United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - Strange questions from checkin agent re visa status

Quick background:

I live and work in Japan and have a UK passport. I often visit the US for business trips. I work for the Japanese subsidiary of a large US tech company.

On my last trip I was flying SFO->NRT and went to the business class checkin counter at SFO. The lady was typing for a while then asked me:

'Do you have a green card?'

I was a bit surprised by the question so I wasn't sure if I'd misheard. She asked again:

'Do you have a green card or work visa for the US?'

I told her I didn't, that I am only visiting and that I work in Japan. I showed her the Japanese landing permission/visas that I have.

She then said 'but the system says you are working in the US and you need a green card'. I repeated again that I was on a business trip.

I followed up by saying that I work for the Japanese subsidiary of an American company.

The next part of the conversation still has me confused. She said something like: 'you guys made the system'. I didn't know what she meant but I did say something like 'I think your system has mistaken information about me'. Then she said again 'well you shouldn't have made the system able to find this stuff about you'.

It sounded like she was suggesting I (or my company) is responsible for SHARES!??! Let me assure everyone that this is not the case :)

There was a line of people behind me so I didn't really feel like asking her about it anymore. She did say I was the second person that the system had flagged to be checked that day.

In any case I got my boarding pass and went on my way. We'll see what happens next time I fly to the US.

Interested to hear if anyone has any theories about this.

CIJ

Do you work for HP by any chance?

Reminds me of a flight a few months ago where the guy next to me was ranting about how long it took to do something. After some discussion, it came out that he worked for HP and had no idea that SHARES was an HP product.

Do you work for HP by any chance?

Reminds me of a flight a few months ago where the guy next to me was ranting about how long it took to do something. After some discussion, it came out that he worked for HP and had no idea that SHARES was an HP product.

No...many years ago I worked at Agilent, which is a spinoff company from HP.

I actually work at Google...maybe the checkin staff typed my name into the Google search engine :D

Sounds like they think everything is made by google even shares... :-)

What did you give as your address of record to UA? I know I've had issues trying to leave the country (specifically on CX at JFK) using my Irish passport instead of my US as they always ask me for my green card, residence permit, etc. I think it had something to do with the fact that I used my US address when I booked the ticket, yet showed up waving a non-US passport.

Perhaps if the ticket was bought by your company, they entered in the address of their US location and not your actual address in Japan?

Do you work for HP by any chance?

Reminds me of a flight a few months ago where the guy next to me was ranting about how long it took to do something. After some discussion, it came out that he worked for HP and had no idea that SHARES was an HP product.

Most HP folks wouldn't, unless they came from former EDS. It's a big company.

I know I've had issues trying to leave the country (specifically on CX at JFK) using my Irish passport instead of my US as they always ask me for my green card, residence permit, etc.

U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

US State Department (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html)

Were you travelling on the VWP or on an actual visa? The latter might confuse them - also living in a country other than your passport seems to throw any US based airline IT system into meltdown (unless that country is the US of course...)

This really does sound as though a centralized corporate TA actually issued the ticket. Most often, the address of record is the corporate HQ just because it's uniform. But, that confuses the carrier's system because what they see is a foreign national working at a US company at a US address who doesn't have documents permitting that work.

It's also a bit of overkill because UA has a legitimate interest in OP's admission to Japan at NRT and might well question OP's boarding a NRT-SFO flight, but his USA work visa status would seem to be immaterial to his departure from the USA (from UA's perspective).

U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

US State Department (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html)

I know, I know, but my visa for the destination is usually in the EI passport and thus showed that upon check in. If I show my US passport and there's no visa (but one isn't necessary for an EI passport) then that opens up a whole host of "Where is your visa" questions and I'm wary of physically holding two passports in plain view at any time.

I know, I know, but my visa for the destination is usually in the EI passport and thus showed that upon check in. If I show my US passport and there's no visa (but one isn't necessary for an EI passport) then that opens up a whole host of "Where is your visa" questions and I'm wary of physically holding two passports in plain view at any time.

