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Electing to leave

So the wrong candidate has won, and you want to leave the country. Let us consider your options.

Renouncing your citizenship

Given how much the United States as a nation professes to value freedom, your freedom to opt out of the nation itself is surprisingly limited. The State Department does not record the annual number of Americans renouncing their citizenship—“renunciants,” as they are officially termed—but the Internal Revenue Service publishes their names on a quarterly basis in the Federal Register. The IRS’s interest in the subject is, of course, purely financial; since 1996, the agency has tracked ex-Americans in the hopes of recouping tax revenue, which in some cases may be owed for up to ten years after a person leaves the country. In any event, the number of renunciants is small. In 2002, for example, the Register recorded only 403 departures, of which many (if not most) were merely longtime resident aliens returning home.

The most serious barrier to renouncing your citizenship is that the State Department, which oversees expatriation, is reluctant to allow citizens to go “stateless.” Before allowing expatriation, the department will want you to have obtained citizenship or legal asylum in another country—usually a complicated and expensive process, if it can be done at all. Would-be renunciants must also prove that they do not intend to live in the United States afterward. Furthermore, you cannot renounce inside U.S. borders; the declaration must be made at a consul’s office abroad.

Those who imagine that exile will be easily won would do well to consider the travails of Kenneth Nichols O’Keefe. An ex-Marine who was discharged, according to his website, under “other than honorable conditions,” O’Keefe has tried officially to renounce his citizenship twice without success, first in Vancouver and then in the Netherlands. His initial bid was rejected after the State Department concluded that he would return to the United States—a credible inference, as O’Keefe in fact had returned immediately. After his second attempt, O’Keefe waited seven months with no response before he tried a more sensational approach. He went back to the consulate at The Hague, retrieved his passport, walked outside, and lit it on fire. Seventeen days later, he received a letter from the State Department informing him that he was still an American, because he had not obtained the right to reside elsewhere. He had succeeded only in breaking the law, since mutilating a passport is illegal. It says so right on the passport.

Heading to Canada or Mexico

In your search for alternate citizenship, you might naturally think first of Canada and Mexico. But despite the generous terms of NAFTA, our neighbors to the north and south are, like us, far more interested in the flow of money than of persons. Canada, in particular, is no longer a paradise awaiting American dissidents: whereas in 1970 roughly 20,000 Americans became permanent residents of Canada, that number has dropped over the last decade to an average of just about 5,000. Today it takes an average of twenty-five months to be accepted as a permanent resident, and this is only the first step in what is likely to be a five-year process of becoming a citizen. At that point the gesture of expatriation may already be moot, particularly if a sympathetic political party has since resumed power.

Mexico’s citizenship program is equally complicated. Seniors should know that the country does offer a lenient program for retirees, who may essentially stay as long as they want. But you will not be able to work or to vote, and, more important, you must remain an American for at least five years.

France

Should one candidate win, those who opposed the Iraq war might hope to find refuge in France, where a very select few are allowed to “assimilate” each year. Assimilation is reserved for persons of non-French descent who are able to prove that they are more French than American, having mastered the language as well as the philosophy of the French way of life. Each case is determined on its own merit, and decisions are made by the Ministère de l’Emploi, du Travail, et de la Cohésion Social. When your name is published in the Journal Officiel de la République Français, you are officially a citizen, and may thereafter heckle the United States with authentic Gallic zeal.

The coalition of the willing

Should the other candidate win, war supporters might naturally look to join the coalition of the willing. But you may find a willing and developing nation as difficult to join as an unwilling and developed one. It takes at least five years to become a citizen of Pakistan, for instance, unless one marries into a family, and each applicant for residency in Pakistan is judged on a case-by-case basis. Uzbekistan imposes a five-year wait as well, with an additional twist: the nation does not recognize dual citizenship, and so you will be required to renounce your U.S. citizenship first. Given Uzbekistan’s standard of living (low), unemployment (high), and human-rights record (poor), this would be something of a leap of faith.

The Caribbean

A more pleasant solution might be found in the Caribbean. Take, for example, the twin-island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, which Frommer’s guide praises for its “average year-round temperature of 79°F (26°C), low humidity, white-sand beaches, and unspoiled natural beauty.” Citizenship in this paradise can be purchased outright. Prices start at around $125,000, which includes a $25,000 application fee and a minimum purchase of $100,000 in bonds. Processing time, which includes checks for criminal records and HIV, can take up to three months, but with luck you could be renouncing by Inauguration Day. The island of Dominica likewise offers a program of “economic citizenship,” though it should be noted that Frommer’s describes the beaches as “not worth the effort to get there.”

