Legal Definitions - dual national

Dual national

A dual national is a person who is a citizen of two countries at the same time. This means that they have legal rights and responsibilities in both countries. Dual citizenship can be obtained either by birth or through the process of naturalization.

• A person born in the United States to parents who are citizens of another country may be a dual national.
• A person who becomes a citizen of another country through naturalization while still maintaining their original citizenship may also be a dual national.

These examples illustrate how a person can become a dual national either by birth or through the process of naturalization. In both cases, the person has legal rights and responsibilities in both countries and is considered a citizen of both.