Renewing passport becomes nightmare for US Doctor. Read to know more

By: Pune Pulse

November 29, 2023

Pune: Siavash Sobhani, a 62-year-old doctor, realized he was no longer considered a citizen of the United States when he applied to renew his US passport. Despite being born in the United States, educated and practicing medicine there for over 30 years, he was shocked to learn that he was mistakenly granted US citizenship during infancy.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Sobhani expressed his astonishment stating, “I was completely taken aback by this news. As a doctor, I have dedicated my entire life to serving my community. I have diligently fulfilled my responsibilities as a citizen by paying my taxes, voting for presidents and contributing to society in Northern Virginia. Even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, I continued to work, risking my own well-being and that of my family. Therefore, being informed after 61 years that there was an error and I am no longer considered a US citizen is truly and profoundly shocking.”

According to a State Department representative, Sobhani’s citizenship should not have been granted at birth due to his father’s diplomatic status with the Embassy of Iran. This was highlighted in a correspondence, stating that individuals born in the United States to parents with diplomatic immunity do not automatically obtain US citizenship at birth. Sobhani had previously renewed his passport without any issues and had his US citizenship verified throughout his life. However, when he decided to renew his passport in February, which was set to expire in June for a family vacation in July, he encountered this unique issue.

He mentioned that he has already applied for citizenship based on the official’s information and has incurred legal expenses exceeding $40,000, yet remains uncertain about his future. He expressed concerns about the waiting period for his interview, questioning whether he would have to wait another year for the interview, followed by three more years for the next step, and then an additional ten years before being able to travel abroad.

At 62, he had been contemplating retirement and had made plans to explore different countries with his wife this year. However, due to the current situation, he is unable to even visit his seriously ill father-in-law in Lebanon. He lamented that if his father-in-law were to pass away, he would not be able to attend the funeral.