A U.S. national is a person born in or having ties with an outlying possession of the United States, which as of 2019 refers only to American Samoa and Swains Island
. U.S. nationals are considered to owe permanent allegiance to the United States
. All U.S. citizens are U.S. nationals, but not all U.S. nationals are U.S. citizens
. Some key differences between U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals include:
- Voting rights and eligibility to hold public office : U.S. nationals cannot vote in federal elections or serve in federal offices. To do so, they must become naturalized citizens
- Rights and restrictions : U.S. nationals are allowed to work and reside anywhere in the U.S. without restrictions. They are eligible to apply for a U.S. passport and are considered U.S. citizens for the purpose of naturalization
- Path to U.S. citizenship : U.S. nationals who wish to become U.S. citizens can file an application to naturalize as a citizen after establishing residence in a U.S. state
- Certificates of non-citizen nationality : The Department of State occasionally receives requests for certificates of non-citizen nationality. These certificates are issued under certain conditions and requirements
