every year. I haven't done it the last 18 years of working. Should I just not file? I will never work in the USA and I will never live in the USA. Or will I get problems at the airport? Can they see I don't file?

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[–] Pat12@lemmy.world 25 points 8 months ago (1 children)

my guy...

US citizens are obligated to enter the US on their US passport. They are also obligated to file taxes regardless of where they live. As a US citizen, you could be living on Mars for your whole life and still have to file US taxes.

You also have what, 6 years of back taxes to file? You should find a CPA with knowledge us US/German tax laws to prepare that for you. There may be treaties in place.

As someone else said, there's also the selective service you were supposed to have registered for

[–] Grogon@lemmy.world 15 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

I pay taxes in Germany, I earn about 40.000 € a year. So I don't know.

I tried the IRS homepage but my english isn't good enough to file taxes. I don't understand much.

I am 35 years old and the lady that gave me my american passport tried to explain to me that I don't have to sign up for selective service anymore, I am too old lol. I didn't understand much of what she explained but she said: "it's fine don't sign up for it it's for young people" and sent me out of the embassy in munich.

[–] plz1@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago

Selective Service is "the draft". It's where the country can force you into military service.