United States nationality law details the conditions in which a person holds United States nationality. In the United States, nationality is typically obtained through provisions in the U.S. Constitution, various laws, and international agreements. Citizenship is established as a right under the Constitution, not as a privilege, for those born in the United States under its jurisdiction and those who have been "naturalized". While the words
citizen and
national are sometimes used interchangeably,
national is a broader legal term, such that a person can be a
national but not a
citizen, while
citizen is reserved to
nationals who have the status of citizenship.