Legal Definitions - allegiance

Allegiance means being loyal and obedient to the government or ruler of a country in exchange for protection and benefits. It can be a permanent or temporary obligation.

• A naturalized citizen owes acquired allegiance to their new country.
• A resident alien owes temporary allegiance to the country they are living in.
• A native-born citizen owes natural allegiance to their nation.

These examples show how different types of allegiance can be owed depending on a person's citizenship or residency status.