What is “Automatic Citizenship?
There are two ways that confer automatic citizenship. Under jus soli (right of birthplace), a person becomes a U.S. citizen just by being born within the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jus sanguinis (right of blood) confers citizenship upon those outside the United States born to at least one parent (with some minor restrictions) who already is a citizen, or an absolute right if both parents are citizens. If neither of these two automatic categories are the case, applicants may seek U.S. citizenship through the process of naturalization.
