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In depth
Renunciation is the voluntary act of giving up one's citizenship, typically by making a formal declaration to the country's consulate or ministry. It is distinct from denaturalization, which is involuntary.
Some countries require renunciation of prior citizenship as a condition of naturalization (e.g., Germany, Japan, China, Singapore). However, most CBD regimes do not require renunciation — Italy, Ireland, Poland, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina all permit dual citizenship.
Renunciation is irreversible in most countries. The US charges a $2,350 fee for renunciation and requires an in-person appointment at a US embassy or consulate abroad.
Example
An American who naturalizes as a Japanese citizen must renounce US citizenship because Japan does not permit dual citizenship.
Related terms
Dual citizenship (also called multiple citizenship) is the status of being a citizen of two or more countries simultaneously, with the rights and obligations of each.
Naturalization is the legal process by which a non-citizen acquires the citizenship of a country, typically after meeting residency, language, and integration requirements.
Citizenship by descent (CBD) is the legal right to acquire a country's citizenship through one's ancestors — typically a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent — without being born in that country, based on the principle of jus sanguinis.
Jus sanguinis (Latin for 'right of blood') is the principle that grants citizenship based on the citizenship of one's parents or ancestors, regardless of where one is born.
Jus soli (Latin for 'right of the soil') grants citizenship based on being born in the territory of the state, regardless of the parents' citizenship.
Denaturalization is the legal revocation of a person's citizenship, typically on grounds of fraud, disloyalty, or — historically — persecution.