Job Discussion Forums

[Brooks]

do you have to give up your US passport or can you have two?
In Japan, dual nationality is not allowed.

[naturegirl321]

Yep, you can have as many as you want. But there's a catch. you have to be from a country that recognises it. For example, if you're from Holland, move to Peru and want to become a peruvian Citizen, you would have to give up your Holland citizenship.

The only exception is having one parent from Holland and one from Peru. Same goes for Germany and a handful of other contries.

[Mrs L]

It's really interesting this talk of Spanish surnames. I would have a problem with being asked to change my name the way they're asking you to nature girl. It means a whole other passport, and like you said possible problems for future children getting US citizenship. I always thought you dropped the mother's name when you use the 'de' anyway so as to only have 2 surnames not 3?

I found in Mexico when official people asked for my second surname they wouldn't believe me at first when I said I didn't have one but if my husband then told them 'she doesn't have one, she's foreign' that was ok I only have one surname on my Mexican marriage certificate for example.

As for my name. We got married in Mexico but moved to England shortly afterwards and I then changed my name to his first surname, the way it would be if I'd married a British guy. He's still officially Mr L M, but letters in joint names arrive to Mr and Mrs L. All the in-laws find it hilarious that I've taken his name, especially because it's such a Hispanic name and I'm so blonde. We sometimes have to hyphenate his surnames for online application forms here in the UK but most places let us put in two surnames with the space.

I do wonder what will happen if we move back to Mexico, or try to register any future children's births with the Mexican embassy. Will they be LL because I have my new married name on my passport, LT because they'll take my maiden name, or just L because they'll be born here? I'll let you all know if and when that happens.

Good luck with all the beurocracy Naturegirl.

[naturegirl321]

Here in Peru, the therory is that the more last names, the less chance people have the same name. I've heard from people in Mexico with FOUR last names, two from their mom and two from their dad. Now in Peru, you CAN?T drop your mother's name. You either keep your maiden name, or add the de and your husband's.

If I do do it here, I won't change my US stuff, too much trouble. bEUCASE I'm a foreigner too in Peru I don't need two last names. I do have them though, now because I'll be Peruvian I can either drop my husband's last name and take my mother's. Or add my mother's to my dad's and husband's

For Mexico, your kids would have LL. Because your hsuabdn's L and so are you.