  Renormalization of two-loop divergent corrections to the vacuum expectation
values (v_1, v_2) of the two Higgs doublets in the minimal supersymmetric
standard model, and their ratio $\tan\beta=v_2/v_1$, is discussed for general
R_{\xi} gauge fixings. When the renormalized (v_1, v_2) are defined to give the
minimum of the loop-corrected effective potential, it is shown that, beyond the
one-loop level, the dimensionful parameters in the R_{\xi} gauge fixing term
generate gauge dependence of the renormalized $\tan\beta$. Additional shifts of
the Higgs fields are necessary to realize the gauge-independent renormalization
of $\tan\beta$.