Speed is of the essence, however, because your choice of tropical paradises is fast dwindling: similar passport-vending programs in Belize and Grenada have been shut down since 2001 under pressure from the State Department, which does not approve. In any case, it should be noted that under the aforementioned IRS rules, you might well be forced to continue subsidizing needless invasions—or, to be evenhanded, needless afterschool programs.

Indian reservations

Our Native American reservations, which enjoy freedom from state taxation and law enforcement, might seem an ideal home for the political exile. But becoming a citizen of a reservation is difficult—one must prove that one is a descendant of a member of the original tribal base roll—and moreover would be, as a gesture of political disaffection, largely symbolic. Reservations remain subject to federal law; furthermore, citizens of a reservation hold dual citizenships, and as such are expected to vote in U.S. elections and to live with the results.

The high seas

You might consider moving yourself offshore. At a price of $1.3 million you can purchase an apartment on The World, a residential cruise ship that moves continuously, stopping at ports from Venice to Zanzibar to Palm Beach. Again, however, your expatriation would be only partial: The World flies the flag of the Bahamas, but its homeowners, who hail from all over Europe, Asia, and the United States, retain citizenship in their home nations.

To obtain a similar result more cheaply, you can simply register your own boat under a flag of convenience and float it outside the United States’ 230-mile zone of economic control. There, on your Liberian tanker, you will essentially be an extension of that African nation, subject only to its laws, and may imagine yourself free of oppressive government.

Micronations

The boldest approach is to start a nation of your own. Sadly, these days it is essentially impossible to buy an uninhabited island and declare it a sovereign nation: virtually every rock above the waterline is now under the jurisdiction of one principality or another. But efforts have been made to build nations on man-made structures or on reefs lying just below the waterline. Among the more successful of these is the famous Principality of Sealand, which was founded in 1967 on an abandoned military platform off the coast of Britain. The following year a British judge ruled that the principality lay outside the nation’s territorial waters. New citizenships in Sealand, however, are not being granted or sold at present.

A less fortunate attempt was made in 1972, when Michael Oliver, a Nevada businessman, built an island on a reef 260 miles southwest of Tonga. Hiring a dredger, he piled up sand and mud until he had enough landmass to declare independence for his “Republic of Minerva.” Unfortunately, the Republic of Minerva was soon invaded by a Tongan force, whose number is said to have included a work detail of prisoners, a brass band, and Tonga’s 350-pound king himself. The reef was later officially annexed by the kingdom.

More recently, John J. Prisco III, of the Philippines, has declared himself the prince of the Principality of New Pacific, and announced that he has discovered a suitable atoll in the international waters of the Central Pacific. As of publication, the principality has yet to begin the first phase of construction, but it is already accepting applications for citizenship.

Imaginary nations

Perhaps the most elegant solution is to join a country that exists only in one’s own—or someone else’s—imagination. Many such virtual nations can be found on the Internet, and citizenships in them are easy to acquire. This, in fact, was the route most recently attempted by Kenneth Nichols O’Keefe, the unfortunate ex-Marine. In February 2003,

O’Keefe went to Baghdad to serve as a human shield, traveling with a passport issued to him by the “World Service Authority,” an outfit based in Washington, D.C., that has dubbed more than 1.2 million people “world citizens.” While laying over in Turkey, however, he was detained; Turkey, as it turns out, does not recognize the World Service Authority. O’Keefe was forced to apply for a replacement U.S. passport from the State Department, which rather graciously complied.

Upon his arrival in Baghdad, O’Keefe promptly set the replacement passport on fire. But he remains, to his dismay, an American.

Posted on Wednesday, November 3, 2004. Originally from Harper's Magazine, October 2004. By Bryant Urstadt.

http://harpers.org/ElectingToLeave.html


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Evolution of MMORPG: EQ -> DAoC -> WoW/EQ2 -> Guild Wars

Down time, monthly fees and camping are ideas that will be forgotten, all too soon. If your not playing Guild Wars your playing with something dead.

What did you mother say about playing with dead things?

Bartle: A: 93% E: 55% S:3% K: 50% The Test. Learn what it means here.

-=-=-=-=-
Achievers realise that killers as a concept are necessary in order to make achievement meaningful and worthwhile (there being no way to "lose" the game if any fool can "win" just by plodding slowly unchallenged). -bartle


Bartle: A: 93% E: 55% S:3% K: 50% The Test. Learn what it means here.

Comments

  • DekronDekron Member UncommonPosts: 7,359
    very interesting post.  I will just either (1) Build me a bubble and live under the sea image, or (2) Be a test subject for an attempt for a manned mission to Mars on a guarantee that I will not return to Earth and I will have enough supplies to live in the large ship they provide for the rest of my days, or even (3) Let the aliens come get me and take me away.  Why do they always abduct people in the rural area, why don't they abduct Bush and "probe" him with questions. imageimage

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    33.333333333333336% of me is a huge nerd! How about you?

