Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Second Oath of Allegiance ceremony: Carrie Lynn Boylan becomes FSM citizen

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): December 24, 2013 - On Tuesday, December 17, 2013, Carrie Lynn Boylan became the second person in the history of the Federated States of Micronesia to obtain FSM citizenship through the new naturalization process when she renounced her US citizenship and received the Oath of Allegiance from President Manny Mori. Mrs. Boylan's father, Russel Jay Varner, is a US citizen and her mother, Rene'e Etscheit-Varner, a Pohnpeian from Nett Municipality, which made Mrs. Boylan a national of the FSM. Pursuant to a change in the law by the FSM Congress, FSM nationals may apply for and be granted citizenship under Presidential approval. Mrs. Boylan applied to become an FSM citizen by renouncing her US citizenship and applying for FSM citizenship through this new process. Aliens (those individuals who are not born or adopted to an FSM father or mother), need Congressional approval to become FSM citizens.

The FSM Constitution does not allow adults to hold dual citizenship, that is, a citizen of both the FSM and another country. However, when a child, who has at least one FSM citizen parent, is born in another country or to a parent who is a citizen of another country, the child maintains citizenship in both countries until, within three years after reaching his or her 18th birthday, the child chooses which citizenship he or she wants to keep. If no election is made, then the child automatically becomes a national and loses his or her citizenship because the FSM Constitution does not allow adults to maintain dual citizenship.

Mrs. Boylan was born in California, USA and moved to Pohnpei when she was less than two years old, where she grew up. She later went back to the USA to receive her education and after that came back and stayed in Pohnpei to date. Mrs. Boylan and her family have been engaged in the business commercial sector in Pohnpei state for more than 15 years. She is the operator and owner of "Perfume and Things" and is also the operator and owner of Varner Boylan Corporation, a real estate agency. Mrs. Boylan is married and has 4 children, 3 of whom were born in Pohnpei.

Present for the naturalization ceremony were family and friends of Mrs. Boylan as well as Secretary Lorin Robert, Secretary April Dawn Skilling, and Chief of Staff Leo Falcam, Jr.