What's wrong with having two passports? If I leave the US, I'm required to show my US passport. But when I land where I'm going, I need to show my other.

What's wrong with having two passports? If I leave the US, I'm required to show my US passport. But when I land where I'm going, I need to show my other.

I guess I try and keep it simple so the fewest questions are asked of me and generally don't want to produce anything that could confuse a check in agent, such as two passports. Besides, a check in agent is not, IMHO, an official CBP agent. If the US wants to do emigration checks like most countries, fine, I'll show you the US passport. But some minimum wage contract check in agent for the airline? No. I understand the argument that they are the first line of CBP checks, but disagree with it.

What's real fun is doing a routing like DUB-LHR-EWR, checking in/leaving DUB on the EI passport (as required by EI law), then showing up at LHR for the second round of checks with a US passport. "Sir, didn't you check in with an EI passport?" Cue cavity search...

What's wrong with having two passports? If I leave the US, I'm required to show my US passport. But when I land where I'm going, I need to show my other.

What's wrong with having two passports is that UA's systems don't envisage that such a thing is possible. They cannot record that there are such things as dual nationals, or even single nationals with a right of abode elsewhere, and effectively we cannot do OLCI because the system can't cope. Checking in is different from departing the country.

Thanks for your replies!

I booked the ticket myself directly on ua.com and used my Japanese credit card to pay for it. The home address recorded in their system should be my address in Japan (I have no other home address).

I don't have a US passport, and I travelled without visa (using visa waiver permit).

Perhaps I entered something incorrectly during the booking stage but I don't recall.

What's wrong with having two passports is that UA's systems don't envisage that such a thing is possible. They cannot record that there are such things as dual nationals, or even single nationals with a right of abode elsewhere, and effectively we cannot do OLCI because the system can't cope. Checking in is different from departing the country.

It is a complete pain in the backside, and dual nationality is so common that it boggles the mind that airlines haven't ever built the logic into their systems.

I had real issues flying AKL-LHR with a transit in LAX a few years ago. I couldn't check in on my UK passport because I don't have an ESTA (as I'm a US citizen), but I couldn't check in on my US passport because I had no return ticket out of the UK. In the end it was sorted out, but it took a disproportionate amount of effort.

Also I've never really understood what using a US passport to "leave the US" means given there are no physical outbound CBP checks, do they mean airline checkin or is this just a hangover from the days of real checks?

I'm wary of physically holding two passports in plain view at any time.

Very true, especially as I've encountered both US and UK immigration officials who believe (because they've "been doing this for 20 years") that you're not allowed to have a) dual nationality b) two passports. Also in some countries (e.g. Saudi) having two passports is actually illegal, so being circumspect at all times is a sensible approach.

Also I've never really understood what using a US passport to "leave the US" means given there are no physical outbound CBP checks, do they mean airline checkin or is this just a hangover from the days of real checks?

In the US, the airline does your other country's equivalent of exit immigration...... So when they check you in & board the plane, they report your exit to immigration/CBP officials. That also explains why the airline takes your I-94 and I-94W cards.

Sounds like fun with 2 passports. Didn't have the issue yet but have a trip in September going from Japan via Chicago to Brazil. Curious how this will end at check in at NRT since they won't find a Visa for Brazil in my US passport and as a German citizen I won't need one.

In the US, the airline does your other country's equivalent of exit immigration...... So when they check you in & board the plane, they report your exit to immigration/CBP officials. That also explains why the airline takes your I-94 and I-94W cards.

Which I have never filled out as a US citizen. My point is when LEAVING the US I'm not personally dealing with any CBP officials and, IMHO, just the airline. They ask for photo ID and proof of being able to enter the country where I'm heading. If I do that it should be the end of story. It's akin to the hubbub about police officers having to do immigration checks in AZ. They're local cops, not CBP. These are airline check in agents, not CBP. Our interaction is solely for business and has nothing to do with my being here legally or not.

FWIW I've never had a problem checking in on UA with the EI passport at EWR, I just have to make sure to scan and use the US one on check in abroad.

