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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Alissa Quart

I don’t identify with my country’s values anymore. Is this ‘citizenship insecurity’?

Children pledge allegiance to the US flag with blown-up images of the US citizenship application across the walls of the classroom
‘I am not applying for another passport out of immediate danger or fear. Instead, it is about estrangement.’ Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images

It starts with a quiz from a law firm: did your grandparents leave before or after 1951? Do you have their passports or marriage certificate?

If I answer correctly, I will get another email from a lawyer who specializes in citizenship claims. If I do not, my file may be quietly marked as a long shot. The stakes are high: if successful, I could ultimately obtain an EU citizenship for myself and then perhaps for other members of my family.

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