The Fourteenth Amendment to the U­S Constitution provides that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens. However, children born in the United States to foreign diplomatic officers are not entitled to U­S citizenship at birth. Citizenship may be acquired for those born outside the United States if one or both parents are U.S. citizens. This is called derivative (duh­RIHV­uh­tiv) citizenship. The laws that govern derivative citizenship are controlled by Congress, not the Constitution, and are subject to change from time to time. U.S. citizenship can also be granted through a process called naturalization, which carries all the rights, duties, and privileges of citizenship obtained by birth in the U­S, including the right to vote. However, naturalization citizenship is exempt from eligibility to become President and immediate eligibility to be a member of Congress. To apply for naturalization, you must meet certain requirements, including that you be 18 years of age and have been a lawful permanent resident for five years. You must be of good moral character and loyal to the United States, be able to read, write, speak, and understand basic English, and have a basic knowledge and understanding of the history, governing structure, and Constitution of the United States. You must also be willing to take an oath of allegiance to the U­S and have resided in the state in which you file for citizenship for at least three months immediately preceding the filing. For more information on citizenship and naturalization, contact an attorney who specializes in immigration law.