<P> Under certain circumstances there are relevant distinctions between dual citizens who hold a "substantial contact" with a country, for example by holding a passport or by residing in the country for a certain period of time, and those who do not . For example, under the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act of 2008, U.S. citizens in general are subject to an expatriation tax if they give up U.S. citizenship, but there are exceptions (specifically 26 U.S.C. § 877A (g) (1) (b)) for those who are either under age 181⁄2 upon giving up U.S. citizenship and have lived in the U.S. for less than ten years in their lives, or who are dual citizens by birth residing in their other country of citizenship at the time of giving up U.S. citizenship and have lived in the U.S. for less than ten out of the past fifteen years . Similarly, the United States considers holders of a foreign passport to have a substantial contact with the country that issued the passport, which may preclude security clearance . </P> <P> U.S. citizens are required by federal law to identify themselves with a U.S. passport, not with any other foreign passport, when entering or leaving the United States . The Supreme Court case of Afroyim v. Rusk declared that a U.S. citizen did not lose his citizenship by voting in an election in a foreign country, or by acquiring foreign citizenship, if they did not intend to lose U.S. citizenship . U.S. citizens who have dual citizenship do not lose their United States citizenship unless they renounce it officially . </P> <P> Citizenship began in colonial times as an active relation between men working cooperatively to solve municipal problems and participating actively in democratic decision - making, such as in New England town hall meetings . Men met regularly to discuss local affairs and make decisions . These town meetings were described as the "earliest form of American democracy" which was vital since citizen participation in public affairs helped keep democracy "sturdy", according to Alexis de Tocqueville in 1835 . A variety of forces changed this relation during the nation's history . Citizenship became less defined by participation in politics and more defined as a legal relation with accompanying rights and privileges . While the realm of civic participation in the public sphere has shrunk, the citizenship franchise has been expanded to include not just propertied white adult men but black men and adult women . </P> <P> Earlier on, U.S. citizenship was not given to people of Indian or East Asian descent . A.K. Mozumdar was the first person born in the Indian sub-continent to attain U.S. citizenship . A few years earlier, as a result of the 1898 United States v. Wong Kim Ark Supreme Court decision, ethnic Chinese born in the United States became citizens . During World War II, due to Japan's heavy involvement as an aggressor, it was decided to restrict many Japanese citizens from applying for U.S. citizenship, while Chinese citizens encountered no trouble, because of China's alliance with the United States . </P>

Can an american citizen vote in another country