what is the legal definition of a citizen

• Meaning of Citizen. Refers to a member of a jural society having the right to exercise all political and civil privileges accorded to members of that society by its government ...
• Citizen Alternative Definition. ...
• Synonyms of Citizen. ...

Full Answer

How to find out if some is legal citizen?

• You can watch them being born at a hospital in the U.S.
• You can look at their U.S. passport picture and then at their face. (Or their Certificate of Naturalization).
• You can ask them.
• Criteria may be different for those residing or born on US territories or members of First Nations groups.

What are the rights and duties of a citizen?

Rights duties and responsibilities of a citizen. 1. Rights Duties And Responsibilities Of A Citizen. 2. Rights • to vote and hold public office • to say what you want in speech or writing • to practice your religion • to a fair trial • to be protected by your government • to privacy in your home and private life. 3.

How does the Constitution define a citizen?

How does the constitution define national and state citizenship? The 14th Amendment defines citizenship this way: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”.

What is the difference between an US citizen and an American national?

A U.S. citizen is a person who has attained the highest status in accordance with the U.S. Immigration Law and has acquired certain benefits, rights, and duties from the United States of America, whereas a U.S. national is any U.S. citizen or any person who pledges allegiance to the United States but has not been granted full citizenship.

What does citizen mean in Black's Law Dictionary?

CITIZEN Definition & Legal Meaning possessing all the rights and privileges which can be enjoyed by any person under its constitution and government, and subject to the corresponding duties.

What are the 3 types of citizen?

They are: citizenship by birth; citizenship by registration; and. citizenship by naturalisation.

What is the difference between a citizen and citizenship?

A citizen is an individual legally recognised as a subject of a nation. Citizenship refers to the status that is conferred to a citizen that enables them to enjoy its rights and privileges.

What are the 4 types of citizenship?

Determining factorsCitizenship by family (jus sanguinis). ... Citizenship by birth (jus soli). ... Citizenship by marriage (jus matrimonii). ... Naturalization. ... Citizenship by investment or Economic Citizenship. ... Excluded categories.

Does having a passport make you a citizen?

A passport is evidence of citizenship and also serves as a travel document if you need to travel. For information about applying for a U.S. passport, see the U.S. Department of State Web site at www.state.gov.

How can citizenship be lost?

There are three ways in which a person can lose citizenship of a country. These are renunciation, deprivation and termination.

What are the 3 elements of citizenship?

T. H. Marshall (1950) defined citizenship as 'full membership of a community'. According to him, citizenship is constituted by three elements: civil, political and social (which are resumed in the following scheme).

What is the primary difference between a citizen and a non citizen?

Citizens are legal members of a state. They enjoy legal rights in a state. Non-citizens are not legal members of the state. They do not enjoy legal rights.

Are all citizens Nationals?

A U.S. national is any person who has the irrevocable right to reside in the territory of the United States without limitation. This definition includes citizens, and all U.S. citizens are also U.S. nationals.

Does being born in a country make you a citizen?

Birthright citizenship is a governmental policy under which any child born within a country's borders or territory is automatically granted citizenship in that country—even if their parents are not citizens.

What are the 2 types of citizens?

There are two main systems used to determine citizenship as of the time of birth: jus soli, whereby citizenship is acquired by birth within the territory of the state, regardless of parental citizenship; and jus sanguinis, whereby a person, wherever born, is a citizen of the state if, at the time of his or her birth, ...

What is your citizenship status?

Citizenship status – Persons born in the U.S., or in its possessions, are U.S. citizens. Citizenship status and date of naturalization if the individual is a naturalized citizen of the United States.

What are the 2 types of citizens?

There are two main systems used to determine citizenship as of the time of birth: jus soli, whereby citizenship is acquired by birth within the territory of the state, regardless of parental citizenship; and jus sanguinis, whereby a person, wherever born, is a citizen of the state if, at the time of his or her birth, ...

What are the types of citizenship status?

