NATURALISED AMERICANS MAY LOSE CITIZENSHIP

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5311, 25 January 1947, Page 7

NATURALISED AMERICANS MAY LOSE CITIZENSHIP

WAaHINGTON. State Department officials have called attention to a law passed recently 'by Congress wherehy naturalised United -States citizens living ahroad for five years or more will lose their citizenship unless they return home. The law referred to is the Naturalisation Act of 1940. It specifies that naturalised citizens of the United States living in the country of their foirth for three years, or in any foreign country for five years, will lose their citizenship on October 14. C'ertain exceptions were listed. One department official said those excepted from the act include naturalised citizens who lived in the United States 25 years after becoming naturalised, and Who reached the age of 65 when they took up residence abroad. •Other exceptions apply to citizens residing ahroad as representatives of United States tirms and organisations with headquatrers in the United States; those residing abroad because of ill-health, and those studying in foreign countries. The official said that if any naturalised citizen wanted to retain United States citizenship status, he must return to this country. He said Puerto Ricans.must return to either Puerto Rico or the United 'States. Otherwise an individual may elect to apply for another citizenship.