HIGHLIGHTS OF U.S. NATURALIZATION LAWS

1. Act of March 26, 1790 (1 Statutes-at-Large 103)

The first federal activity in an area previously under the control of the individual states, this act established a uniform rule for naturalization by setting the residence requirement at two years.

2. Act of January 29, 1795 (1 Statutes-at-Large 414)

Repealed the 1790 act, raised the residence requirement to five years and required a declaration of intention to seek citizenship at least three years before naturalization.

3. Naturalization Act of June 18, 1798 (1 Statutes-at-Large 566)

Provisions:

  1. Clerks of court must furnish information about each record of naturalization to the Secretary of State.
  2. Registry of each alien residing in the United States at that time, as well as those arriving thereafter.
  3. Raised the residence requirement for naturalization to fourteen years.

4. Naturalization Act of April 14, 1802 (2 Statutes-at-Large 153)

Provisions:

  1. Reduced the residence period for naturalization from fourteen to five years.
  2. Established basic requirements for naturalization, including good moral character, allegiance to the Constitution, a formal declaration of intention, and witnesses.

5. Act of May 26, 1824 (4 Statutes-at-Large 36)

Facilitated the naturalization of certain aliens who had entered the United States as minors, by setting a two-year instead of a three-year interval between declaration of intention and admission to citizenship.

6. Naturalization Act of July 14, 1870 (16 Statutes-at-Large 254)

Provisions:

  1. Established a system of controls on the naturalization process and penalties for fraudulent practices.
  2. Extended the naturalization laws to aliens of African nativity and to persons of African descent.

7. Chinese Exclusion Act of May 6, 1882 (22 Statutes-at-Large 58)

Among other provisions, barred Chinese from naturalization.  On December 17, 1943, the Chinese exclusion laws were repealed.

8. Naturalization Act of June 29, 1906 (34 Statutes-at-Large 596)

Provisions:

  1. Combined the immigration and naturalization functions of the federal government, changing the Bureau of Immigration to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization.
  2. Established fundamental procedural safeguards regarding naturalization, such as fixed fees and uniform naturalization forms.
  3. Made knowledge of the English language a requirement for naturalization.

9. Immigration Act of November 29, 1990 (104 Statutes-at-Large 4978)

A major overhaul of immigration law. Among other provisions, revised naturalization authority and requirements:

1. Transferred the exclusive jurisdiction to naturalize aliens from the Federal and State courts to the Attorney General.

2. Amended the substantive requirements for naturalization: State residency requirements revised and reduced to 3 months; added another ground for waiving the English language requirement; and lifted the permanent bar to naturalization for aliens who applied to be relieved from U.S. military service on grounds of alienage who previously served in the service of the country of the alien’s nationality.