Which I have never filled out as a US citizen. My point is when LEAVING the US I'm not personally dealing with any CBP officials and, IMHO, just the airline. They ask for photo ID and proof of being able to enter the country where I'm heading. If I do that it should be the end of story. It's akin to the hubbub about police officers having to do immigration checks in AZ. They're local cops, not CBP. These are airline check in agents, not CBP. Our interaction is solely for business and has nothing to do with my being here legally or not.

FWIW I've never had a problem checking in on UA with the EI passport at EWR, I just have to make sure to scan and use the US one on check in abroad.

That's correct, but I assure you that the airline does have the electronic record of the departure and it's forwarded into the CBP computers--the passport number and name are the keys. CBP has tasked them with this, so your assertion that it's "solely for business" is not quite true.

I have the same US passport but am not a dual national, and once, upon a return to the USA for a family visit (I live outside the USA), I happened to see the Immigration officials screen when he scanned my passport, and the whole series of entries AND exits came up. Including all the USA exits. Now I've got Global Entry but I'm 100% sure my comings and goings are in the database. Point being, you no longer need to physically come in contact with a CBP official, for them to be able to trace your movements. With or without the extraneous forms like the I94.

I know, I know, but my visa for the destination is usually in the EI passport and thus showed that upon check in. If I show my US passport and there's no visa (but one isn't necessary for an EI passport) then that opens up a whole host of "Where is your visa" questions and I'm wary of physically holding two passports in plain view at any time.

The US doesn't care, and at any rate they can't make you do much about it.

The US doesn't care, and at any rate they can't make you do much about it.

In my experience Uncle Sam might not care, but random CBP agents do get upset at multiple passports and can delay your journey whilst you need to find a colleague of theirs who understands the law. I am even more wary of TSA who have that killer combination of arbitrary power and very little knowledge.

The US doesn't care, and at any rate they can't make you do much about it.

This is not a true statement. There are very dangerous US laws about the use of multiple passports and the act of exercising dual nationality that apply to US citizens who acquired citizenship by naturalization. The consequences for such a citizen are a lot different than for a US citizen by birth. The short version is that, as a naturalized US citizen, the act of using a foreign passport can be deemed to be proof of intent to relinquish US citizenship and that can cause immediate and permanent expulsion from the country.

In my experience Uncle Sam might not care, but random CBP agents do get upset at multiple passports and can delay your journey whilst you need to find a colleague of theirs who understands the law. I am even more wary of TSA who have that killer combination of arbitrary power and very little knowledge.

And that is my main concern, ignorance of the law by a newly minted and underinformed "badge" making for hassles at the airport. I'm a citizen, I'm not carrying any contraband, now just let me into the country, thanks. If you want to search my bags, that's fine, I understand.

For the record, I was born in the US and am an EI citizen from birth. Never had to renounce anything, never had to pledge anything, only had to sign a document (or have my parents sign) at the ripe age of 4 to become an EI citizen. While I've no intent to relinquish my US citizenship, I'm just a lot happier travelling abroad on an EI passport. No one hates EI for their foreign policy. The US? Not so much.

Air NZ is a PITA. If you look up the IATA info on Japan it says something that one "may be denied if you don't have proof of onward travel". There is no specific requirement. Sure enough they denied check-in so I had to buy a dummy ticket at the airport. I only ran into this one other time with a contract agent for Swiss. Otherwise no questions asked by other airlines. With pre-merger UA the online check-in queried when I would depart to Japan, which is fair enough. Now I make sure that I have a ticket booked at all times.

Also, the UK really requires onward travel proof in the form of an airline ticket? A traveler could easily travel by land to Europe. I have had open jaw tickets into the UK and planned to take Eurostar, or I had made separate bookings on other airlines to depart the UK. UA has never asked for any proof of onward travel in these cases.

I think Air NZ extrapolates their own country's strict law about onward ticket to other countries. It is reasonable to expect that someone has to depart NZ by air, but not so for the UK and Japan where you can travel easily by sea.

p.s. Leaving the US on a US passport is a mystery. I suppose you have to do it since the airline processes your outward papers if you are non-US. But there is nothing stopping you from showing your UK passport once you land in the UK.

