The Legal Status and Problems of the American Abroad

Abstract

The American abroad is, of course, still legally an American. His status, however, is far from simple. Some will find themselves subject to foreign military draft where they reside abroad. Some will have property expropriated by their foreign host. Some will be thrown in jail and search in vain for the "due process of law" to which they had grown accustomed at home. During the ten years from 1954 to 1963, more than 43,000 Americans lost their citizenship for a variety of reasons. To some three-quarters of a million Ameri cans residing abroad today, there are real problems in their daily maintenance of status. This article demonstrates in a summary manner the legal pitfalls that can await the Ameri can abroad because he is abroad. These pitfalls can often be avoided if recognized. An awareness of their existence is the first essential.