[run4yourlives]

Every country has requirements of its citizens. A lot force you to serve in the Armed Forces. The US doesn't do that.

While I agree that the US isn't as welcoming as it once was and has always had an onerous tax code, for foreigners it is still a huge benefit to work and do business there.

The funny thing is that Citizenship in the US has been essentially devalued by non-citizen working categories that have been developed in order to make the economy function. Unlike Europe or Canada, the US as a country doesn't really provide anything substantial to its citizens that make moving from a green card to a full citizen really worthwhile unless you care that much about voting.

Green Cards (or equivalent legal status) are gold though. Save the passports for EU countries or CAN/AUS. :-)

[sjtgraham]

Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) also have to pay tax on their worldwide income, even if they do not reside in the US.

[_delirium]

That's true, but adding some of the obligations of citizenship to permanent residency isn't uncommon, either. For example, permanent residents of Singapore of military age must serve in its military. Personally, I'd rather file a 1040 than attend boot camp, so am pretty happy with my U.S. citizenship, even as an expatriate. :)

[davidandgoliath]

But they can also leave, and it'll expire.

[mahyarm]

PR Cards are canada are pretty close to citizenship. PRs get subsided educations and are treated like citizens for all rights and purposes. Other than voting, political office, passports and other standard citizen benefits I don't know how Canada's PR is any worse than a US PR.