Politics & Government Dual citizenship - should you have to declare it?

[Smiling Buddha]

Recently Russia passed a law mandating that citizens who have taken up simultaneous citizenship of other nations declare this to the Russian government, with punishment for failure to do so set at a few thousand dollars and/or community service.

The logic is that in times like these, you need to know who *might* be working as part of a 'fifth column' against the nation from within. Being a dual citizen is still entirely legal, the Duma simply want to know which of their people are dual citizens (presumably to keep closer tabs on them via the secret services).

In Australia you are not allowed to take up a seat in parliament if you are a dual citizen, so those who hold another passport have to renounce it if they are elected 9or simply miss out on taking up their seat). This law is based on the same principle, except in Russia they have gone a step further and made it so that everybody with another passport has to declare it.

Would you support similar changes being made here in Australia? If not, why not? If so, why?

Over to you, bigfooty.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I can get a British passport. Should I declare this when I'm charming bitches in a Hoxton pub in three years?

 

[Impunity!]

I can get a British passport. Should I declare this when I'm charming bitches in a Hoxton pub in three years?

If it was in any way remotely likely, yes.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

I can get a British passport. Should I declare this when I'm charming bitches in a Hoxton pub in three years?

You'll be like half of WA now!

 

[Impunity!]

You'll be like half of WA now!

You used to BE half of WA!

 

[Scotland]

If you are a foreign citizen and apply for an Australian citizenship, the govt should know whether or not you intend to keep your original citizenship.

If you are an Australian citizen and apply for a foreign citizenship, the govt should know whether or not you intend to keep your original citizenship.

 

[Silent Alarm]

You'll be like half of WA now!

And all of Joondalup!

 

[MWPP]

I've got triple citizenship (and yes , the ones I've got other than Aussie are probably the 2 most common - Kiwi and British). Declaring them wouldn't bother me if I the process was easy eg online register or at the time of applying for a passport , and I didn't have to pay to register

 

[Plugger35]

I've got triple citizenship (and yes , the ones I've got other than Aussie are probably the 2 most common - Kiwi and British). Declaring them wouldn't bother me if I the process was easy eg online register or at the time of applying for a passport , and I didn't have to pay to register

I had the option of getting NZ citizenship due to my parents being from NZ but never bothered as there isn't much difference between having an Aussie or a Kiwi passport, although Aussies are probably seen as bigger targets for terrorists than Kiwis these days so having a Kiwi passport might come in handy if you're taken hostage.

 

[Catfish Alley]

I wouldn't have a problem declaring it but I'm an Australian Canadian. Somebody from other countries may be more wary thinking they could be discriminated against.

 

[checkraiseulite]

Dual citizen; happy to register dual citizenship.

Don't think it's needed here, we're definitely very different to Russia.

 

[MWPP]

I had the option of getting NZ citizenship due to my parents being from NZ but never bothered as there isn't much difference between having an Aussie or a Kiwi passport, although Aussies are probably seen as bigger targets for terrorists than Kiwis these days so having a Kiwi passport might come in handy if you're taken hostage.

Yeah fair enough . I was a Kiwi before becoming an Aussie (otherwise if I was in your position I wouldn't have bothered either ). And I only recently took up British citizenship too (which is far more useful for work and travel ).

 

[The_Reaper]

Should be on the census and it should be declared if you're taking up a government job of certain seniority

 

[MWPP]

I seem to remember a silly furore about Warnie taking up ?German citizenship , possibly because they didn't (?and still don't ) allow dual citizenship so it would have meant giving up his Aussie passport! That aside I don't see what the fuss about dual/multi citizenship is about , but like I said , if it doesn't cost me and is easy to do , I'd be ok with declaring it

 

[Gough]

European passport

 

[Plugger35]

Yeah fair enough . I was a Kiwi before becoming an Aussie (otherwise if I was in your position I wouldn't have bothered either ). And I only recently took up British citizenship too (which is far more useful for work and travel ).

I'd definitely take up British citizenship if I had the chance, to be able to live and work in the UK and Europe permanently is a very handy option to have.

 

[Impunity!]

I've got dual citizenship but gubbermint so yeah

 

[tandino]

I have effectively dual citizenship and am probably entitled to a third citizenship.

I don't understand the restrictions on MPs to tell you the truth. It was for a different time, has little relevance on the world today.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

I don't understand the restrictions on MPs to tell you the truth. It was for a different time, has little relevance on the world today.

How do you figure?

 

[Oneiros]

With dual passports, I've always wondered why Customs in Aus and the US never ask why I seem to disappear off the face of the earth according to my passport stamps when I'm flying between the two countries.

 

[BALKAN]

European passport

Is there such a thing?

 

[Gough]

With dual passports, I've always wondered why Customs in Aus and the US never ask why I seem to disappear off the face of the earth according to my passport stamps when I'm flying between the two countries.

According to my old British passport I'm still in South Africa and have been since 1998.

 

[tandino]

How do you figure?

People granted the responsibility to vote in this country should themselves be eligible to stand for election.

Section 44 was designed to keep out undesirable foreigners back when the concept of Australian citizenship was very much different to today.

 

[iluvparis]

Passports are complete BS - FFS we are all world citizens aren't we.

Should be no border control, no passports and 100% freedom of movement for everyone.

Next question.

 

[Catfish Alley]

With dual passports, I've always wondered why Customs in Aus and the US never ask why I seem to disappear off the face of the earth according to my passport stamps when I'm flying between the two countries.

Happened to my Dad when flying through Hawaii. A few years earlier he entered on his UK passport but then left on his Australian. They pulled him up on it because it looked like he'd stayed in the US for a couple of years. Got taken to a little room and interrogated for a while.