From: stephen@sprunk.org   
      
   On 23-Jun-14 14:51, Adam H. Kerman wrote:   
   > Stephen Sprunk  wrote:   
   >> US non-citizen nationals have to apply for US citizenship if they   
   >> want it; it's not automatic.  They enter the process roughly at the   
   >> same stage as Legal Permanent Residents, though.   
   >>   
   >> In fact, aside from a few screwy details, Legal Permanent Residents   
   >> are effectively the same thing as non-citizen nationals, and it   
   >> would be easier for everyone if we just combined the two statuses.   
   >   
   > That's ridiculous. A permanent resident has immigrated but has NOT   
   > changed his nationality. An American Samoan who wants citizenship   
   > isn't immigrating at all, just nationalizing.   
      
   We currently don't have any special process for non-citizen nationals to   
   become citizens; they have to go through the same process to become   
   citizens as LPRs do, i.e. they are _treated_ as immigrants.   
      
   > Nationalization and immigration are two separate and distinct legal   
   > concepts.   
      
   LPR status is typically a milestone on the road to citizenship, which   
   can last a decade or more due to our ridiculously cumbersome processes,   
   bureaucratic delays, expensive legal barriers and political quotas.   
   Many immigrants stop at LPR status because there isn't much benefit to   
   finishing the process--just as there is not much benefit to non-citizen   
   nationals in getting citizenship.  Both already have what they want: the   
   right to live and work in the US.   
      
   If immigrants had the option of becoming a US national rather than an   
   LPR, I can't see any reason why they wouldn't take it.   
      
   > Doesn't a permanent resident continue to use the passport from his   
   > home country in international travel?   
      
   Yes, but when coming to the US, they also have to use their green card,   
   which substitutes for a visa.  If they were US nationals, they would   
   have a US passport and not need a green card (or visa).   
      
   S   
      
   --   
   Stephen Sprunk         "God does not play dice."  --Albert Einstein   
   CCIE #3723         "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the   
   K5SSS        dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking   
      
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