Naturalization
Naturalization is when a person changes their nationality.
Overview
Most people have the nationality of the country where they are born and grow up. In other cases, one can be a citizen of a country when the person has a parent or grandparent who was/is a citizen of a different country. If they move to another country, they would keep their own nationality. However, if they stay there for a certain number of years, they may be able to change their nationality.
Regional differences
Different countries have different laws about naturalization. Usually the person must make a promise in a court of law. He will have to promise to be a good citizen and obey the country's laws. A country may grant citizenship to someone who has not asked for it.
Usually, a person can keep their first nationality when getting a new one. This is called dual nationality. Sometimes children whose parents have different nationalities are allowed to have dual nationality. Someone who has been naturalized will normally have all the rights that any other person who belongs to that country has.
Denaturalization
The reverse also happens. States sometimes remove the citizenship of certain naturalized citizens, which can leave the former citizen stateless.
Naturalization Media
Multiple nationality allowed without restriction* Multiple nationality restricted to specific cases
Countries by birthright citizenship:* Unconditional birthright citizenship for persons born in the country* Birthright citizenship with restrictions* Birthright citizenship abolished* No birthright citizenship
United States service members are sworn in as citizens of the United States aboard the USS Midway in 2009
A man taking the required citizenship oath of allegiance in front of US government officials in New York City (1910).
New citizens at a naturalization ceremony at Kennedy Space Center in Florida (2010).