U.S. Citizen - One who was born either within the territory of the United States or to U.S. citizen parents. U.S. National - One who owes permanent allegiance to the United States. Lawful Permanent Resident Alien - One who is legally accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States.

What are the different levels of citizenship?

In all, there are four fundamental ways to become a U.S. citizen: citizenship by birth in the U.S., citizenship through derivation, citizenship through acquisition, and citizenship through naturalization.

What are the types of nationality?

Definitions for Racial and Ethnic CategoriesAmerican Indian or Alaska Native. ... Asian. ... Black or African American. ... Hispanic or Latino. ... Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. ... White.

What is the definition of a US citizen?

U.S. Citizen Definition. Citizenship in the United States is a status that entails specific rights, duties, and benefits. U.S. citizenship is usually acquired by birth when a child is born in the territory of the United States.

When did the concept of citizenship begin?

The first concept of Citizenship began in colonial times as an operative relation between people working cooperatively to solve local problems and participating actively in democratic decision-making. People met regularly to discuss local affairs and make decisions. Citizenship became less defined by participation in politics and more defined as a legal relation with accompanying rights and privileges.

Can a US citizen renounce citizenship?

Under U.S. law, a citizen of another country once naturalized as a U.S. citizen may retain their previous citizenship, though they must renounce allegiance to the other country. A U.S. citizen retains U.S. citizenship when becoming the citizen of another country, should that country's laws allow it. Citizenship can be renounced by American citizens who also hold another citizenship via a formal procedure at a U.S. Embassy, and it can also be restored .

What is a citizen in the US?

In American law. One who, under the constitution and laws of the United States, or of a particular state, and by virtue of birth or naturalization within the jurisdiction, is a member of the political community, owing allegiance and being entitled to the enjoyment of full civil rights. The term “citizen” has come to us derived from antiquity.

Where did the term "citizen" come from?

The term “citizen” has come to us derived from antiquity. It appears to have been used in the Roman government to designate a person who had the freedom of the city, and the right to exercise all political and civil privileges of the government.

What does subject mean in English?

It will be perceived that in the English usage, the word adheres closely to its original meaning, as shown by its derivation, (civis, a free inhabitant of a city. ) When it is designed to designate an inhabitant of the country, or one amenable to the laws of the nation, “subject” is the word there employed.

What does "civitcu" mean?

A member of a free city or jural society, (civitcu,) possessing all the rlghts and privileges which can be enjoyed by any person under its constitution and government, and subject to the corresponding duties. In American law.

Is a person born in the United States a citizen?

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. Amend. XIV, Const. U. S. There Is in our political system a government of each of the several states, and a government of the United States.

What is the definition of citizenship?

Definitions of Citizenship: The Center for the Study of Citizenship uses the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of citizenship: This definition allows us to define our reach broadly, focus upon social inclusion as well as exclusion, yet still fit the realm of citizenship.

What is citizenship in law?

A legal status and relation between an individual and a state that entails specific legal rights and duties. Citizenship is generally used as a synonym for nationality (see: nationality). Where citizenship is used in a meaning that is different from nationality it refers to the legal rights and duties of individuals attached to nationality ...

What is the role of a citizen in a political system?

A citizen is a participatory member of a political community. Citizenship is gained by meeting the legal requirements of a national, state, or local government. A nation grants certain rights and privileges to its citizens. In return, citizens are expected to obey their country's laws and defend it against its enemies.

How are aliens' rights and duties determined?

Their rights and duties are determined by political treaties and by the laws of the country in which they stay. In the United States, aliens must obey the laws and pay taxes, just as U.S. citizens do. They must register with the U.S. government to obtain legal permission to stay for an extended length of time.

What is a non-citizen?

Under United States law, a noncitizen national is a person who is neither a citizen nor an alien but who owes permanent loyalty to the United States. People in this category have some but not all of the rights of citizens. For example, inhabitants of a United States territory may not have the right to vote. Noncitizen nationals of the United States include those people on the Pacific islands of American Samoa who were born after the territory was taken over by the United States in 1900.

