Renouncing U.S. Citizenship: Will You Still Get an ESTA?

And, you know, it's funny because what brought us together today specifically was this conversation going on about, you know, is it really true that if somebody renounces, they're going to have trouble getting an ESTA?

Well, I mean, you and I have taken a look at this and it certainly is appearing on a couple of people's websites that that is the information that they have figured out that through whatever, through conversations with, you know, immigration authorities that applying for an ESTA would When you are a former American citizen, somebody who has relinquished their citizenship may not be able to easily get an ESTA, which, as you know, is the advanced document that you need to obtain in order to enter the United States as a visitor.

So it's a visa waiver.

Without actually going to the trouble of getting a visa.

Well...

You know, I mean, so we look at these things that we read.

You know, there was somebody was talking about this on LinkedIn today.

I don't know how authoritative that was particularly.

I mean, it was, you know, but I mean, we found a couple of other articles.

There was a Withers thing, for example, came down yesterday.

And I didn't read that as categorically saying that, you know, the fact of renunciation means you can't get an ESTA.

Did you read it that way?

I didn't read it that way.

And then subsequent to that, went on the ESTA website to see if they were listing that as the types of people who couldn't apply for an ESTA.

And that does not appear on their website.

So I don't know when that has become implemented.

And is it on a case-by-case basis, or it is a new blanket rule? that somebody who has renounced their citizenship is not eligible to apply for an ESTA.

Yeah, so I think the safest response to this at the moment would be we really just don't know.

I

think that's the safest response on the 3rd of November until I get more factual information on that.

Yeah.

I mean, what would be credible, factual information? I would think that there ought to be something appearing on the ESTA website, you know, warning of this, wouldn't you think?

I would think that because otherwise, you know, you'd start making an application and maybe even paying the fee and then suddenly it's refused.

One of the websites that, you know, we looked at earlier today also indicated that they were taking away, I don't know what the right words are for it, but people who had ESTAs, they're perhaps discovering who they are and taking away that ESTA right and forcing them to obtain a visa to enter the United States.

Well, we don't know, but my take on this is a little more conservative in a sense that I'm not sure how much of this, I'm not sure the spin on this is actually correct.

And, you know, it's funny because what brought us together today specifically was this conversation going on about, you know, is it really true that if somebody renounces, they're going to have trouble getting an ESTA?

Well, I mean, you and I have taken a look at this and it certainly is appearing on a couple of people's websites that that is the information that they have figured out that through whatever, through conversations with, you know, immigration authorities that applying for an ESTA would When you are a former American citizen, somebody who has relinquished their citizenship may not be able to easily get an ESTA, which, as you know, is the advanced document that you need to obtain in order to enter the United States as a visitor.

So it's a visa waiver.

Without actually going to the trouble of getting a visa.

Well...

You know, I mean, so we look at these things that we read.

You know, there was somebody was talking about this on LinkedIn today.

I don't know how authoritative that was particularly.

I mean, it was, you know, but I mean, we found a couple of other articles.

There was a Withers thing, for example, came down yesterday.

And I didn't read that as categorically saying that, you know, the fact of renunciation means you can't get an ESTA.

Did you read it that way?

I didn't read it that way.

And then subsequent to that, went on the ESTA website to see if they were listing that as the types of people who couldn't apply for an ESTA.

And that does not appear on their website.

So I don't know when that has become implemented.

And is it on a case-by-case basis, or it is a new blanket rule? that somebody who has renounced their citizenship is not eligible to apply for an ESTA.

Yeah, so I think the safest response to this at the moment would be we really just don't know.

I

think that's the safest response on the 3rd of November until I get more factual information on that.

Yeah.

I mean, what would be credible, factual information? I would think that there ought to be something appearing on the ESTA website, you know, warning of this, wouldn't you think?

I would think that because otherwise, you know, you'd start making an application and maybe even paying the fee and then suddenly it's refused.

One of the websites that, you know, we looked at earlier today also indicated that they were taking away, I don't know what the right words are for it, but people who had ESTAs, they're perhaps discovering who they are and taking away that ESTA right and forcing them to obtain a visa to enter the United States.

Well, we don't know, but my take on this is a little more conservative in a sense that I'm not sure how much of this, I'm not sure the spin on this is actually correct.