    Killer 100%
    Achiever 53%
    Explorer 33%
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  • OrccOrcc Member Posts: 3,043

    Actually its funny you should post that, sinc ejust yesterday my roommate told me that his friend from the US was going to move if Bush was relected, and so he moved to somewhere in England, i dont remember the exact location, but it ties into what you said ::::28::

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  • KunarickKunarick Member Posts: 348

    What about getting into Italy or Germany?  I'd be happy with any two of them if i couldn't have France.  Although by the time i'm able to move, i'll have learned the French language.  And i already know enough about their culture.  And with my superior intellect and schooling, i'm sure they would take me in, a person fleding from America.

     

    but do you know what the citizenship policies of Italy and Germany are?

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  • diegofrgcdiegofrgc Member Posts: 451

    Lol!

    If you are rich and want to leave US, why dont you go to Cancun, MX?

  • rathmarathma Member UncommonPosts: 3,786

     This morning on the news they showed a website called "Marry an American". It's a site that helps Americans get out of the country and into Canada. I guess if you are an American you cannot cross the border into Canada or something? But if you are a Canadian citizen you can marry an American, get him into Canada and then divorce afterwards.

     I can't find a link, I just saw it quickly on the news before i left for school.

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    http://www.OriginNow.com - Official Fanboi

    EverQuest II : Level 20 Paladin - Antonia Bayle Server
  • Clever_GloveClever_Glove Member Posts: 996

    The best thing you can do is to get a job in the country you wish to immigrate to. It's much easier to gain citizenship after you have been on a work visa for a number of years. A company will need to sponcer your work visa.

    In likelihood it will take 5-15 years to gain citizenship in the country of your choice save a few island nations.

    For obvious reasons, it would be best you are fluent in the language of the country.

    It will be a great assist if you have a blood line, or can prove heritage in the EU country of origin.

    Marring someone in the country will also become be a assistance. However you most be married for more than 2 years.

    It's not a easy task, but with hard work and perseverance you can become a citizen of another country. 

    For more information:

    http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/www/en/aamt/buergerservice/faq/kat3/index_html

    http://www.myitaliancitizenship.com/indexnew.jsp

    If there is any other information you desire in your quest to immigrate, please let me know.

     

    -=-=-=-=-
    Evolution of MMORPG: EQ -> DAoC -> WoW/EQ2 -> Guild Wars

    Down time, monthly fees and camping are ideas that will be forgotten, all too soon. If your not playing Guild Wars your playing with something dead.

    What did you mother say about playing with dead things?

    Bartle: A: 93% E: 55% S:3% K: 50% The Test. Learn what it means here.

    -=-=-=-=-
    Achievers realise that killers as a concept are necessary in order to make achievement meaningful and worthwhile (there being no way to "lose" the game if any fool can "win" just by plodding slowly unchallenged). -bartle


    Bartle: A: 93% E: 55% S:3% K: 50% The Test. Learn what it means here.

  • KunarickKunarick Member Posts: 348

    yeah, could i get a link to the France website if possible?

    edit: just plz send me a private message with the link, its getting late and i stayed up far too long yesterday imageimageimageimage


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    "You sir, are a moron"

  • diegofrgcdiegofrgc Member Posts: 451



    Originally posted by Kunarick

    yeah, could i get a link to the France website if possible?
    edit: just plz send me a private message with the link, its getting late and i stayed up far too long yesterday imageimageimageimage

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    If you want to live in France, make sure you voted for Kerry......they have anti-american feelings since Bush was elected image.....you dont want french kicking your ass right?

  • AdrealAdreal Member Posts: 2,087

    why don't they abduct Bush and "probe" him with questions.

    Because he's already an alien. image

    "Put your foot where your mouth is." - Wisdom from my grandfather
    "Paper or plastic? ... because I'm afraid I'll have to suffocate you unless you put this bag on your head..." - Ethnitrek
    AC1: Wierding from Harvestgain

  • KunarickKunarick Member Posts: 348



    Originally posted by diegofrgc



    Originally posted by Kunarick

    yeah, could i get a link to the France website if possible?
    edit: just plz send me a private message with the link, its getting late and i stayed up far too long yesterday imageimageimageimage

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    If you want to live in France, make sure you voted for Kerry......they have anti-american feelings since Bush was elected image.....you dont want french kicking your ass right?



    i hate bush, and i'm not really a fan of Kerry, he has some problems. (although i am a devote democrate)  But he is MUCH better than bush, by a long shot.  So yeah, i voted for Kerry image

     

    and just to let you know, i love the EU (or almost any other country for that matter) more than the US.

