A person not a citizen who owes permanent allegiance to the United States, and who is otherwise qualified, may, if he becomes a resident of any State, be naturalized upon compliance with the applicable requirements of this subchapter, except that in applications for naturalization filed under the provisions of this section residence and physical presence within the United States within the meaning of this subchapter shall include residence and physical presence within any of the outlying possessions of the United States.
8 U.S.C. § 1436
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS1990- Pub. L. 101-649 substituted "applications" for "petitions".
- State
- The term "State" includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
- naturalization
- The term "naturalization" means the conferring of nationality of a state upon a person after birth, by any means whatsoever.
- outlying possessions of the United States
- The term "outlying possessions of the United States" means American Samoa and Swains Island.
- permanent
- The term "permanent" means a relationship of continuing or lasting nature, as distinguished from temporary, but a relationship may be permanent even though it is one that may be dissolved eventually at the instance either of the United States or of the individual, in accordance with law.
- person
- The term "person" means an individual or an organization.
- residence
- The term "residence" means the place of general abode; the place of general abode of a person means his principal, actual dwelling place in fact, without regard to intent.