Becoming and American Citizen

U.S. citizenship is a dream for many, and everyone is capable of acquiring it. There are two ways in which one can go about becoming an U.S. citizen.

-One is by birth. If a person is born in the United States,                                                        he or she is automatically a citizen.

-The other is by following the naturalization procedure the government has established for people to become a citizen. The procedure is as follows:

• Fill out an application for citizenship.
• Take a written citizenship exam.
• Appear for a court hearing.

There are also some requirements one must meet before applying for citizenship:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have lived in the U.S. as a legal resident for at least 5 years.
• Be of good moral character and loyal to the U.S.
• Be able to read, write, speak and understand basic English.
• Have basic knowledge and understanding of the history, government structure and the Constitution of the U.S.
• Be willing to take an oath of allegiance to the U.S.

As an American citizen you have five certain duties to perform as an American. Once a citizen, you will be expected to carry out these duties.

Theodore Roosevelt explained these duties best January 26, 1883 in Buffalo, New York. He said:

1. Must be a good husband, and a good father.
2. He must be honest.
3. Faithful to his friends
4. Fearless to his foes.
5. Willing and able to take arms in the defense of his country.

Here is a sample of the naturalization test:

1. Who is the chief Justice of the Supreme Court today

        answer: William Rehnquist

    2. Why did the pilgrims come to American?

    Answer: To pursue religious freedom.

    3. Can the Constitution be changed?

    Answer: Yes, but only by voters.

    4. What is the Constitution?

    Answer: The Supreme law of the land.

    5. What do the stripes on the flag mean?

    Answer: They represent the 13 original states.

                                                                      Vocabulary

1. Asylum- an inviolable place of refuge and protection giving shelter to criminals and debtors
2. diplomatic immunity- is a form of legal  and a policy held between governments, which ensures that are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to or under the host country's laws (although they can be expelled).
3. dual citizenship- occurs when a person is the citizen of more than one country
4. expatriation- to withdraw (oneself) from residence in or allegiance to one's native country
    
5. green card- an identity card attesting the permanent resident status of an alien in the U.S.
    
6. illegal alien- Someone who did not acquire a green card and is in this country not as a citizen.
7. jus sanguinis-

   a rule that a child's citizenship is determined by its parents' citizenship

8. jus soli- a rule that the citizenship of a chile is delcared by the country the child was born in.
9. naturalization-The conferring, by any means, of citizenship upon a person after birth.
10. refugee-Any person who is outside his or her country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution or the fear thereof must be based on the alien’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. People with no nationality must generally be outside their country of last habitual residence to qualify as a refugee. Refugees are subject to ceilings by geographic area set annually by the President in consultation with Congress and are eligible to adjust to lawful permanent resident status after one year of continuous presence in the United States.
11. visa-A U.S. visa allows the bearer to apply for entry to the U.S. in a certain classification (e.g. student (F), visitor (B), temporary worker (H)). A visa does not grant the bearer the right to enter the United States. The Department of State (DOS) is responsible for visa adjudication at U.S. Embassies and Consulates outside of the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP) immigration inspectors determine admission into, length of stay and conditions of stay in, the U.S. at a port of entry. The information on a nonimmigrant visa only relates to when an individual may apply for entry into the U.S. DHS immigration inspectors will record the terms of your admission on your Arrival/Departure Record (I-94 white or I-94W green) and in your passport.