What is legal status?

A legal status and relation between an individual and a state that entails specific legal rights and duties.

What is the value of citizenship?

The value of citizenship varies from nation to nation. In some countries, citizenship can mean a citizen has the right to vote, the right to hold government offices, and the right to collect unemployment insurance payments, to name a few examples.

What does "citizen" mean?

English Language Learners Definition of citizen. : a person who legally belongs to a country and has the rights and protection of that country. : a person who lives in a particular place. See the full definition for citizen in the English Language Learners Dictionary.

What is a citizen?

Definition of citizen. 1 : an inhabitant of a city or town especially : one entitled to the rights and privileges of a freeman. 2 a : a member of a state.

What is a citizen subject?

citizen, subject, national mean a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state. citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people. the rights of a free citizen subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch. the king's subjects national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state. American nationals working in the Middle East

Is a corporation a citizen of the United States?

Note: Under the Fourteenth Amendment, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” A person born outside of the U.S. to parents who were born or naturalized in the U.S. is also a citizen of the U.S. A corporation is not considered a citizen for purposes of the privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. A corporation is, however, deemed a citizen of the state in which it is incorporated or has its principal place of business for purposes of diversity jurisdiction.

What is the definition of a citizen born in the United States?

citizens, is a national and a citizen of the United States at birth if one parent had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions prior to the birth of such person. If only one parent is a citizen and the other is a national—but not a citizen—the parent who is a citizen must have been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year prior to the birth of the child in order for the child to be a national and a citizen of the United States at birth.A person born out of wedlock in a foreign country acquires at birth American citizenship if the mother was a citizen at the time of such person's birth and had formerly been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year preceding the birth.

Which amendment states that a person must be a citizen of a state?

The Fourteenth Amendment provides that American citizens are also citizens "of the state wherein they reside," but U.S. citizenship does not necessitate residence in a particular state.

What is the 14th amendment?

The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution provides:" All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside…."The impor tant right of citizenship, whether for native-born or naturalized citizens, cannot be divested, whether as punishment for a crime or for any other reason, by the states or the federal government, including their agencies and officials (see also Afroyim v. Rusk, 387 U.S. 253, 87 S. Ct. 1660, 18 L. Ed. 2d 757 [1967]). American citizenship can be relinquished, but it cannot be taken away unless it was procured through Fraud or any other unlawful action.

What amendment gives citizenship to Indians?

The Fourteenth Amendment, through the inclusion of the phrase "all persons," was specifically enacted in 1868 specifically to grant citizenship to former slaves. Since 1924, it has been judicially interpreted to include American Indians. U.S. citizenship does not divest an Indian of tribal citizenship but, rather, coexists with it.

What is dual citizenship?

One person might qualify for dual nationality, that is, citizenship in more than one nation, if he or she can satisfy the citizenship requirements of different countries.

How does a person lose citizenship?

A loss of citizenship can occur by serving in the military of another nation; serving as a public official in a foreign country that requires an oath of allegiance to that country; and attempting to overthrow the U.S. government, which is established by a conviction for the crime.

What is the law of the flag?

International law also recognizes a rule labeled the "law of the flag," which determines the citizenship of persons born on ships. The rule is responsive to the citizenship laws of different nations and to treaties that are rewritten to fulfill new political conditions.

What is citizenship in the US?

Citizenship refers to a person's allegiance to a government in exchange for its protection at home and abroad. Full political rights, including the right to vote and to hold public office, and civil liberties are typically granted to a native-born citizen (under jus soli, a Latin legal term meaning, literally, "right of the soil") ...

What is the meaning of the citizen amendment?

The Amendment makes clear that the term citizen is most accurately applied to a person who has pledged allegiance to a country (in this case, the U.S.) and has the rights and protection of that country. It also uses citizen in the sense of "a resident of a state," with which we can't argue.

What is the difference between citizen and resident?

