Dual citizenship and army service

[Dustin Hosseini]

Speaking from personal experience, usually the problem at hand is visiting
the native country, not a second country that has close contacts. 

For example, my father is Iranian and my mother American, I was born in the
United States.  I have never applied for Iranian citizenship.  However, in
the eyes of the Iranian government, I am a citizen of Iran since my father
was born there and is from there.  If I were to visit Iran on an Iranian
passport, then I would be liable for military service, unless of course I
paid an official some four to $10,000.  I did, however, visit Iran with my
American (and sole) passport under Khatami; it was a risk, but it was well
worth it.  How good are the relations between the US and Armenia?  

This student has lived in the US since he was 13 and acquired US
citizenship.  On top of all of that, he is visiting Russia, not Armenia.  If
he were to visit Armenia, then there would be an issue, if officials there
chose to make it so.  Just as an example.... if you were a US citizen born
to Syrian parents in the US, you are also considered Syrian and liable for
military service.  But I really doubt that Egypt, Saudi Arabia or any other
Arab country would deport the said person to Syria for military duty, and
this would be just the same in Russia concerning citizens of other CIS
nations.  

It's already been mentioned that the US State Department likes to write its
little warnings, with little or no concrete evidence of the issue.  Police
here in Moscow don't go around harassing Caucasian or "dark-looking" people
so as to deport them; they harass them for bribes, if anything at all.  

The student in question will be safe from military service so long as he
doesn't stray into Armenia.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------