It is very unlikley that I would ever renounce my citizenship of the US. The peoples of other countries should be proud of their countries, and many of them want to come to the US and become citizens. But rememeber, that Lee Harvey Oswald after renouncing his citizenship decided to return from the workers paradise of the USSR. Also it should be pointed out that the late Col. David Hackworth came home after over twenty years in Australia. Sooner or later, no mater where you are from or what you left behind, you are going to get home sick. It should also be pointed out that Joe Conforte of Mustang Ranch fame has found that living in Brazil is starting to grind on his well being, and has been attempting to strike a deal with the IRS so that he can come back and spend out his remaining years in the western part of the US.

There are only a couple of forms for you to fill out if that is what you want to do, and then you are done with the US. You had better know full well what you are doing. Also while you are out of the US you had better watch what you say and do because if you ever come back, you might find when you get off the plane a couple of civil servants wearing cheap flannel suits waiting for you. The US government does not have the time and money to do a lot of things, but some how they seem to not have any problem getting the money to monitor people in other countries that have renounced their citizenship.

To quote Lee Greenwood "and I am proud to be an American where at least I know Iam free."

Nobody cusses the US more than the Desert Dweller, but you see where he lives. Whats more he has the right to cuss it, there has been a lot of blood shed in the past 200 years to give the Desert Dweller and everyone else that right.

Points taken Desert Dweller; overall, heed cautiously. Filing a U.S. tax form yearly, no matter if you have anything to pay or not on a 'worldy' income, is one (of many) requirement I'd advice others to do in a similiar situation.

It is because Spain and the USA don't have a dual citizenship agreement. That's why you are supposed to renounce to your US citizenship. But even the judges say clearly that the Spanish Justice will not communicate that renouncing to the US Authorities, so as far as nobody in the US Administration knows you have renounced your US citizenship, you can still keep and renew your US passport, have 'friendly' relationships with the IRS, etc.

The only point in getting the Spanish citizenship is in case you intend to live and work permanently in Spain (or in any UE country, what a Spanish passport allows automatically you to do, after a bit of paperwork).

Thanks Torrales. Why is it that one has to get a visa (one of the ones offered: like bus. investment, job contract, etc.);beforehand, like others that want to live in Spain but don't have the ancestor connection? I ask, b/c a friend of mine wants to to go through the same steps as myself, but was told by her 'local' consulate that she would have to get a "normal" visa first, then mention to authorities while living in Spain (after one-year) that she had a Spanish grandmother. At this point, she could apply for citizenship. I was told by my 'local' consulate that I could NOT work the first year, and that once the year was up and I got the Spanish passport, I could do as any other citizen of the EU. I've been told that different consulates have their own guidelines; this is crazy. Any feedback on why this is the case?

>>>Spanish residency would not be enough to get a job in another EU country. For that you'd need EU citizenship, or prove that you should get working papers & residency in that country as an American.>>

That is some sort of misunderstanding of the concept of "EU citizenship". "EU citizenship" is not a stand-alone or "strap on" thing to have.

Once you have acquired the citizenship of ANY EU member country (some temporary limitations apply to the new EU countries), you automatically are considered a EU citizen. This does not require any additional application or procedure.

The fundamental right of free movement of EU citizens includes the right to settle in any other EU country provided you can prove means of subsistence (a job, property, even unemployment benefits, someone to support you). You need to follow the "local" laws on registration and how to prove your subsistence level, but it is the same procedure for all EU citizens. That you also might have a Third country citizenship (= US) should not play any role unless you insist to settle as an American citizen and not as a EU citizen.

Ceb and everyone else-
I'm caught in similar "waters", and don't know what to do. I live in the US and am proud to be a citizen. I was born in Spain though. Now I'm looking to relocate to spain and dont even know where to begin. Should I become a Spain Citizen? Do i have to give up my US citizenship? I haven't been to spain in over 15 years (im 30), and i lived in NYC, Denver, and California ... to find the same results... not happy. I'm more scared to do the jump than anything else. Please, any info or suggestions will be highly appreciated.

HOW ABOUT CREDIT CARDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT?
what happens when you relocate to EU/ Spain? Is your American Credit good there or in some cases bad? How about if you become a citizen there? Do you start from scratch all over again?
alex