Why is American citizenship so coveted? (actual question)

[Samuel]

Is it still highly desirable?

This isn't sarcasm. I'm genuinely asking as I see many young people go through great lengths to immigrate. I understand that in the 50's and 60's the US had been highly regarded for its higher standard of living and infrastructure; but in modern day I imagine many countries have caught up if not surpassed the US in that sense?

Is it for the university branding? Access to the top medical care, despite being wildly expensive? (Although technically you wouldn't need a citizenship for these.) Is it the ease of starting your own business? Cultural diversity? Acceptance of sexual diversity/identity? I would love if anyone who immigrated to the US would be willing to share their story.

 

[platocplx]

earning potential. you can potentially make a lot of money in the US. But even then its somewhat low.

 

[Cat Pee]

Decades of marketing as the "land of opportunity" without any mention of the potential downsides or the genuine difficulty of actually making it.

 

[TronLight]

A lot of people don't know how the US works. I know some people who are not well informed, and they have a pretty rose tinted look on it. They don't know about the issues with the medical insurance for example, or that you basically have to work even if you're dying and that you have no rights as a worker. They kinda see the US as a get rich quick scheme.

 

[Wrexis]

Someone said to me once that the floor is lower than many countries in the world, but the ceiling can be far, far higher than anywhere else.

 

[demosthenes]

/r/pics has someone posting about becoming an American citizen like once a week it seems like. Probably can find some first hand responses in there.

 

[nsilvias]

making shit wage in america is still gonna give you a slighty higher quality of life than in some countries and with that much more flexibility and the resources here there kids could potentialy use them to do more than they could have in there native country

 

[ScoobsJoestar]

I was born in the northern part of Brazil. In my hometown, apartments were considered more luxurious than houses because they were safer. To live in a house, you either needed a gated community or at the very least you needed electrified fences. Every single house had tall walls around it.

You walked down the street and you would get mugged, so you develop some reflexes like putting your wrist watch in your pocket when walking to attract less attention.

You hear about your friend getting kidnapped from inside his car for some cheap change for whatever reason. He's fine, it's almost a business transaction at that point - even he doesn't seem too stressed about it.

Everything you see on TV is super expensive and unattainable. Phones, computers, they're super expensive and while you can get one you can't upgrade as often as they do on tv, not even close.

Then on TV you see people not assuming they'll be mugged when they walk home from school, super fast kidnappings aren't something they've even heard of, and their houses aren't surrounded by tall walls with electrified fences!

Of course you start dreaming of moving to that place. My family sure as fuck did.

We ended up moving to Canada instead though which I'm very happy about and it suited us more in the end I think.

 

[Ade]

Weird idolising of the US more than anything, there are plenty of countries where citizenship is significantly more beneficial/valuable but the US is big and noisy so people pay attention to it

 

[Cation]

It's money and lifestyle. Sure the US should be 10x better than it is, healthcare should be a right, education should be free, and guns should be banned.

People forget that there are countries where people can't find work cause of the crumbling economy or if they can, their currency depreciates. Or a country where water and electricity are shut off periodically. Not to mention the many egregious human rights violations.

 

[tokkun]

- Developed economy, with relatively good wages
- English language, which is one of the most accessible second languages to learn the world over
- Diverse choices in local climate depending on where you want to live, unlike say Canada or northern Europe
- Significant cultural exports (e.g. Hollywood) so people have some familiarity with it already
- Fair amount of ethnic diversity. Not that hard to find different cultural communities in large cities

 

[BasilZero]

If you live in a country and plan to live there, why wouldnt you want the citizenship?


At least that is my reason for getting the citizenship.


No matter how many benefits there are, small or large amount - might as well take advantage.

 

[collige]

The dollar is strong so sending money back home is easier

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remittances_from_the_United_States

 

[Samuel]

Of course you start dreaming of moving to that place. My family sure as fuck did.

We ended up moving to Canada instead though which I'm very happy about and it suited us more in the end I think.

Click to shrink...

Wow, that certainly puts things in perspective! Thank you for sharing!

 

[gdt]

There are a million reasons really.


But I would also say some Euro and Canadian citizenships are highly prized as well.

 

[Dekuman]

Jobs

 

[Deleted member 24097]

Because the US alone account for 25% of the entire world's GDP.

Being poor in the US is still being rich in the next wealthiest nation.

(Or at least this is how the world perceives it - and it is not untrue)

 

[Deleted member 81119]

Anecdotally I have noticed a change from friends who talked about the dream living in America and now....very definitely not. Probably not too surprising.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

The American dream is still real.

 

[samoyed]

It takes time for the effects of cultural conditioning to wear off. And we still export craploads of our culture across the world.

And the other thing is, belief is often different from reality. Like, a lot of people in many cultures may have fantasized about running their own restaurant/food business but the food industry is not a pleasant place even in normal times. The US acts like this for would-be immigrants, it presents an ideal you can project your aspirations on before they're struck down by reality.

 

[Juan]

Several of my friends, French, wish to get it because they see US as a land of opportunities and still believe it's a country where they can move their career forward, but most are unaware of how the US system works, like healthcare, compared to how it's in France.

