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Dual citizenship is an opportunity for individuals to access a foreign nationality, thereby gaining all the rights and responsibilities that apply to citizens or residents of that foreign country.
Mexicans can apply for dual citizenship, depending on the conditions and requirements of the second nationality. Read on to learn more about government regulations for people with dual or multiple nationalities.
What is dual citizenship?
Dual citizenship, as the name implies, is the possibility for individuals to hold two nationalities. In other words, it means that a citizen is born with their own nationality and can also obtain the citizenship of another country.
Due to large waves of immigration, dual citizenship is an increasingly common possibility in our globalized society, as it allows individuals to legally reside and work in a specific country or region.
The ability to hold dual nationality depends on the immigration laws of each country. Often, a person can apply for citizenship based on the country of origin of their parents or grandparents, or that of their spouse or fiancé(e).
In other countries, laws allow individuals to apply for nationality after residing legally in that territory for a certain number of years.
Mexican dual citizenship
In the case of Mexicans, dual citizenship applies to those who are children of Mexican parents born abroad, or individuals born in Mexico with foreign parent(s).
In Mexico, the Nationality Law has allowed Mexicans to hold another citizenship in addition to their Mexican one since 1998, providing individuals with the opportunity to access new rights and responsibilities as citizens of both countries, under both legal systems.
How do you apply for dual citizenship?
The first step is to visit the embassy or consulate of the country where you wish to apply for citizenship, or visit that embassy's website to learn about the requirements for applying.
If you are living legally in that country on a temporary basis, you can check the requirements for obtaining permanent residency. Often, with a student or work visa, individuals can live legally in the country for the duration of that activity.
After living in that country for a certain number of years, you can then apply for nationality at the embassy.
How do you obtain Mexican-American dual citizenship?
If you are Mexican and want to obtain U.S. citizenship, there are four legal paths to apply:
- Through a U.S. family member
- Through employment
- Through the visa lottery
- Through refugee status
To apply through a family member, you must consider who qualifies as a family member and who has priority. The eligibility categories are:
- Immediate relative: spouse, unmarried child of a U.S. citizen under 21, or parent of a U.S. citizen over 21.
- Other relative of a U.S. citizen or legal resident: unmarried child of a citizen or resident over 21, married child, sibling of a U.S. citizen over 21, and the spouse of a resident.
- Fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen or child of a fiancé(e).
- Widow(er) of a U.S. citizen, married to the citizen at the time of their death.
If I have dual citizenship, which passport should I use to leave?
According to Article 12 of the Mexican Nationality Law, when traveling, a Mexican citizen with dual nationality must **enter and leave the national territory by declaring and presenting their Mexican nationality without exception.**
Following articles 12 and 33 of the law, Mexicans who leave or enter Mexico using a foreign passport may be **fined** between 300 and 500 times the minimum wage.
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