It is a complete pain in the backside, and dual nationality is so common that it boggles the mind that airlines haven't ever built the logic into their systems.

I had real issues flying AKL-LHR with a transit in LAX a few years ago. I couldn't check in on my UK passport because I don't have an ESTA (as I'm a US citizen), but I couldn't check in on my US passport because I had no return ticket out of the UK. In the end it was sorted out, but it took a disproportionate amount of effort.

Also I've never really understood what using a US passport to "leave the US" means given there are no physical outbound CBP checks, do they mean airline checkin or is this just a hangover from the days of real checks?

In fact the passport information that you give on check-in is electronicly transmitted in real time to Customs and Border Patorl (CBP) via the AQQ: APIS Quick Query system.

The following is excerpted from the Federal Register (72 FR 48321) (http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/apis/apis_pre_departure.ctt/apis_pre_departure.pdf) (aka Vol. 72, No. 163 /Thursday, August 23, 2007).

The Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) is a widely-utilized electronic data interchange system approved by CBP. APIS is used by international commercial air and vessel carriers to transmit electronically to CBP certain data on passengers and crew members.

Under APIS, CBP requires air carriers and vessel carriers to collect and transmit information that consists primarily of information that appears on the biographical data page of travel documents, such as passports issued by governments worldwide. Many APIS data elements (such as name, date of birth, gender, country of citizenship, passport or other travel document information) routinely have been collected over the years by a country’s government, when a traveler seeks entry into that country, by requiring the traveler to present a government-issued travel document containing that information. Today, CBP uses this biographical data to perform enforcement and security queries against various multi-agency law enforcement and terrorist databases in connection with, as appropriate, international commercial flights to, from, continuing within, and overflying the United States and international commercial vessel voyages to and from the United States.

For commercial air travel, CBP currently requires air carriers to electronically transmit passenger arrival manifests to CBP no later than 15 minutes after the aircraft’s departure from any place outside the United States (§ 122.49a(b)(2)), and passenger departure manifests no later than 15 minutes prior to departure of the aircraft from the United States. (note: departure as it relates to when data must be sent to CPB means the moment the aircraft’s doors are closed and secured for flight)

This is not a true statement. There are very dangerous US laws about the use of multiple passports and the act of exercising dual nationality that apply to US citizens who acquired citizenship by naturalization. The consequences for such a citizen are a lot different than for a US citizen by birth. The short version is that, as a naturalized US citizen, the act of using a foreign passport can be deemed to be proof of intent to relinquish US citizenship and that can cause immediate and permanent expulsion from the country.

Can you point me the exact wordings on the State Dept website that confirm you statement above? All I see is this (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html)

A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

Can you point me the exact wordings on the State Dept website that confirm you statement above? All I see is this (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html)

This web site has an excellent overall analysis of the situation:

http://www.richw.org/dualcit/faq.html

From that site:

"In former times (before the latest round of State Department policy reforms), attempting to enter the US on a foreign passport could even be used as "evidence" of intent to relinquish US citizenship. Although this apparently isn't a danger any more, the best thing to do is probably to make life simple and assert only your US citizenship rights when entering the US."

I get worked up myself sometimes as I have 2 US passports, and sometimes carry both with me as there are visas for different countries on each one. It's confusing sometimes when traveling from place to place trying to keep track of it all - so far I've been fine and no issues with US CBP.

"A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship."

So, by this argument, being signed up by may parents for Irish citizenship could be argued to be non-voluntary since I was a whopping 4 years old at the time. I guess being US born I can now do what I want without risk of consequence?*

*I will not do what I want.

I get worked up myself sometimes as I have 2 US passports, and sometimes carry both with me as there are visas for different countries on each one. It's confusing sometimes when traveling from place to place trying to keep track of it all - so far I've been fine and no issues with US CBP.

Why do you have 2 US passports?

