Dual nationality for mixed race 22yr old

Hi,

I`m hoping someone can give me some advice. My mother is Japanese and my father is english. I had a Japanese passport when I was younger but have had an english one since the age of about 10. Although I have been to japan many times, I have lived in england my whole life. At the moment I am staying with family in Japan but my tourist visa runs out in one month. I am thinking about living in japan at some point but still want to be able to live in england too. Can anyone tell me what my options are? I would like to be able to live in the UK as well as Japan as I feel I am both Japanese and English and do not want to give up either nationality. I am turning 22 in June and am not sure whether I have to decide by then. Any advice would be greatly appreciated�BThanks

Michiko,

It sounds like you have both British and Japanese citizenship, so you can probably apply for a new Japanese passport at the Japanese embassy when you return to the UK. Officially, you are not supposed to have dual nationality after you reach the age of 22, but I don't think there is anything to stop you continuing with two passports.

Hi, Michiko,

Unfortunately although UK allows you to have dual nationalities, Japanese government currently don't. You are allowed to have both passports but you need to decide which nationality to become when you reach the age of 18. Now you are 22year old and still a British Citizen and have to get visa to stay in Japan.If you choose to become Japanese citizen you have to do teh same when you go to UK.

There is an organization who are campaining about dual nationality so it might be a good idea to contact and join them.
http://www.gcnet.at/

but you need to decide which nationality to become when you reach the age of 18.

In case of Japan: by the time you reach age 22.

Thanks for your responses. I will definitely look into getting a japanese passport when I go back to the UK but my 22nd Birthday will be a month away when I apply for it so will this cause problems? Also, if I do get a japanese passport, will this mean that I will be able to live and work in Japan in maybe a year or so? Thanks again for your advice

Michiko,

..but my 22nd Birthday will be a month away when I apply for it so will this cause problems?

No, I don't think so.

Also, if I do get a japanese passport, will this mean that I will be able to live and work in Japan in maybe a year or so?

Yes, as a Japanese citizen, you are free to live and work in Japan for a long as you want.

You need to go to Japan and renew your passport saying ichijikikoku, and they will not ask too many questions. The consular offices are more of a tight ass.

Say you declare japanese nationality, and tell Japan you renounce your british one. But dont actually follow through in Britain. Britain, they do not accept renounciation done made to foreign governments. It is a loophole that Alberto Fujimori used. Anyone can use it.

Michiko-san,

Please read the Japanese law well. It doesn't really tell you to "choose" one nationality. It merely tells you that you should pay the effort to choose one by the age of 22.

No authority will punish you even if you continue to hold dual nationality of Japanese/U.K. citizen. Inquire at your embassies and they will tell you the same thing.

The Japanese government will send you a letter shortly after your 22nd birthday to your last registered address. The letter will tell you to choose between Japanese and British nationality and that if you do not reply within a month you will lose your Japanese citizenship. I'm not sure if they will actually take your citizenship away if you don't respond but you will be able to live and work in Japan even if they do.

You're a child of a Japanese national. You can get the equivalent of a 'Spouse visa' as long as you have a family register. This visa allows you to live and work anywhere you want.

Read the Nationality Law:
http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/tnl-01.html

As stated - renouncing british nationality to Japan - is not the same as renouncing it to Britain. Also-

If you renounced your British citizenship or British overseas territories citizenship...to keep or get another citizenship, you have a right to be registered and resume the citizenship you renounced but you can make use of this only once. If you have already given up and then resumed one of these citizenships, and renounced again, the Home Secretary... will decide whether you can resume it again."

Best wishes

Hi, I have two mixed race (Japanese-English) grown-up sons who chose to be a Japanese nationality in Japan. Since they were born in London, they still have a British nationality too. But, if you think about the national insurance( for your future security), it is best to live in one country and visit the other as often as possible. There are mixed-raced young people's communities in Tokyo and Hyogo.My sons belong to the one in Tokyo. You can contact the following address; harts@blue-p.org
You can meet many nice mixed-race people there.
If you live in Kansai, then contact; forward_ed@hotmail.com

Uco-san is absolutely right. As long as your paying an effort to choose one citizenship over the other you're OK. I've kept both a US and Japanese passport for last 30 years and never had a problem.

I'm 23 years old and I also just got a new Japanese passport this summer. I always thought it was impossible but after talking to the staff at the Japanese consulate here in Los Angeles, there is absolutely no problem whatsoever. I even registered to vote in future Japanese elections so the local Los Angeles office gets more funding.

Dan, so did you renew your passport at the LA consulate, or obtain a new one?

Did you just bring your US passport or birth certificate (one of which I believe are required, unless you have a greencard), and they didn't mention anything about renouncing your US citizenship?

Maki, could you clarify what you mean by: "As long as your paying an effort to choose one citizenship over the other you're OK". Does this mean telling people you tried and failed to renounce US citizenship.
Thank you.

If you are applying for a Japanese passport and claiming Japanese citizenship, at no time should you ever show Japanese officials your US passport. So if you went to the Embassy or Consulate to apply for a Japanese passport, you just need to prove your Japanese nationality.

It is the status quo that when you want to use your Japanese Passport and claim Japanese nationality don't show your Other countries Passport. Eg you are entering Japanese Immigration que at the Airport, only show your Japanese Passport. When you return to say the US or UK, show your US and UK passport.

Hi
I am in the same situation as you, japanese mother, english father, i am 20 and was wondering what was the outcome of your efforts to get two passports. I am a british citizen with a uk passport

What most people would do is get the Japanese Passport and just not tell or never show the other passport. This situtuation is what I dare say "norm". Just never show your UK passport to the Japanese Immigration officials.