Immigration Vocabulary:
- asylum -
Protection granted by a government to a political refugee.
- diplomatic immunity -
An exemption from laws in a country, usually given to diplomats in or from a foriegn country.
- dual citizenship -
Having citizenship in two or more countries concurrently.
- expatriation -
Migration or the act of being exiled from a country.
- green card -
A document that allows foreign aliens to work legally in the U.S.
- illegal alien -
A person who is not legally allowed to be in the country.
- jus sanguinis -
A law that a child's citizenship is determined by his or her parents' citizenship.
- jus soli -
A law that a child's citizenship is determined by his or her birthplace.
- naturalization -
The process of becoming a U.S. citizen if one was not a U.S. citizen by birth.
- refugee -
A person who flees their native country because of war, religious persecution, or political upheaval.
- visa -
A document which allows a person to enter and travel inside a country.
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Becoming a U.S. Citizen
A person can become a citizen in one of two ways:
- By birth:
A person who is born in the United States is automatically a citizen. In most cases, if a person is born outside of the country and one or both parents is a U.S. citizen, they will get citizenship.
- Through naturalization:
If a person is not born a U.S. citizen, they can apply for citizenship. The process involves qualifying and applying for citizenship. After several or months or even years, if the application is approved, the person can because a naturalized citizen after an "Oath of Allegiance" ceremony, usually performed the same day or soon after they are approved.
Responsibilities of a U.S. citizen:
While a U.S. citizen is responsible for many things, these are the five that come to mind:
- Voting: The citizens of the U.S. utimately decide the political course of the country, so participation is important.
- Jury Duty: Citizens are called to pass judgement on a defendant in a fair trial by being called to jury duty.
- Obeying Laws: Citizens need to obey laws to avoid fines or jail time depending on their crime's severity.
- Paying Taxes: Citizens need to pay taxes, which in turn allows the government to run.
- Defending the country in times of conflict: If the U.S. involved in a major war, a draft may be called, forcing citizens to defend the country. This only occurs during times of great struggle, such as the Second World War.
Sample questions people applying for citizenship are required to answer:
Take the quiz and find out how good a U.S. citizen you are or could be!
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