Navigating Dual Citizenship: Pope Leo XIV's Unique Position

Amid discussions on international law, Pope Leo XIV maintains both American and Vatican citizenship, continuing a notable trend among Popes while facing unique legal questions.

Pope Leo XIV, a lifelong American citizen, stands at a crossroads of nationality as the head of Vatican City, an internationally recognized sovereign entity. This unique situation raises pertinent questions about the feasibility of an American citizen leading a foreign nation concurrently. However, the answer is affirmative in both cases—an American can indeed serve as a foreign head of state, and a Pope can maintain foreign citizenship, although instances of this practice are uncommon.

The United States permits dual citizenship, as the State Department clarifies that an individual who assumes the role of a foreign head of state does not automatically forfeit their American citizenship if they wish to retain it. Additionally, the Holy See allows its Popes to keep their original citizenships. Notably, Pope Francis held on to his Argentine nationality and refreshed his passport as recently as 2017, while his predecessors did the same.

According to the State Department’s guidelines, foreign leaders keen on preserving American nationality may express this to the Department, although such circumstances can complicate matters of international law, particularly concerning immunity from U.S. jurisdiction. There have been rare instances where U.S. citizens have presided as leaders of foreign nations, such as Somalia's past president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who relinquished his American citizenship amid allegations of conflicting loyalties shortly after taking office.

The governance of Vatican City falls under the Holy See, which claims sovereign status recognized globally but opts for a permanent observer role at the United Nations to sustain political neutrality. Pope Leo is also a citizen of Peru, which upholds dual citizenship rights, yet the implications of this regarding a citizen's eligibility to lead a foreign state remain unclear.

The State Department has yet to respond to inquiries about Pope Leo's specific scenario, and the Vatican has not publicly disclosed the pontiff’s future intentions regarding his citizenship status. Michael Crowley, a seasoned journalist covering the State Department and foreign policy, continues to shed light on these significant international developments.