Today, citizen tends to specify a person who legally belongs to a country, and resident is used, generally, for a person who is legally living or working in a particular locality—like a town, city, or state, or even on a university or hospital campus or in a musical venue.

What is a resident in the US?

In the court of law, the term resident is often contrasted with citizen: it names a person who has a residence in a particular place but does not necessarily have the status of a citizen. Take, for example, an everyday occurrence in immigration law: a person who has citizenship outside of the United States and who desires to work or live in the country applies for a green card, an identification card that attests to his or her legal residence in the country as an alien —that is, a person who was born in a different country and is not a citizen of the country in which he or she now resides. (And, yes, the name of the card, which dates to the mid-1900s, is from the fact that it was formerly colored green.) After thorough review of the application, the applicant, if eligible, is issued a green card and is considered a "lawful permanent resident" with the right to live and work in the U.S. and the right to the protection of the country's law. However, he or she is not allowed to vote in or stand for federal elections (rights which are granted to citizens); additionally, they can be subject to deportation if they commit certain crimes or security violations. After a certain period of permanent residency, an alien may apply for naturalization.

What does "resident" mean in Latin?

About the 15th century, resident entered the language as a word for any person living in (it is derived from Latin residēre, meaning "to remain, abide") a particular place, such as a city—which means citizen and resident were synonymous: a person could call themselves a citizen of London, for example, or a resident of the city.

When did the term "citizen" come into existence?

The term citizen (based on Anglo-French cité, "city") entered English in the 14th century, and originally it simply designated a resident of a city or town. Early on, however, citizen acquired specific political significance as the name for a person who legally belongs to a state, nation, or other polity and has the rights and protections ...

Where did the practice of citizenship originate?

The practice of conferring citizenship to residents first arose in towns and city-states of ancient Greece, where it was granted only to property owners. The Romans adopted the practice as a bestowal of privilege that could be conferred on, or withheld from, conquered peoples; in time, citizenship was granted to all of the empire's free inhabitants. The spread of the ideals of citizenship suffered a setback in Europe during the feudal era, but they were revived during the Renaissance, and then crystallized during the American and French Revolutions.

What are some examples of sovereign citizens?

Some examples of sovereign citizens engaging in dangerous behavior include: 1 Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols – After the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, Nichols, who was convicted of conspiracy in connection with the bombing, claimed sovereignty in three separate court cases. 2 David Russell Myrland – Myrland was sentenced to 40 months in jail after threatening to use “deadly force” to arrest government officials, including the mayor of Kirkland, Washington, as a result of being angry over a traffic stop in 2010. 3 Francis “Schaeffer” Cox – In 2011, Cox, a militia leader, and a group of four people from his group, were arrested for conspiring to kidnap or kill police officers and judges, along with their families. The group was found carrying grenades and machine guns.

What does it mean to be above the law?

An individual who believes he is above the law, and that he only has to answer to his own interpretation of the law.

What is a litigant?

Litigant – An individual who becomes involved in a lawsuit.

Is Randall Keith Beane a sovereign citizen?

Still another example of a sovereign citizen can be found in the case of USA v. Rand all Keith-Beane, Heather Ann Tucci-Jarraf, which was concluded in January 2018. Here Beane and Tucci-Jarraf were found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and Beane was also convicted on six counts of bank and wire fraud. Unsurprisingly, the two represented themselves, rather than hiring attorneys, and claimed they were, essentially, Robin Hoods who stole from the “real bank robbers” (i.e. the Federal Reserve).

What is the name of the citizenship that passes from the parents?

There is some debate over whether or not one may also be a natural born citizen if, despite a birth on foreign soil, U.S. citizenship immediately passes from the person's parents.

What is the natural born citizen requirement?

The phrase "natural-born citizen" appears in the U.S. Constitution. In order to become the President or Vice President of the United States, a person must be a natural-born citizen. This "Natural-Born Citizen Clause" is located in Section 1 of Article 2 of the United States Constitution.