Sponsor
Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen
Representative · R-AS
Representative · R-AS
The bill increases and simplifies access to U.S. citizenship for residents of outlying possessions and certain long‑term nationals by enabling local processing and fee/interview relief, but it shifts discretion to DHS, may strain administrative capacity, create inconsistent decisionmaking, and place documentation burdens on some applicants.
Residents of U.S. outlying possessions and long‑term U.S. nationals (including servicemembers stationed there) can apply for and complete naturalization locally—and eligible applicants may be exempted from the English test—reducing or eliminating the need to move or travel to the mainland to become citizens.
Naturalization processing (applications, interviews, oaths, ceremonies) can occur in outlying possessions, cutting travel time and costs for applicants and their families and making the process more accessible locally.
The Secretary may reduce application fees and waive in-person interviews for eligible applicants, lowering financial and logistical barriers to citizenship for low‑income applicants and service members.
Taxpayers and other applicants may face slower processing and higher DHS workloads because the bill expands eligibility and allows fee reductions, potentially requiring more resources or diverting capacity from other applications.
Servicemembers and other applicants who take up to 180‑day absences risk losing continuity of residence unless they can document non‑abandonment, imposing an evidentiary burden that could lead to citizenship denials.
Giving DHS discretion to waive interviews and fees concentrates decisionmaking authority and may produce inconsistent outcomes across applicants and offices.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates an alternative naturalization path for nationals continuously resident in a State or outlying possession and lets qualifying children acquire citizenship while residing in outlying possessions.
Official title: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to waive certain naturalization requirements for United States nationals, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 15, 2025 by Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen · Last progress January 15, 2025
Allows certain U.S. nationals who were born and continuously lived in a State or an outlying possession to naturalize without meeting usual English and some residence requirements, and permits parts of the application process to occur in outlying possessions. Also expands the rule allowing children of U.S. citizens to acquire citizenship to include children who are present and reside in an outlying possession. The bill aims to speed citizenship for nationals (including servicemembers) without requiring relocation, extra testing, or extra fees.