What are legal obligations of dual US/Brazilian citizen?

[SMJR]

My daughter: born in Brazil, adopted there at age 3 by me (US citizen), lived in US since 1984, going on first trip back to Brazil in summer 09. Was told she is considered by Brazil to be a Braz. citizen (unless she formally renounces that citizenship) & that she can enter Brazil only w/ a Brazilian passport (& that she'd not be given a Brazil visa on her US passport). So! she's applied for a Br. passport. Also has been told by consulate that she must register to vote, and maybe some other stuff. She does not plan to live in Brazil. Besides the emotional advantages of being a dual citizen, are there also disadvantages to being a Brazilian citizen? Consequences to not voting? Tax implications? Other stuff? Thanks so much for any advice or sources to contact. Hard to get info from Br. officials!

[JAJ]

She must have a Brazilian passport, if she is still a Brazilian citizen.

(some countries remove citizenship from children adopted out to foreign citizens - others do not).

Not an issue for females, but military service is also an obligation.

If she got into trouble in Brazil, the United States could not give her consular assistance.

She may not have to register to vote, if not living in Brazil. However, the Brazilian authorities will generally expect citizens, including her, to speak Portuguese.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_t ... _1072.html

[SMJR]

Hi JAJ, many thanks for your help. My daughter did get a Brazilian passport and used it to enter and leave Brazil. (In fact, a Br. consulate had granted her a visa on her US passport, but she was afraid that was a mistake, so she used her Br passport instead.) The only question asked was why her name on her Br. passport was spelled differently than on her air ticket. Her name had been legally changed at the time of her US naturalization, but this change in not valid in Brazil. She was able to explain this to officials.
In addition, there were no requirements that she had to fulfill in order to leave Brazil. She was told that in order to renew her Br passport, she will have to prove that she has voted, which can be done at a Br consulate in the US. That was it! Thanks again.

[Traveler33]

JAJ, I agree that "brazilian authorities would generally expect a Brazilian to speak Portuguese" and it's a good idea to do so, because it avoids hassles, but from a legal standpoint she can certainly explain that she was adopted at a young age, doesn't speak the language well or at all, etc.