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  • KunarickKunarick Member Posts: 348



    Originally posted by Adreal

    why don't they abduct Bush and "probe" him with questions.
    Because he's already an alien. image



    he didn't reach their intellegence minimums, so they kicked him out and droped him here image

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  • SerienSerien Member CommonPosts: 8,460



    Originally posted by Clever_Glove

    So the wrong candidate has won,




    the right candidate won

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    and who in their right mind would move out of the US to go to some second of third world country?

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  • OrccOrcc Member Posts: 3,043


    Originally posted by diegofrgc
    Originally posted by Kunarick
    yeah, could i get a link to the France website if possible?
    edit: just plz send me a private message with the link, its getting late and i stayed up far too long yesterday imageimageimageimage-----------------------------imageIf you want to live in France, make sure you voted for Kerry......they have anti-american feelings since Bush was elected image.....you dont want french kicking your ass right?

    Hahahaha! French kicking ass, thats a good one ::::28::

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  • DekronDekron Member UncommonPosts: 7,359



    Originally posted by Kunarick



    Originally posted by Adreal

    why don't they abduct Bush and "probe" him with questions.
    Because he's already an alien. image


    he didn't reach their intellegence minimums, so they kicked him out and droped him here image


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    LOL so true.  Bush = Brains Up Saddam's Hiney.

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    33.333333333333336% of me is a huge nerd! How about you?

    Killer 100%
    Achiever 53%
    Explorer 33%
    Socializer 13%


    --------------------------------------------

  • AzathothAzathoth Member Posts: 357

    the right candidate won

    and who in their right mind would move out of the US to go to some second of third world country?

    Murt, I like President Bush. But that statement proves that you are an... Literally.

    If you want freedom from America, I will give you an out. Canada, Sweden. Have fun.

    Look closely, ladies.

    Do what I said 'cause I said it. - Meatwad, AquaTeen Hunger Force

    Cartman has a big fat ass!

  • alerumalerum Member Posts: 407
    i agree with murt. the right person won. i voted for bush and im glad bush won.

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  • KunarickKunarick Member Posts: 348



    Originally posted by MurtBijani



    Originally posted by Clever_Glove

    So the wrong candidate has won,




    the right candidate won

    image

    and who in their right mind would move out of the US to go to some second of third world country?


    image


    Since when is France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, Australia, ect. considered 2nd or 3rd world countries?  And i would sure move out of the US, and i guarntee i'm smarter than you, you voted for a person who barely passed high school image

    and due to all the restrictions of being able to do what you want (move, vote for who you want, your a perfectly good example of the conservative who says: "You can vote, but you have to vote for my guy"), it shows that America really isn't free. image

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    "You sir, are a moron"

  • SerienSerien Member CommonPosts: 8,460



    Originally posted by Kunarick
      And i would sure move out of the US, and i guarntee i'm smarter than you, you voted for a person who barely passed high school image

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    Bush and Kerry both graduated from Yale with C averages.

    Get your facts straight.

    Smarter than me? Your immaturity during the election lead me to think you were nothing more than a little boy. I strongly don't think people on the boards think you're smarter than me, you're nothing but a boy hiding behind the internet to argue with the big boys.

    Leave me alone, you keep attacking me on every post because Bush won. It's over, I won, now leave me alone. If you read this thread closely, and most all others, you will see that you attacked me first. I have not sent a verbal attack as of yet. So stop.


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  • alerumalerum Member Posts: 407



    Originally posted by Kunarick



    Originally posted by MurtBijani



    Originally posted by Clever_Glove

    So the wrong candidate has won,




    the right candidate won

    image

    and who in their right mind would move out of the US to go to some second of third world country?


     


    Since when is France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, Australia, ect. considered 2nd or 3rd world countries?  And i would sure move out of the US, and i guarntee i'm smarter than you, you voted for a person who barely passed high school image

     



    if you want to move out of the US then what the hell is stopping you? Go leave get out be gone. if your not happy here then be gone. the US is better off without you and people like you. fair weather friends. maybe you can get a seat on the plane next to rosie and the rest of the bleeding hearts that dont have the courage to do whats nesasary to keep the US safe. Im about fed up with seeing people post about how they are going to move  out of the US if bush wins. well where is your plane ticket? Oh and by the way you prove your intelligence level when you try to claim your smater than someone you have never even met.
  • alerumalerum Member Posts: 407
     
  • Amd64_FX_53Amd64_FX_53 Member Posts: 421

    Hey murt-

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    Imperium Acranum rapped me

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