Peter Thiel has not publicly renounced his U.S. citizenship. A few years ago he received “citizenship by exception” from New Zealand—a special grant that bypasses the standard naturalisation criteria because the government deemed his presence beneficial.
Key points:
- New Zealand’s exception citizenship does not obligate the recipient to give up any existing passports.
- The United States (and countries such as Germany) generally permit dual or multiple citizenships, so acquiring a New Zealand passport does not automatically revoke U.S. status.
- Consequently, Thiel could legally hold three passports—U.S., New Zealand, and any other he may already possess—each treating him as a citizen while he remains in that jurisdiction.
Thus, while Thiel’s exact personal citizenship status is private, the legal framework indicates he can retain his U.S. citizenship alongside the New Zealand citizenship granted by exception.