Once they learned about it, and several ways of the US system, it crushed a lot of their desires to get it, but still, the US is see as a land of many possibilities, if you want to work for big tech companies and maybe start your own business with a country which is way larger than the one they come from, with many potential customers you wouldn't get from a non-english speaking country.

 

[Brickhunt]

For all the problems the U.S has, it is still one of the better places to live if you come from countries with a crumbling/weakened economy and violence issues. I know a few people that are/were making minimum wage in the U.S at first and now have accomplished far more than they ever did in my home country.

 

[molnizzle]

It's still the easiest "developed" nation to immigrate to. Most of the world lives a lot worse.

 

[Lidl]

- Developed economy, with relatively good wages
- English language, which is one of the most accessible second languages to learn the world over
- Diverse choices in local climate depending on where you want to live, unlike say Canada or northern Europe
- Significant cultural exports (e.g. Hollywood) so people have some familiarity with it already
- Fair amount of ethnic diversity. Not that hard to find different cultural communities in large cities

Click to shrink...

- Rule of law and low level of corruption (yes I know, but comparatively it's still vastly better than in most other places)
- LGBTQ friendlier than probably 99% of the world
- FAANG wages are very desirable for most IT professionals around the world
- Access to venture capital and ease of starting a business

 

[DanteMenethil]

I would instantly double my salary if I could migrate to the US as a software developer from quebec

 

[Cyanity]

The US, despite its shortcomings, is still a very safe country with a lot of opportunity for people willing to work themselves to death.

 

[Nesotenso]

- Developed economy, with relatively good wages
- English language, which is one of the most accessible second languages to learn the world over
- Diverse choices in local climate depending on where you want to live, unlike say Canada or northern Europe
- Significant cultural exports (e.g. Hollywood) so people have some familiarity with it already
- Fair amount of ethnic diversity. Not that hard to find different cultural communities in large cities

Click to shrink...

all very good reasons. Someone can correct me if I am wrong here, but eventhough it takes a long time. the US at least provides options to immigrate either through employment or family. A lot of countries don't offer both I think.

 

[mentok15]

Theres not much desire here I Australia for it but the US is one of the places that matches or exceeds the pay you can get here. In the biotech field the to big places are the US or Europe, and the pay in the US is seems to be better even considering healthcare costs.

 

[Lunchbox-]

we have the best version of English

 

[jph139]

A lot of people who are willing to pack up their families and move to a new country halfway around the world tend to be ambitious, and America is perceived as a place that rewards ambition (and good luck). It has a low floor but a high ceiling, and to be frank that low floor still allows for a better quality of life than a lot of places in the world.

Plus, a long history of diversity and embedded communities from all around the world. In most cities bigger you can find pockets of any nationality or ethnicity you can think of, and those groups naturally act as beacons for friends and family members from back home who might be interested.

 

[Dyle]

A hidden factor is just sheer size given that the US is the largest single country that people want to immigrate to, it takes in a lot more people than comparable countries. All else being equal if you're going to immigrate somewhere the US is the most likely country you'd end up in so it makes sense that it ends up being particularly coveted.

 

[Crimsonskies]

Because the US alone account for 25% of the entire world's GDP.

Being poor in the US is still being rich in the next wealthiest nation.

(Or at least this is how the world perceives it - and it is not untrue)

Click to shrink...

I have not met anyone who actually believes that a student working at mcdonals here in Norway, earns more than than a single mom in the US working three jobs, to support her family.

Wages also have not risen with inflation which is kind of insane and the fact that Americans are not more pissed off about that is amazing to me.

 

[Deleted member 35987]

- Developed economy, with relatively good wages
- English language, which is one of the most accessible second languages to learn the world over
- Diverse choices in local climate depending on where you want to live, unlike say Canada or northern Europe
- Significant cultural exports (e.g. Hollywood) so people have some familiarity with it already
- Fair amount of ethnic diversity. Not that hard to find different cultural communities in large cities

Click to shrink...

One and done.

 

[Spork4000]

Because the US alone account for 25% of the entire world's GDP.

Being poor in the US is still being rich in the next wealthiest nation.

(Or at least this is how the world perceives it - and it is not untrue)

Click to shrink...

The next wealthiest? Nah..... Wealthier than a huge percentage of the world though.

 

[HMD]

That passport is just incredible.

 

[Lexxism]

A few thing I could thing off are:

• You earn more money in the US vs from where you are
• Opportunities
• A high value of USD for remittances
• Cost of stuff are cheaper

 

[Zyae]

- Developed economy, with relatively good wages
- English language, which is one of the most accessible second languages to learn the world over
- Diverse choices in local climate depending on where you want to live, unlike say Canada or northern Europe
- Significant cultural exports (e.g. Hollywood) so people have some familiarity with it already
- Fair amount of ethnic diversity. Not that hard to find different cultural communities in large cities

Click to shrink...

- Rule of law and low level of corruption (yes I know, but comparatively it's still vastly better than in most other places)
- LGBTQ friendlier than probably 99% of the world
- FAANG wages are very desirable for most IT professionals around the world
- Access to venture capital and ease of starting a business

Click to shrink...

