I am unsure what the clause must be "natural-born US citizen" means. Does it mean a person have to be born on US soil; or be born a US citizen, a.k.a. have US citizens for parents (at least one), thereby the baby is a naturalized US citizen from birth?
This is quite important as many americans reside abroad thus have children abroad. If an american citizen working in a US Embassy has a child in the country of the Embassy, is the child then not eligible for Presidency later? What about the armed forces, I am sure many high ranking officers reside abroad with their families. Business-people. Globalization fathoms wide.
I understand the rule about not wanting new citizens eligible for Presidential candidates, but not separating between americans who have been citizens by birth, but where some are and some are not born on american soil. That makes no sense to me, it seems covered by the "must have lived in the US for at least 14 years" rule.
2006-10-16 03:25:42 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
The candidate for office must be a US citizen at time of birth, irrespective of location and above 35 years of age.
The same criteria is used for a Vice-Presidential candidate, he must meet the qualifications for President as well.
2006-10-16 05:07:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋
A natural born citizen is:
1) A person born in the United States, or
2) A person born outside the United States that has at least one parent that is a U.S. citizen and had resided in the United States prior to the birth.
This is a very basic overview of the law (see link below).
Why, I cannot say for sure, but I speculate that it may be because the President is also Commander-in-Chief of the military. It could be considered a "conflict of interest" if something happened in that country he/she formerly was a citizen of.
2006-10-16 05:24:26 · answer #2 · answered by Mutt 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
once you're born in this us of a, you're a citizen. attempt it sometime. Take a remote places mom-to-be, positioned her interior the U. S., and enable her have her infant. growth! that youngster's a citizen. it quite is the way it quite works. and that's all "organic born citizen" ability. It has no longer something to do with the father and mom. think of roughly it: six different presidents had a minimum of one remote places-born parent. From USAVotes: Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) is the only president born of two immigrants, the two Irish. Presidents with one immigrant parent are Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), whose mom become born in England, James Buchanan (1857-1861) and Chester Arthur (1881-1885), the two one among whom had Irish fathers, and Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) and Herbert Hoover (1929-1933), whose mothers have been born respectively in England and Canada. All of those men have been seen organic-born voters because of fact they have been born interior the U. S.. the father and mom had no longer something to do with it. Obama's father and mom might have been born on Mars and Klingon. would not remember. What concerns is the place he become born.
2016-10-19 11:59:16 · answer #3 · answered by briscoe 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It doesn't mean on US soil - it means you have to be born a US citizen. That can mean either on US soil or on foreign soil as the child of Americans. John McCain is a good example of the latter - his father was stationed in Panama when he was born but was American, so John could run for President despite his birth elsewhere.
2006-10-16 05:03:45 · answer #4 · answered by JerH1 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I would have thought anyone with American parents who is thus born an American and does not have to later apply for American citizenship is eligible. John McCain, as you may know, was born in the Panama Canal Zone which was US property back then, but had he been born elsewhere he might still be eligible.
2006-10-16 03:32:22 · answer #5 · answered by Dunrobin 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think Dunrobin is correct. Perhaps my totally unprofessional definition of "natural-born US citizen" would be "someone born with legal citizenship status"; thus, not requiring naturalization.
2006-10-16 03:37:04 · answer #6 · answered by snvffy 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
They have to be born on US soil. I think a gov't employee, like a consulate of ambassador, I think those person's children are considered US citizens from birth.
2006-10-16 03:27:54 · answer #7 · answered by Jessie P 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Here is a detailed answer to your question. And NO, you do not have to be born on US soil.
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_citi.html
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2006-10-16 03:35:51 · answer #8 · answered by Zak 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