Dual-citizen dilemma

Hi Mrs Walker-Huntington:

I would like to congratulate you on the wonderful work you have been doing in educating people all over the world. I am seeking some advice.

Our children were born in the United States. My wife and I are both Jamaicans and are residents of Jamaica. Our children have US passports, we have applied and received unconditional landing for them in Jamaica.

Also, we have applied and received dual- citizenship status from the Jamaica Immigration Service for them. The eldest is eight and the youngest will be four this November.

In renewing their passports, I normally bring them to the States. This can be quite costly. Can this be done in Jamaica without any problem coming my way? I don't know if the embassy here in Jamaica will ask a lot of questions and take away the kids from me. These are some of the rumours I heard.

Is there any foreseeable problem with them having dual citizenship?

Please reply as quickly as possible.

- Concerned Parent

Dear Concerned Parent:

Thank you for your kind words. Your United States-born children are also Jamaican citizens, having been born to Jamaican parents. You have taken the right steps in securing their Jamaican status by first getting them unconditional landing from the Jamaican Government and now securing their documented Jamaican-citizenship rights. When the children travel, they should enter the United States using their US passports and enter and exit Jamaica using their Jamaican passports.

You did not state the immigration status of your wife and yourself - I am assuming you are both holders of non-immigrant visas.

If your children are living in Jamaica, you can take them to the US Embassy in St Andrew, Kingston to renew their US passports. However, you must be prepared for the US Embassy to ask questions about the birth of the children in the United States - most significantly who paid for the birth of the children. If the birth of the children was paid for by the US government - eg. Medicaid - you stand to lose your non-immigrant visas.

Your children, as US citizens, are entitled to full US Government benefits. However, you and your wife as visitors/non-immigrants are not. The birth of the children is broken down into two segments - the birth and expenses leading up to the birth are costs associated with your wife; any medical attention given to the children once they were born are assessed to the children. Your wife's costs that are paid by Medicaid are considered a public-charge issue and that is a ground to lose your non-immigrant visa.

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