I know there will be those who find this something horrible, but I say good for Tina!
First of all, this is not just for tax reasons (Swiss tax ain’t cheap), but more because her long-time German partner and she have lived in Zurich since the 1990’s (and prior to that, they lived in Germany). I know I used to get to see Tina perform in Berlin often, as she lived in Europe and would make many concert tours over there.
Secondly, the woman is 73 years old, so it is hardly big news she is settling down and retiring with the man she loves, in the city and country she has adopted, and being happy. Hopefully Ike is spinning in his grave.
So - good for Tina!
And for those who think this is some kind of slap in the face to the USA - get over it. She deserves to live with whomever and wherever she wants.
Viel Spass Frau Turner! Alles gute!
(Have fun, Ms. Turner - Best Wishes!)
Yes.
Although most foreigners can get a US passport and their home country will still allow them to keep their original citizenship, the USA is a bit pissy about it and will not allow US citizens to get a passport from another country without first giving up your US passport.
I know some people are world travelers, but that becoming a foreign citizen currently requires loss of passport (or citizenship)? Or even that the article suggests she is doing anything with her US status? Pretty sure Switzerland doesn’t care about dual citizenship for one, it exists, and e.g. the State Department suggests that two passports are okay, you just need to use the US one for US travel.
The US is unique with 1 or 2 other countries in that citizens are taxed on all earnings abroad, even if they’re paying other taxes. This is called “double taxation” by some, although it is misleading and doesn’t mean this literally. It’s often a wash for normal people, but Tina’s income/holdings may mean that she would pay a bit more with US citizenship (which the article makes no mention of her losing it).
So… does Master Blaster pay one tax bill the the Australian Wasteland Tax Bureau, or two?
I am a U.S. citizen - born in NY. My mom was born in Ireland. Myself, my brother and his daughter have Irish passports. We all still have our USA passports.
Coriolanus, did you even read your cited quote? It clearly specified automatic accquisition or retention, not voluntary. Two entirely different situations.
Maybe Coriolanus didn’t quote the best section, but his cite is good and clearly says that US citizens can be citizens of another country. Most countries do dual citizenship. Of the top of my head, Japan, S. Korea, Norway, Czech Republic, and India do not believe in dual. I think at least one other Scandinavian/Nordic country doesn’t as well, and I am sure that dual citizenship is de facto impossible in N. Korea. I believe when one becomes a US citizen, they have to renounce all foreign interests, but nowadays that’s pretty much boilerplate that you won’t screw America over.
So: the relevant part, bolding mine:
Then the next part cautions that dual citizenship can be problematic. Implied is that the US wants you to support them if they go to war with your other citizenship. Also implied is that the US wants your tax dollars no matter what.
…I still want to read the thread title as " Tina Turner Turning Swissanese-a, Turning Swissanese-a, I really think so."
I stand corrected - but I can tell you that when I lived in Germany I found out it would be a simple process (after living so many years in Berlin) to simply get a German Passport/Citizenship. I thought that was a great idea (less hassle with work permits/residence permits) and was all set to do so. However, the US Embassy let me know in no uncertain terms that the ONLY way this would happen is if I relinquished my US citizenship. Other Americans I knew at the time had run into the same hurdle. The thought of having to get a visa to visit my parents in the US was a bit more than I wanted to deal with - so I ended the process. Perhaps they have lightened up - but I can tell you it never used to be that easy to get dual citizenship as an American (at least in Germany).
In Tina’s case, it is probably the snafu of having to pay taxes in both countries…and that would certainly be a pain in the ass if you have quite a bit of money like Tina does - especially if you only go to the USA once every decade for a couple of weeks. If I am not mistaken, I read somewhere that Tina doesn’t particularly like to fly - so that would certainly cut down on frequent flier miles between Switzerland and the US.
I figured I’d be beaten to the punch on that, but not in the first reply!
Seems she’s been living there for decades, so I guess it makes sense. She lives in the German section, but I sure hope she eats from the French and Italian Cantons.
That just is not true, and I am personally acquainted with several counterexamples. MY very best friend in the entire world was a born citizen of the United States, born in New Jersey to American parents. He moved to Canada as a child and at 19 became a citizen f Canada. He has a letter from the U.S. State Department, having written to them about it, specifically and clearly stating he remained a citizen of the United States, though they did not recognize his Canadian citizenship as meaning anything to them. Later he moved back to the USA, and had no problem in doing so because he presented himself as an American citizen, and he resides there to this day.
The USA doesn’t have any way of stopping you from going abroad and acquiring citizenship in another country. Like most countries they do not formally recognize it - from their perspective you’re an American, and always will be, just as Canada would not give a crap if I became a citizen of Argentina or something.
The State Department person you spoke to was incompetent.