"In former times (before the latest round of State Department policy reforms), attempting to enter the US on a foreign passport could even be used as "evidence" of intent to relinquish US citizenship. Although this apparently isn't a danger any more, the best thing to do is probably to make life simple and assert only your US citizenship rights when entering the US."

In the sense that you technically do have to announce that you're a US citizen if you are one and are entering the US, yes; CBP could make your life temporarily harder than it needs to be and you could get fined. After a series of Supreme Court cases that made the State Department change their policy, it's very difficult to lose US citizenship. You either have to formally renounce it at a US consulate, or join a foreign army and take up arms against the US.

Even if you take up citizenship of a foreign country and have to renounce all foreign citizenships as a part of their naturalization process, the US doesn't care and you remain a US citizen. Renunciation has to be done through the formal process according to US law.

I'm not an immigration lawyer, and if you do run into trouble it's worth consulting one since the law can get complex, but I wouldn't worry about inadvertently losing US citizenship.

Why do you have 2 US passports?

Probably one's an official US passport for US government business. You still have your normal "tourist" passport for personal travel.

Why do you have 2 US passports?

Incompatible country issues (e.g. Israel and Saudi, India and Pakistan) or having to travel whilst applying for visas are the most common reasons. I have two UK passports for those reasons.

Apparently Israel will not allow entry to their country to anyone with a visa for certain Arab countries, hence the need for a second "clean" passport.

Apparently Israel will not allow entry to their country to anyone with a visa for certain Arab countries, hence the need for a second "clean" passport.

I think you've got that backwards. Certain countries will not allow one to enter on a passport with evidence of travel to Israel.

That's correct, but I assure you that the airline does have the electronic record of the departure and it's forwarded into the CBP computers--the passport number and name are the keys. CBP has tasked them with this, so your assertion that it's "solely for business" is not quite true.

I have the same US passport but am not a dual national, and once, upon a return to the USA for a family visit (I live outside the USA), I happened to see the Immigration officials screen when he scanned my passport, and the whole series of entries AND exits came up. Including all the USA exits. Now I've got Global Entry but I'm 100% sure my comings and goings are in the database. Point being, you no longer need to physically come in contact with a CBP official, for them to be able to trace your movements. With or without the extraneous forms like the I94.

I don't think this is true at all. The CBP certainly has a record of your entries into the US, but not your departures. If I exit the US by land to Canada, no record exists for CBP. I'm fairly certain, too, that scanning your passport when leaving the US by air provides the airline with evidence that you have a passport and ability to enter the country of destination, but no data is transmitted to CBP.

In addition, if you have a foreign passport and a green card, CBP does not usually scan your passport on entry, they scan your green card. The same is true for Global Entry. You have to use the green card, not the passport. But the green card is never scanned when you leave the US, only the passport (and they have only recently begun doing that).

Apparently Israel will not allow entry to their country to anyone with a visa for certain Arab countries, hence the need for a second "clean" passport.

I think you've got that backwards. Certain countries will not allow one to enter on a passport with evidence of travel to Israel.

This statement is correct. Israel might ask more questions, but won't bar you entry based solely on Arab stamps. Some Arab countries will do this with an Israeli stamp.

As for dual citizenship - is perfectly legal to have dual citizenship with a US passport (so long as the other country allows this). However, US won't "recognize" dual citizenship - they basically consider you American only. Not sure about legal, but I have heard quite a few stories about uS agents giving a hard time to US citizens who show a foreign passport.

Im a dual US-Canadian citizen, an dUS knows per my Nexus/GE membership. I always enter the US on my US passport for sure. Sometimes I used to scan my Canadian passport when leaving the US at the kiosk. And I used to have both my Canadian and US passport in my UA profile, but I took the Canadian out - this always seemed to be used as default on my trips when booking on the site - I'm pretty certain it because it is first alphabetically.

Do you work for HP by any chance?

Reminds me of a flight a few months ago where the guy next to me was ranting about how long it took to do something. After some discussion, it came out that he worked for HP and had no idea that SHARES was an HP product.

