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What passport to use traveling to USA with two citizenships? (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by Grogon@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Can I use my german passport to travel to USA or do I use my US passport?

And if I lived and worked in germany my whole life and never in the USA and never filed taxes can I enter USA without problems?

I just found out I am us citizen a few years ago don't ask why but I'm 34 and recently traveled to US with my german passport and they were all like "wtf where is your passport" and I'm like: "Here.." and they "Yeah your american passport?!" and I'm "I'm german" and he is like: "Dude you are born on american ground you are american!"

Well they let me travel in to the states without american passport but told me to go to the embassy as soon as I arrive back in germany or else I won't be able to enter USA again.

That being said, I done that. Now I have my american passport. But do I show both passports or only US passport? And after doing my research I found out americans file taxes every year. I haven't done it the last 18 years of working. Should I just not file? I will never work in the USA and I will never live in the USA. Or will I get problems at the airport? Can they see I don't file?

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[–] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 24 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You should file for taxes. It's highly likely you don't actually owe any money. There's probably an expat community in Germany that can help you out with finding someone familiar with US tax law without going to the US.

If you somehow owe taxes it could be a problem, but I really doubt that is the case.

[–] LwL@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Isn't the US the only country in the world requiring its citizens to pay taxes if they both live and work abroad? Or is there some huge earning limit to that that most people will never reach?

[–] LedgeDrop@lemm.ee 11 points 8 months ago

Well... there is also Eritrea, a small country in West Africa.

The U. S. Taxes is based on the country you're living in. If there are double taxation treaties between the two countries (ie: Europe and the U. S.), then the IRS would tax you on the amount you've earned over a certain limit (it was 100k usd, but I think was increased). Meaning, if you earned 110k usd, you'd be taxes on the 10k. If you earn less then 100k, you'd pay no U. S. Taxes.

If there isn't a treaty, which is often the case in countries that tax their citizens less than the U. S. , then you'd basically be charged taxes in the U. S. (based on your worldwide income) minus whatever you paid the country you're living in.

[–] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 months ago

I'm not sure about only, but it's the major one. I don't know the full details since I don't work in another country, but you're essentially right. You have to make a lot of money to actually pay tax working in a foreign country. Google says the first $120k in USD is tax free. I believe you can also deduct taxes paid to the country you reside in if you happen to make more as well.