If someone has dual citizenship (US and a close ally thereof), is it possible for that person to lawfully retain US citizenship while serving in the allied nation's military forces?

Yes

I actually don't think you even need dual-citizenry, as long as you at no time OPPOSE the US militarily, your free to become a mercenary for any army.

Hold on let me get this straight.
You have a serious, possibly life altering question, with ramifications about your future, your family, and work possibilities.... and you come to ayonae.ro to ask for an answer?


I see no problem here. Just making sure I read the situation right.

Master Damoiel Mindbend
Retired Enchanter of the 60th Season

Ps. If you follow the advice of those that come to these boards, you will deserve what you get.

First off, the question was posed in a neutral sense and such... why would you automatically (though correctly) infer that it relates to me? :p

Second, thanks for the answer. It's hypothetical at the moment (and irrelevant for at least a year if I actually decide to do it), so I didn't want to bother a consul over it.

Thirdly, and don't take it as rudeness, but I asked for facts, not opinions as to whether I should do so *ducks a rotten tomato followed by shouts of "Traitor!" from the right-wingers and "Murderer!" from the more liberal Euros*

And ayonae.ro has some of the most informed and intelligent folks I know, particularly Nydia and Gulor. If I had been looking for feedback, I just might have turned here anyway.

edit: fixed (some) punctuation.

I believe there are ramifications, though I do not know that loss of citizenship is one of them. I don't know enough about the legalities to offer an opinion that I would be confident in. Laws also have a way of changing over time so that what was illegal fifty years ago might be allowed today.

Dual citizenship is one of those messy areas that I do not know enough about to give solid advice. I would have whoever is interested contact a lawyer specializing in naturalization/immigration matters since that is an area they are likely to have encountered questions on before.

I'd also recommend you contact someone with an offical opinion just to be sure, mines based on light experience and knowledge.

I Know when I was living in Canada, I was allowed to join the Canadian Military if I so pleased.

I do know its quite common for american soliders to hire themselves out as mercenaries to foreign armies for better pay.
Only times I've ever seen trouble over it, were cases like the guy in afghanistan who was aiding the taliban or whatever.