Yeah despite how many legitimate problems we have and people pretending like the US is the worst place on the planet, its one of the best countries in the world to live in, especially for people seeking citizenship from poor countries. We are more accepting of other cultures than a large swath of the western world and its much easier to get permanent residency leading to citizenship and to assimilate than much of the western world.

 

[peppersky]

It's propaganda, nothing else, designed to somehow justify the continuing exploitation of the global south. "come here and make it, and maybe forget that the reason you can't make it where you are at is because we have exploited you for the last two hundred years and don't want to stop anytime soon."

Being poor in the US is still being rich in the next wealthiest nation.

Click to shrink...

whut

 

[Ecotic]

People are attracted to the culture of striving, the pioneer spirit, always onward, not encumbered by too much tradition or an ancient culture. The U.S. is so big, with so many places to live, so many possibilities. There's a strong romantic attachment to that ideal for some people.

 

[cvxfreak]

I come from a Filipino family and am the child of immigrants (and moved to Japan myself as a personal decision), so I'll use my observations as an example.

Filipinos are open to immigrating anywhere there are opportunities, such as Singapore, HK, Japan, the Middle East, Australia, Canada and Europe, but America is generally preferred due to:

• American cultural prestige stemming from the colonial period
• The use of English
• The greater number of opportunities an educated Filipino can have in the US, such as education, medical care, law, etc. In comparison, those who migrate to Japan are often stereotyped as "entertainers," or those who go to HK or the Middle East are stereotyped as domestic workers
• America offers a well-documented pathway to citizenship, allows dual nationality, and has a family reunification policy (Japan, for example, offers neither of the last two)
• Having been a colony of the US and with the US having been a developed country for longer than others, the average Filipino is likely to have some ties with the US that immigrants can use to get started
• The US dollar is seen as prestigious and stable; only the Yen seems to have a similar reputation among Filipinos (dating back to the bubble of the 1980s)

 

[thermopyle]

Look at where some immigrants are coming from and the answer isn't that difficult to ponder.

If you're moving from one super developed country to another, sure the reasons become more granular.

 

[Deleted member 4461]

America isn't great among 1st world countries, but it's still better than a majority of countries out there, which skews things.

Second, with enough luck, the ceiling in America is ridiculously high. It's one of the reasons America is disappointing - if the people at the bottom had the opportunities of the lucky ones higher up, the country would be incomparable.

Others have mentioned many other good reasons, too.

 

[grand]

There are a lot of financial & legal benefits to US citizenship. It also greatly broadens where you can and can't go with ease.

Plus, US allows dual citizenship and it's nigh impossible to lose citizenship so there's little downside to acquiring it unless you get really rich (in which the IRS will eventually come looking for you)

 

[samoyed]

There's also the potential to arbitrage your labor for the sake of your family. Working a janitor job in the US is not so different from working a janitor job in, say, South Asia, but the minimum wage in the US, even depressed as it is, could send your kids to college in South Asia. Many immigrants support their families back home off of their labor in the US. So long as it is the world reserve currency, "working yourself to the bone" counts for a lot more here than anywhere else. If you're going to do the same amount of work anyway, why not get the most returns for labor spent?

 

[lupinko]

You can vote in US elections.

 

[DekuBleep]

I think a lot of other say "1st world" countries that treat their citizens well are much more difficult to emigrate to... or much more difficult to attain status once you are there.

 

[Sordid Plebeian]

Image, family, location, remittances

 

[Deleted member 24097]

The next wealthiest? Nah..... Wealthier than a huge percentage of the world though.

Click to shrink...

It's propaganda, nothing else, designed to somehow justify the continuing exploitation of the global south. "come here and make it, and maybe forget that the reason you can't make it where you are at is because we have exploited you for the last two hundred years and don't want to stop anytime soon."


whut

Click to shrink...

Top 15 Countries by GDP in 2020

1. United States
GDP: $19.48 trillion
GDP Growth: 2.27%
GDP per Capita: $59,939
Share of World GDP: 24.08%

2. China
GDP: $12.23 trillion
GDP Growth: 6.9%
GDP per Capita: $8,612
Share of World GDP: 15.12%

And just like that, in two countries, you have 40% of the total wealth of the entire planet.

3. Japan
GDP: $4.87 trillion
GDP Growth: 1.71%
GDP per Capita: $38,214
Share of World GDP: 6.02%

This is called a distant third.


4. Germany
GDP: $3.69 trillion
GDP Growth: 2.22%
GDP per Capita: $44,680
Share of World GDP: 4.56%

The US are nearly as wealthy as China+Japan+Germany combined.

Setting aside purchasing power parity (because that's not what people from abroad are going to look at), that kind of wealth is definitely going to be attractive.

Add to that the military, cultural and linguistic dominance, and you've got yourself a pretty powerful combo.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Easier to travel if you're a citizen
More opportunities for work
More money upon retirement...I think

 

[nightstalker962]

The U.S dollar and American degrees are worshipped the world over. Also those giant ass McMansions and "freedom".