Boring but Necessary facts!

Naturalization can mean different things for separate countries. In one country an individual may acquire a new nationality, but still not be considered a citizen.

There isn’t a restriction like that in the United States. There is support in the Constitution in the Fourteenth Amendment which affirms that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" and liable in the U.S. jurisdiction are citizens. Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution allows Congress the power to enact uniform naturalization laws. Under the first American statute (1790) all unindentured white males who had lived in the United States for two years might become citizens. The period of residence was lengthened to five years in 1795 and, as a result of xenophobic, or fear of foreigners, they extended it to 14 years in 1798. In 1802, the term was then reduced back to the original five years, and has remained that way to this day.

The petitioner for naturalization must meet several requirements:
Ability to speak English
Must swear to support the constitution
“Adjudged of good moral Character”

Children:
Under 18 become citizens automatically upon naturalization of one or both of parents
Minors adopted abroad by a citizen automatically become citizens (Child Citizenship Act 2000)

The process of naturalization in some situations is altered for members of the United States Armed Forces, and for the spouses of American citizens. There are exceptions made by bills passed in Congress regarding private immigration and naturalization. There have been whole populations naturalized. Some examples are the allowance of citizenship in U.S. history for the people of the Virgin Islands, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Texas.