<P> As recently as November 2014, individuals renouncing US citizenship waited up to 6 months for the official certificate of renunciation, while many renunciants, particularly those who renounced in consulates not located in the most common European cities such as London and Zurich, were never provided with a CLN and were told that the statement signed at the oath of renunciation is the only form given . Unofficial statements by the US State Department ascribe the problems to the fact that before 2010, the system was not efficiently designed and consular officers often improvised their own procedures based on the rough guidelines in their instructions . Since the passage of FATCA, the large increase in renunciations led the Department of State to re-organize the process so it is clear and follows the same steps in all consulates, although as of 2016, a backlog of several months still exists in many consulates . </P> <P> Although many countries require citizenship of another nation before allowing renunciation, the United States does not, and an individual may legally renounce U.S. citizenship and become stateless . Nonetheless, the United States Department of State warns renunciants that, unless they already possess a foreign nationality or are assured of acquiring another nationality shortly after completing their renunciation, they would become stateless and without the protection of any government . </P> <P> In one case, Vincent Cate, an encryption expert living in Anguilla, chose to renounce his US citizenship to avoid the possibility of violating US laws that may have prohibited US citizens from "exporting" encryption software . </P> <P> Renunciation of U.S. citizenship was free until July 2010, at which time a fee of $450 was established . An increase to $2,350, effective September 12, 2014, was justified as "reflective of the true cost" of processing . This followed a fee increase of approximately 220% in 2013 . The increase took effect in January 2015 . </P>

What happens when you relinquish your us citizenship