The Oath to Renounce

U.S. Naturalizers Sign a Renounciation Oath

The procedures for how one renounces their citizenship differs for each country. During the first set of paper collection rounds, my case officer had a bunch of binders on his desk, outlining the laws regarding nationality for every country. The binders for South Korea and the P.R.C. look well used, and were set aside right in front. For America, he had to pull out a dusty binder from the bottom.

I'm not 100% sure when this form is presented to you in the order of documentation or whether the form is a new procedure, as my second case worker — the one responsible for evaluating my paperwork and interviewing me and my spouse, not the one who collected my paperwork — was the one to bring it up. After my interview, I received a mobile phone call and the conversation went something like this:

"There's something we forgot to give you regarding renouncing your citizenship. We'll mail it to your registered address. Please return it back to the 法務局 {hōmukyoku} (Bureau of Legal Affairs) after signing it."

The form that I received in the mail was a very plain piece of A4 paper that had this printed on it:

宣誓書 {senseisho}

平成 {heisei}　　　　年 {nen}　　　　月 {gatsu}　　　　日 {nichi}



法務大臣 {Hōmu-daijin}　　殿 {dono}



申請者 {shinseisha}
住所 {jūsho}



氏名 {shimei}　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　㊞ {(in)}




日本に帰化したときは、 {Nihon ni kika shita toki wa, }直ちに {tadachi ni}　　　　の国籍を放棄・離脱します。 {no kokusei o hōki · ridatsu shimasu.}

If the form was in English, here's how it would translate:

Oath Statement

[Heisei era] Year:    Month:     Day:     

To: the Ministry of Justice


Applicant
  Address:

  Name:                                      (stamp)



After naturalizing to Japanese, I will immediately abandon/renounce my ____________ citizenship.

Attached to the paper was a blue Post-it® note near the blank on the last night, and it said 『↑「アメリカ合衆国」と記載してください。 {"Amerika-gasshūkoku" to kisai shite kudasai.}』 ("↑Please write 'United States of America'.") I wonder what happens if you're a dual national? Do you get more than one of these forms, or do you write more than one country in the small spot provided?

Depending on a country's requirements, the existence of this written signed document, addressed to another government, may be necessary to generate an "expatriating event" which will allow you to renounce your citizenship.

There is no exact timeframe listed on the document as to when you must renounce (it says "immediately"), but the verbal guideline you get is two (2) years. I don't know why it is two years. My theory is this number is chosen because it is the same length of time that dual national Japanese-Americans get to renounce their citizenship once they become an adult in Japan's eyes (20 years old); they must choose before they're twenty-two. Two years.

Both of these documents, the Oath to Renounce, and the unofficial English translation, are available for viewing and download on this site's Docs & Forms page.