Immigrants & Immigration

To become a US citizen, you must:

• Be born in the US or US territories,
• Be born abroad to a US citizen parent or parents and they meet other requirements,
• Acquire citizenship through parents if you are a legal permanent resident before the age of 18, or
• Go through the naturalization process.

US citizenship by birth

You are automatically a US citizen if you are born in the United States. In most cases, you are also a US citizen if you were born in:

• Puerto Rico,
• Guam, or
• The US Virgin Islands.

Your birth certificate A legal document with a person's place of birth, time of birth, and parents is proof of your citizenship. For example, a child born in Illinois to undocumented parents will be a US citizen regardless of their parents' immigration status.

You are not considered a US citizen by birth if you are born in the United States and your parents are in the country because they are foreign diplomats. For example, a child is born in Washington, DC to foreign national parents who are working in the United States as staff in an embassy. The parents still maintain their status as foreign diplomats. The child does not become a US citizen at birth because their parents were not subject to the jurisdiction The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Also a region where a court has authority. of the United States.

US citizenship through naturalization 

Naturalization is the legal process by which a foreign citizen or national becomes a US citizen. This process involves meeting specific requirements. Naturalization grants the new citizen the same rights and responsibilities as native-born citizens, including the right to vote, work, and live permanently in the country. 

Learn more about becoming a US citizen through the process of naturalization. 

Can a person be a citizen of more than one country?

A person can be a citizen of more than one country. A citizen of two countries is called a "dual national."

For example, US citizens don’t automatically lose their citizenship by becoming a citizen of another country. If you are a US citizen and you become a citizen of another country, you may acquire dual citizenship depending on the country.

When a citizen of another country becomes a US citizen, they are generally allowed under US law to remain a citizen of their home country. However, the law of their home country might revoke Cancel or take back their citizenship. Before you try to acquire another citizenship, please talk to a lawyer Someone who represents clients in courts or who gives legal advice .

Can I lose my US citizenship? 

There are very few things that will make you lose your citizenship. You have to do one of the following with the intention of giving up your citizenship:

• Become naturalized in another country,
• Join the military or government of another country,
• Commit treason, or
• Renounce your citizenship.

You can also lose your citizenship if you got it through fraud The deception of someone(s) with intent to cause damage (not including  forgeries and counterfeiting). . This is called "denaturalization."