1. Citizenship and Naturalization

2. Citizen a legally recognized member of a country.

3. Who is U.S. citizen? Anyone born in a U.S. state or territory. Anyone who has at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen.

4. How does a person become a US citizen without being born as a citizen? Naturalization – The process by which aliens (people not from here) become citizens.

5. Step 1 Enter the U.S. legally and live there for 5 years. ( Only 3 years when married to a U.S. citizen)

6. Step 2 Apply- Petition the government for Naturalization. Must be 18 years old.

7. Step 3 Interview- two steps Show good moral character- No criminal record. Prove competency in the English language (reading, writing) and U.S. history and civics. Pass the test!!

8. Step 4 Applicant files petition in a Naturalization Court Background check completed. Final approval given.

9. Step 5 Take an Oath of Citizenship in a court of law Minors, children under 18, automatically become citizens when their parent(s) is officially naturalized. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-3z-_CISLA

10. What do these new citizens get? Naturalized citizens have the same rights and duties as native-born Americans. There is one exception. Naturalized citizens are not eligible to become president or vice president of the United States.

11. How do we know this? 14 th Amendment-defines U.S. Citizenship, guarantees all citizens “equal protection under the law.”