I will post my progress on the quest to give up my American citizenship here for everyone to see.....

Here was the second email that I sent to the US Consulate regarding going about the process of giving up my American citizenship. A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Hong Kong authorities to get a roadmap of how to get a Chinese citizenship. However, there are many other issues involved surrounding giving up the USA. First and foremost to me, is trying to find out what exactly I am giving up. I have paid over US$200,000 in Social Security and Medicare taxes up to this point and I need to find out what I am entitled to as a former citizen. Secondly, the US Government in its infinite wisdom has larded up the process with many different filings and requirements for filings that stretch as long as a decade into the future. Ergo, my questions....

Consulate General of Hong Kong,

I am a US born citizen now a permanent resident of Hong Kong. I am in process at trying to obtain citizenship here, which as you know is gaining citizenship of China. I am aware of the risks and the timing issues involved, but I need some answers from you before I decide to proceed since I will be required to give up my American citizenship.

Previously, I requested that the Consulate provide me with some info on giving up my citizenship. However, the only information that I have received involves the actual procedure of giving up citizenship but I have also hear that there are such issues as exit taxes and tax filing requirements that can last as long as a decade that will also have to be addressed. Additionally, I have a couple of IRA’s, have paid into Social Security and Medicare for a lifetime. I want to know how these programs are treated and what benefits that I give up upon relinquishing my citizenship.

If there is an officer that I could talk to on these issues, I would be very grateful.

Regards,
Glenzo

I received this back from the Consulate today.....

Dear Mr. Glenzo,

Thank you for your inquiry.

We do not have an IRS attaché in Hong Kong, but for your IRS-related and IRA/tax questions, you can take a look at the IRS website for international taxpayers at http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/index.html. It has general information and links to frequently asked questions. To ask specific questions, the contact information for the IRS office in Philadelphia that covers U.S. taxpayers in Hong Kong is

Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 920
Bensalem, PA 19020

Or you may telephone or FAX the Philadelphia Service Center office at:
Tel: 215-516-2000 (not toll-free)
Fax: 215-516-2555
Phone service available from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm (EST) M-F

If you are unable to get your questions answered there, you can send an e-mail to the tax attaché who covers Hong Kong who is in Beijing: Chinchie.C.Killfoil@irs.gov. While her primary role is to liaise foreign governments on tax-related issues, she has offered to assist U.S. taxpayers in Hong Kong. If your questions require specific recommendations, you may wish to consult an attorney that specializes in expat tax issues. Lists of attorneys are available on our website at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_attorneys.html .

In regards to Social Security and Medicare benefits, please see the Social Security Administration international programs website at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/international/index.html, specifically the publication Social Security--Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States. This publication will help you determine if you will still be eligible to receive benefits if you give up your U.S. citizenship. Eligibility for Medicare is determined by Social Security eligibility, but Medicare benefits are only available in the United States, so you would not be able to get Medicare benefits in Hong Kong even if you are eligible. If after consulting the Social Security website, you still have questions related to your specific situation, please call our Federal Benefits Unit at 2841-2483.

We hope that this information answers your inquiry. However, if it does not, or if we can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to e-mail us again or call us at the phone numbers below.

Sincerely,

American Citizen Services
US Consulate General
26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
acshk@state.gov
Tel. 2841-2211, 2841-2225, 2841-2323

This is not going to be easy, but I think that I need to do it. I cannot bear any longer to see my formerly great nation become just another sclerotic socialist Euro state. Its fantastically embarrassing and honestly not worth fighting for. Better to move and say goodbye.