What is the difference between an American national and an American citizen?
Upvote:6
This is explained reasonably well by this Wikipedia article.
All US citizens are US nationals. There are a relatively small number of people from American Samoa (and Swains Island, with its population of 17 who harvest coconuts) and some from the Northern Mariana Islands who specifically elect to be non-citizen nationals who are US nationals but not US citizens. It's an even smaller number than you think, because even those born on American Samoa to a US citizen parent will receive US citizenship at birth. These non-citizen nationals receive US passports with a special annotation stating "THE BEARER IS A UNITED STATES NATIONAL AND NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN," cannot vote, may not be able to hold certain government jobs that are only for citizens, and there are special rules for the transmission of US nationality to children that are a bit different than for US citizenship.
In general, there's no choice in the matter. Those born on US soil (and "subject to the jurisdiction thereof") get US citizenship at birth and US citizens pass on their citizenship to their children through the usual rules. Non-citizen nationals pass on that status to their children through somewhat different rules. There are two ways in which a choice is possible. Those born in the Northern Mariana Islands can, within six months after turning 18, go to court and make a declaration (scroll to the bottom of the page) that they wish to be a non-citizen national. To go the other way, US nationals are allowed to live and work in the US, so they can do that until they meet the residency requirement, pay the fees and jump through the bureaucratic hoops, and become a naturalized US citizen.
This exact variation is unique to the US and its territories, but, as Calchas notes in comments, the system of British nationality is incredibly complex, with various active and historical categories and types of passports, all conferring somewhat different rights and statues.
More post
- 📝 I have an eTA but my passport is in another embassy. Can I still travel to Canada with a copy of my passport?
- 📝 Can I travel to Italy with Bulgarian Visa?
- 📝 Change from F2 to F1 status? Visa stamp already there
- 📝 Is a marriage certificate necessary to accompany husband who will be on business visa?
- 📝 Transit in Heathrow
- 📝 When applying for visa or ESTA to the US, if I have two (non-US) passports, what happens if I don't mention the second one?
- 📝 Two international connections from India to Canada via Bangkok and Tokyo
- 📝 Useable free wifi in Melbourne?
- 📝 No specific reason for UK visa refusal
- 📝 Undeclared UK Conviction
- 📝 Can my wife join me (I have a Tier 4 student visa) for a month from India using a tourist visa?
- 📝 Can just guardians come with a 16y/o for US passport renewal?
- 📝 Withdrawing a Schengen visa (business class) application
- 📝 What are UK immigration officers looking for when confirming Registered Traveller status?
- 📝 Seat issue confirmed or cancelled on Indian Railways?
- 📝 Why was the Iceland ferry discontinued?
- 📝 Is 1½ hours enough for a transit at São Paulo (GRU) airport?
- 📝 Will the removal from Uk will affect my future trips to EU and USA
- 📝 Ticket from Attleborough to Heathrow T3
- 📝 Hiding I-94 data
- 📝 Fire extinguishers inside the coaches of long distance trains
- 📝 Is there an active nightlife in Seoul on weekdays?
- 📝 What are the rules for changing after swimming in appartment complex pool in US
- 📝 UK Business Visa Application Form Subtype
- 📝 US citizen flying from Spain to Toronto with a Spaniard- customs/border difficulties?
- 📝 Can a US visa invitation letter be in an email or must it be an original?
- 📝 Can a Filipino go outside the airport and travel on my own during a layover in Incheon airport without a visa?
- 📝 How to get baggage at the carousel skipping connecting flight
- 📝 How to Re-apply for a UK after Refusal
- 📝 Entering a country with visa from a country where it was not issued
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What is the difference between an American national and an American citizen?
- 📝 What is the Difference Between Air Conditioning and Climate Control?
- 📝 What is the difference between a visitor's permit and a visa?
- 📝 What is the difference between overstay and overdue in Thailand?
- 📝 What is the difference between regular IATA number and IATA TIDS?
- 📝 In the UK, what is the difference between "Leave to Enter" and a visa?
- 📝 What is the difference between taxi, private hire, and chauffeur services?
- 📝 What is the difference between regular tours vs congressionally scheduled ones of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing?
- 📝 In the Italo high-speed train, what is the difference between club seat and "salotto"?
- 📝 What is the difference between Canada B1 and V1 visas?
- 📝 What is the difference between a passenger being on hold and standby?
- 📝 What is the difference between dependant and dependent family member
- 📝 What is the difference between itinerary and ticket?
- 📝 What is the difference between "Information Regarding Entry and Exit" and "travel history" for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection?
- 📝 What is the difference between Saver and Standard awards on United Mileage Plus?
- 📝 What is the difference between D and X fares in JL?
- 📝 What is the difference between a condo and an apartment in Bangkok?
- 📝 Schengen visa - What is the difference between transit and airport transit?
- 📝 What is the difference between uk visa sticker and entry clearance
- 📝 Can there be a price difference between online checkin and checking in at the airport?
- 📝 What is the minimum age to drive and to rent a car for a trip between Los Angeles and Las Vegas?
- 📝 What is the most campsite-dense route between Belgium and the Tatras?
- 📝 UK visitor visa: My status will change between the application and the journey, what should I select?
- 📝 What is the rail connection between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Gare de Lyon like?
- 📝 Travelling between the UK and Norway as an Australian citizen on a standard holiday visa
- 📝 What are the current requirements and process of obtaining a multiple-entry Chinese visa for an Australian citizen in Ho Chi Minh City?
- 📝 What are the options for booking short-stay accommodation between London and Newcastle at very short notice?
- 📝 Difference between e-residence permit and common format residence permit for the purpose of transit through the UK?
- 📝 The difference between STOPS and EXTRA STOPS when using the ITA MATRIX
- 📝 I am a US Citizen that also has Israeli citizenship. Can I leave the US on my American passport and enter Cuba on my Israeli passport?