New Bill Simplifies Path to Citizenship for U.S. Nationals: Residency in U.S. Territories Now Counts

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, making it easier for U.S. nationals to become citizens. It primarily benefits those living in U.S. territories by streamlining the naturalization process and reducing some requirements. This also includes anyone who owes allegiance to the U.S., just like a citizen.

Island Time to Citizenship

The biggest change is for U.S. nationals, especially those in territories like American Samoa. Now, living in a U.S. territory counts towards the residency requirements for citizenship. Before, there were extra hurdles for nationals in these areas that made the process complicated. This bill simplifies that. For example, if you're a U.S. national who's lived in Guam your whole life, you automatically meet some requirements, like civics testing, that you previously might not have (SEC. 1).

Real-World Rollout

This isn't just a paperwork shuffle. The Secretary of Homeland Security has to make sure naturalization services—applications, interviews, the whole nine yards—are actually available in U.S. territories (SEC. 1). This means people won't necessarily have to travel huge distances or deal with extra red tape just to get the process started. Think of it as bringing the citizenship process directly to the people who need it, instead of making them jump through hoops. The bill also clarifies what "continuous residency" means. If you're out of your state or territory for more than 180 days, that's a red flag, unless you can prove you didn't abandon your home(SEC. 1).

Waivers and Lower Costs

Here's a practical perk: the Secretary of Homeland Security can waive those in-person interviews and even reduce application fees for eligible U.S. nationals (SEC. 1). The bill recognizes that processing these applications might be cheaper, so they're passing those potential savings on. If you're a U.S. national who qualifies, this could mean less time off work and less money out of pocket.

Changes For Children of U.S. Nationals

The bill tweaks the rules for kids of U.S. nationals, too, making it clearer how they can qualify for citizenship, especially if they live in U.S. territories (SEC. 1). This helps keep families together and provides more certainty for the next generation.

Challenges and Considerations

While the bill aims to simplify things, there are always practical challenges. For example, how will they consistently decide who gets an interview waiver or a fee reduction? It is important to make sure everyone is treated fairly. There's also the question of how they'll verify continuous residency to make sure people aren't gaming the system. These are details that will need to be ironed out as the law is implemented.