================

I find this quite funny as I checked in a guy a few weeks ago whose travel agent did not set up an electronic visa (for Australia) in his booking - as he stated/expected to have been done by her. He was past retirement age but told me he was on a business trip to Melbourne. I attempted with the Help Desk to do an e-visa in SHARES but after several phone calls and long holds, the Help Desk could not get it done. I suggested he call his travel agent and she quickly did it.

In the interim, I see in his profile and casually mentioned to him that I see he works (or consults?) for HP. He said yes and knew quite well that SHARES was a product of HP, at which time he rolled his eyes and offered alot of sympathy about the SHARES transition. He even admitted that many years prior he was involved with training at Continental for SHARES.
Interesting discussion, very nice guy.

Thanks for your replies!

I booked the ticket myself directly on ua.com and used my Japanese credit card to pay for it. The home address recorded in their system should be my address in Japan (I have no other home address).

I don't have a US passport, and I travelled without visa (using visa waiver permit).

Perhaps I entered something incorrectly during the booking stage but I don't recall.
You entered the US illegally.

You cannot use the VWP for business trips!

Get a business visa.

I am astonished that you are not aware of this.

If you tell the CBP officer you are on business you will be deported and the airline will be fined which they will attempt to recover from you.

I don't think this is true at all. The CBP certainly has a record of your entries into the US, but not your departures. If I exit the US by land to Canada, no record exists for CBP. I'm fairly certain, too, that scanning your passport when leaving the US by air provides the airline with evidence that you have a passport and ability to enter the country of destination, but no data is transmitted to CBP.

It was my understanding that the US government received outbound flight manifests that included citizenship information. I imagine that this is primarily of interest to US CBP (for determining whether non-nationals overstayed visas, etc.).

Apparently Israel will not allow entry to their country to anyone with a visa for certain Arab countries, hence the need for a second "clean" passport.

It is actually the other way round. You can go to Saudia Arabia and then use the same passport when entering Israel. But you can't go to Israel and then use that passport to enter Saudi Arabia, as Saudi Arabian officials will get quite irate.

U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

US State Department (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html)

That's when you clear immigration. Show whatever you want to the airline.

You entered the US illegally.

You cannot use the VWP for business trips!

Get a business visa.

I am astonished that you are not aware of this.

If you tell the CBP officer you are on business you will be deported and the airline will be fined which they will attempt to recover from you.

This is completely and utter rubbish, as the CBP Website states (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/business_pleasure/vwp/faq_vwp.xml#GeneralInformationontheVisaWaiverProgr am):
Q: What is the Visa Waiver Program?
A: The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is administered by DHS and enables eligible citizens or nationals of designated countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without first obtaining a visa.

Bolding mine.

Now for work that would be different, but if he is entering as a business visitor or to attend meetings or conferences he will be fine.

This is not a true statement. There are very dangerous US laws about the use of multiple passports and the act of exercising dual nationality that apply to US citizens who acquired citizenship by naturalization. The consequences for such a citizen are a lot different than for a US citizen by birth. The short version is that, as a naturalized US citizen, the act of using a foreign passport can be deemed to be proof of intent to relinquish US citizenship and that can cause immediate and permanent expulsion from the country.

That's patently untrue. It's virtually impossible to lose citizenship unwittingly.

Why do you have 2 US passports?

I'm about to have 2 passports. To get a visa to travel to a country, you need to send them your passport so they can put the visa in it. If this coincides with travel you need to do to a different country, one passport can't be in two places at the same time, so you need two.

There is the also the, previously mentioned, issue with some countries not liking Isreal.

...as a naturalized US citizen, the act of using a foreign passport can be deemed to be proof of intent to relinquish US citizenship and that can cause immediate and permanent expulsion from the country.

Don't be so naive.;)

That's patently untrue. It's virtually impossible to lose citizenship unwittingly.

+1.^ The IRS makes it so difficult to lose or renounce US citizenship, naturalized or not, it is easier to commit suicide.:p You cannot lose US citizenship without IRS approval.