THE IMMIGRATION & NATIONALITY ACT: The effects of renouncing U.S. citizenship
THE IMMIGRATION & NATIONALITY ACT The effects of renouncing U.S. citizenship Section 349(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1481(a)(5)) is the section of law that governs the ability of a United States citizen to renounce his or her U.S. citizenship. That section of law provides for the loss of nationality by voluntarily performing the following act with the intent to relinquish his or her U.S. nationality: "(5) making a formal renunciation of nationality before a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States in a foreign state , in such form as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State" B. ELEMENTS OF RENUNCIATION A person wishing to renounce his or her U.S. citizenship must voluntarily and with intent to relinquish U.S. citizenship: 1. appear in person before a U.S. consular or diplomatic officer, 2. in a foreign country (normally at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate); and 3. sign an oath of renunciation Renunciations that do not