From: ahk@chinet.com   
      
   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.   
      
   Nationalization and immigration are two separate and distinct legal concepts.   
      
   Doesn't a permanent resident continue to use the passport from his home   
   country in international travel?   
      
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