The New Dual Citizenship Bill: What the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 Means for US Expats
The new dual citizenship bill, officially called the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, is a proposal that would ban dual citizenship for Americans and require individuals to choose one nationality. The bill is not law, and dual citizenship remains fully legal today. Experts expect significant constitutional and administrative barriers to prevent the proposal from becoming reality.
Here’s the most important thing to know: Nothing has changed for U.S. expats today.
Dual citizenship is still legal, and no renunciation deadlines or requirements exist. This guide walks through what the proposal includes, how it could affect Americans abroad, and why experts believe it is unlikely to move forward.
Related Article: Countries That Allow Dual Citizenship: A Complete List
Stay compliant, stay confident.
What the Dual Citizenship Bill Actually Proposes
The Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, introduced by Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), seeks to:
- Ban dual citizenship for all U.S. citizens
- Require existing dual citizens to renounce one nationality
- Treat non-compliant individuals as having voluntarily relinquished U.S. citizenship
- Automatically strip citizenship from anyone who naturalizes in another country in the future
- Create a federal registry of dual citizens
- Reclassify former citizens as foreign nationals for immigration purposes
The bill is built around a single idea: U.S. citizens should owe sole and exclusive allegiance to the United States.
It introduces three significant changes:
1. Mandatory Renunciation for Existing Dual Citizens
If enacted, dual citizens would have one year to renounce either their foreign citizenship or their U.S. citizenship.
What Does the Law Require?
It would require all U.S. citizens to hold only one nationality. Existing dual citizens must renounce their foreign citizenship or their U.S. citizenship within one year, while future foreign naturalizations would automatically trigger loss of U.S. citizenship.
Anyone who misses the deadline would be treated as having voluntarily relinquished their U.S. citizenship, one of the bill’s most controversial points.
2. Automatic Loss of U.S. Citizenship for Future Naturalizations
After the bill takes effect, any U.S. citizen who voluntarily acquires a foreign citizenship would automatically lose U.S. citizenship upon naturalizing elsewhere.
This would affect standard expat settlement paths such as:
- Long-term residency leading to naturalization
- Dual-national rights for children
- EU citizenship pathways
- Spousal or family-based naturalization abroad
Related Article: Reouncing US Citizenship: Costs, Tax Implications, and Requirements
3. Creation of a Federal Registry of Dual Citizens
The bill directs the State Department, DHS, and the Attorney General to create a centralized database of dual citizens and to classify non-compliant individuals as aliens under immigration law, which means they’d need a visa to visit the United States.
Is the Dual Citizenship Bill Likely to Become Law?
Most likely, no. This is because it conflicts with Supreme Court rulings that prohibit stripping citizenship without a person’s voluntary intent. It also lacks bipartisan support and would be nearly impossible to implement due to massive consular backlogs for renunciation appointments.
The bill faces three major obstacles:
1. Constitutional Precedent
The Supreme Court’s decisions in Afroyim v. Rusk and Vance v. Terrazas guarantee that:
- Citizenship cannot be taken away without an individual’s voluntary, intentional act
- Congress cannot redefine “intent” through deadlines
The dual citizenship bill directly contradicts these rulings.
2. Administrative Impossibility
- Renunciation appointment backlog: 30,000+ cases
- Annual capacity: ~5,000 cases
- The bill would require millions of dual citizens to renounce a nationality within 12 months.
The U.S. consular system cannot process the millions of renunciation cases the dual citizenship bill would require, making the proposal effectively impossible to implement. This alone makes compliance almost impossible, meaning millions could lose citizenship not because they chose to, but because they could not get an appointment in time.
3. The Bill Lacks Political Support
The proposal was introduced by a single senator and has not gained bipartisan momentum. Legislative forecasting models put the probability of enactment at roughly 3%. For now, this is not a policy that Congress appears prepared to advance.
Is Dual Citizenship Still Legal Under U.S. Law?
Yes. Dual citizenship remains fully legal in the United States. The Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025has not been enacted and does not change current law. Americans can still hold more than one citizenship, and no renunciation deadlines or requirements exist today.
If the Dual Citizenship Bill Ever Passed, What Would It Mean for U.S. Expats?
If enacted, the dual citizenship bill would force U.S. expats who hold another nationality to choose between their U.S. citizenship and their foreign citizenship. Dual citizens would have one year to renounce one nationality, and future naturalizations abroad would result in automatic loss of U.S. citizenship.
Existing dual citizens abroad would face a decision:
Option 1: Keep U.S. citizenship
You would need to renounce your foreign citizenship, which could affect:
- Residency and long-term stays abroad
- Work authorization and business ownership
- Property rights
- Local healthcare and pension systems
- Family reunification pathways
Option 2: Keep foreign citizenship
You would need to formally renounce U.S. citizenship, which triggers:
- Expatriation tax rules (including the Exit Tax for some)
- Visa requirements for future U.S. travel
- Loss of U.S. voting rights and federal benefits eligibility
Related Article: US Exit Tax: Your Guide For Renouncing Citizenship
Option 3: Do nothing
Under the bill, you would automatically lose U.S. citizenship after one year. This “automatic loss” is one of the bill’s most constitutionally vulnerable provisions, and likely unenforceable.
Accidental Americans
Individuals who gained U.S. citizenship at birth, but did not actively choose it, (also called Accidental Americans) would be forced to choose between nationalities. This is a major reason experts expect the bill to face constitutional hurdles. Courts have historically protected this group, making forced renunciation especially unlikely to survive legal challenge.
Tax Implications for Expats Under the Dual Citizenship Bill
The dual citizenship bill does not change U.S. tax law. If someone chose foreign citizenship under the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, existing expatriation tax rules, including potential covered expatriate status and Exit Tax liability, would apply.
Key points:
- Covered expatriate status applies if net worth ≥ $2 million, income tax liability ≥ $206,000, or if tax compliance is incomplete
- Dual citizens at birth may qualify for exemptions
- Retirement accounts may be taxed as ordinary income upon expatriation
- Deemed sale rules can apply to worldwide assets
Travel and Passport Implications if Citizenship Is Lost
Under the bill, anyone who loses U.S. citizenship, voluntarily or automatically, would:
- Be classified as a foreign national
- Need a visa to enter the United States
- Lose U.S. consular protections overseas
For expats with close family in the U.S., this could be a major consideration.
What U.S. Expats Should Do Right Now
You do not need to take any action at this time.
Dual citizenship remains legal. No deadlines apply. No new requirements exist. Experts recommend:
1. Do not renounce U.S. citizenship based on this bill.
It is unlikely to pass and extraordinarily unlikely to survive judicial review.
Related Article: What Happens If You Renounce Your US Citizenship?
2. Stay compliant with U.S. tax rules.
Five years of clean tax filings is essential for avoiding covered expatriate status if you ever choose to renounce in the future.
Related Article: Do I Pay Taxes in Both Countries as a Dual Citizen?
3. Stay informed through credible, expat-focused sources.
Greenback will continue monitoring developments and translating complex proposals into clear, practical guidance.
How Greenback Helps U.S. Expats Navigate Uncertainty
When policy proposals circulate online, it’s easy to feel anxious—especially when you live abroad. Greenback’s accountants specialize exclusively in expat tax rules and can help you:
- Understand how U.S. tax law applies to your citizenship status
- Model potential outcomes if you are considering long-term planning abroad
- Avoid tax mistakes that could trigger covered expatriate classification
- Stay compliant with confidence, no matter where you live
Have questions about how the dual citizenship bill might affect your tax situation? Get personalized guidance from a tax expert who understands expat life.
Plan Abroad with Peace of Mind
