Should I give up my US citizenship?

[merchantms]

All of the Chinese immigrant university students I talk to say they are here because they couldn't get into a Chinese school. No one said it's because US schools are better. I assume that China doesn't have enough universities, so entrance requirements are very difficult.

So who are all of these businesses training students in HK and China to get into Ivy League/Oxbridge universities then, if all Chinese students want to stay in China?

There was an article in Bloomberg about filthy rich Chinese kids and most of them have second citizenships, US/Canada/UK and studied abroad as well, even though they live in China. And there are loads of Chinese women flying to the US to give birth and get their kids citizenship there. The idea that Chinese don't value access to the US education/labor market is totally bizarre to me. Where do you live?

Again as I said, if the second citizenship someone has is an equivalent country to the US, go ahead and renounce. If it's HK only or another developing country that's a pretty risky proposition in my opinion.

[ouwen]

I don't live in Hong Kong or China, so I don't know who are all of these businesses. You tell me. The students I talked to were in California when a business trip took me across most of the state. I was curious why there were so many of them. I don't think any of them were bound for Harvard or Yale, and certainly not Oxford.

Any woman who flies to the US to give birth is ignorant of reality. The US has the world's highest rates of cerebral palsey and autism by far. My French wife gave birth at home with a renegade midwife rather than go to a US hospital. Had she not found the midwife, she was going to fly back to France.

There are lots of Chinese women flying to the US and Canada to avoid prosecution for stealing from the government as well. There are more corrupt Chinese in Vancouver than there are Canadians. Only natural that they would prefer the US or any where else over a Chinese prison.

[hullexile]

So who are all of these businesses training students in HK and China to get into Ivy League/Oxbridge universities then, if all Chinese students want to stay in China?

There was an article in Bloomberg about filthy rich Chinese kids and most of them have second citizenships, US/Canada/UK and studied abroad as well, even though they live in China. And there are loads of Chinese women flying to the US to give birth and get their kids citizenship there. The idea that Chinese don't value access to the US education/labor market is totally bizarre to me. Where do you live?

Again as I said, if the second citizenship someone has is an equivalent country to the US, go ahead and renounce. If it's HK only or another developing country that's a pretty risky proposition in my opinion.

Don't worry about what Ouwen says. Did you know the Norwegians use the word Texas to mean crazy?

[merchantms]

Born In The USA: Why Chinese 'Birth Tourism' Is Booming In California

[ouwen]

Am I am supposed to feel offended by that revelation? I think it's a compliment. Perhaps your King's English is so elitist that everything you say is intended as an insult to the "commoners".

I certainly hope she has some cash on her... If they asked that question, it can only mean that she doesn't have a visa. If she doesn't have substantial cash, she will be put on the next plane back to China. As I said, ignorant.

My Chinese wife just corrected me. If she has cash on her, it will be used to pay for her plane ticket back to China.

[answerer]

If you are a US citizen, your child has every right to a US citizenship. You obviously either don't want your kid as a US citizen or didn't find the right information.

There are some situations where the child would not qualify.
Birth/New Baby Registration | Hong Kong & Macau - Consulate General of the United States

Child born abroad to one U.S. Citizen parent and one non U.S. Citizen...
... provided that one parent is a U.S. citizen at the time of the child's birth and the birthdate is on or after November 14, 1986. A child born outside of the United States to one U.S. Citizen parent and one non-U.S. Citizen parent may be entitled to citizenship providing the U.S. Citizen parent had been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for five years, at least two years of which were after s/he reached the age of fourteen. This period of physical presence must have taken place prior to the birth of the child

[David Smith]

Tough choice. Just a few things to consider:-

HK can be quite good for retirement if you have a property and savings to live off: cheap health care, cheap public transport and taxis, convenient and easy to see friends, family in same city, domestic helpers, family orientated culture that respects the elderly (I expect grandparents in HK on average see more of their children and grandchildren than elderly people living in many other cities).

Assuming you don't have children yet, schools, air quality, lack of space and outdoor lifestyle etc may cause you to reconsider the HK vs elsewhere equation in a few years.

It might be easy for you to get citizenship in another western country now, but don't assume that will be the case 10-20 years from now. I believe the threshold for investment visa in some countries is already rising and it is likely to be harder, rather than easier, 10 years hence when more rich Chinese are competing for limiting number of places. Even work visa may become more difficult once you are in your 40s and 50s, depending on your work experience.

Finally, obviously HK is changing fairly rapidly and so you should be comfortable with it becoming less politically free and more similar to the mainland. Not just in terms of freedom of speech and politics, but also ultimately internet access, general governance, food and building safety, reliability of police and legal system etc. Also while it does not seem likely in the near future, if there is a big upheaval north of the border - mass public unrest, a coup d'etat, civil war etc - then HK will be engulfed by it. On the otherhand, if you are an optimist, then HK will be the financial center of the greatest country in the twenty first century, but it is prudent to consider a variety of future scenarios.

[ouwen]

I don't remember seeing this, but my children were qualified under these rules.

[thegame181]

There are some situations where the child would not qualify.
Birth/New Baby Registration | Hong Kong & Macau - Consulate General of the United States

None of my friends have been ever denied US citizenship for their kids as long as one of them is a citizen and some of them haven't lived in the US for a long time. Most of them have traveled back home every once in a while to see friends and family. Even the ones that haven't traveled back home in a while has gotten citizenship for their kids.

[Elegiaque]

There is financial aid that is only available to US citizens.

There is financial aid that is only available to US citizens..

What, like 5% interest on student loans for outrageously priced education so that you can fork over your first years' of work savings to profiting banks? Ooo, fantastic deal that is!!! Best to teach your hypothetical kids an EU language than to pay taxes to the US for some 20 plus years!