Surprise! Being an American abroad means being a second-class citizen

“Americans abroad need more attention. We deserve to be treated fairly, to have our voices heard, and to enjoy the same rights as Americans living in the U.S. We shouldn’t be punished for where we were born.”

— April Giarla

Dear Congress,

Never in a million years would I have thought that being American could cause so many hurdles and discrimination while living abroad.

I was born in New York but spent most of my life in Kansas, and in 2007, I moved to France for what I thought was just a short-term teaching opportunity. But life has a funny way of surprising you. I ended up falling in love, marrying a great Frenchman, and now we have two kids. We’ve built a happy life in the suburbs of Paris, and I’ve been working in the marketing department of a French company for several years.

Even though I feel at home here, all of my family is still in the U.S., mostly in Kansas with some on the East Coast. We make it a point to visit each other every year, but my life is now firmly rooted in France.

Unexpected challenges of being an American abroad

But what I didn’t expect were the challenges that come with being an American abroad. One of the biggest shocks? Taxes. I was completely blindsided when I found out I still had to report my already-taxed French income to the IRS. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the U.S. is the only country—besides Eritrea—that requires its citizens to declare taxes no matter where they live.

Every year, I’m tangled in the frustrating and costly process of filing taxes in two countries, all because I’m American. It’s an exhausting process, and honestly, it feels unnecessary.

I was denied a mortgage — because I’m American

But I’m not even sure that’s the worst. When my husband and I tried to buy our first home, I was DENIED a mortgage just because of my American citizenship, courtesy of FATCA (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act). I couldn’t believe it. On top of that, many of the investment options available for retirement are completely off-limits to me because of the same law.

I’m just a normal person with a regular job and an average salary, just trying to live my life and provide for my family. I’m no billionaire trying to avoid taxes in some foreign country (and I certainly wouldn’t be living in the highly-taxed country of  France if that were the case!) Why am I being penalized just because I was born in the U.S.?

More than annoying — the roadblocks are discriminatory

These financial challenges aren’t just minor inconveniences—they’re real roadblocks. Not only have I been denied mortgages and investment opportunities as I mentioned, but I can’t even open certain normal banking accounts simply because I’m American. It’s not just frustrating; it’s downright discriminatory.

This isn’t about being on the verge of financial ruin. It’s about fairness. I pay my taxes, contribute to society, and follow the rules, just like everyone else. Yet, I’m denied basic financial rights that my neighbors enjoy without a second thought. FATCA, which was supposed to crack down on tax evasion, has instead placed unnecessary burdens on regular, law-abiding citizens like me, surrounding us with red tape and constant suspicion.

Americans abroad need more attention. We deserve to be treated fairly, to have our voices heard, and to enjoy the same rights as Americans living in the U.S. We shouldn’t be punished for where we were born.

Sincerely,

April Giarla