The rights of United States citizens

The rights of United States citizens are the leading reason hundreds of thousands of permanent residents each year apply forUnited States naturalisation. Compared with permanent residents (green card holders), United States citizens enjoy many privileges reserved to citizenship: the right to vote, the world’s most powerful passport, priority family sponsorship, full social security, federal employment, and lifelong legal protection from removal.

This article gathers together the 10 main groups of rights based on the rules ofUnited States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)and other United States government agencies. The information is updated to the beginning of 2026, for Vietnamese-origin permanent residents weighing their next step after obtaining aUnited States permanent resident card (green card).

An overview of the groups of United States citizens’ rights

Before going into each group in detail, it helps to grasp the overall picture: the rights of United States citizens divide into 6 large groups — political rights (voting, standing for office, jury service), international travel rights (the United States passport), family sponsorship rights, access to social security and federal benefits, government-sector employment rights, and permanent legal protection. Each group has a different practical value depending on personal circumstances, but together they make up one of the most comprehensive packages of privileges among Western citizenships.

The right to vote and take part in politics

One of the most important rights of United States citizens is the right to vote in federal elections. According toUSCIS, only United States citizens may vote in elections for President, Vice President, Senators and Federal Representatives. Most states also limit the right to vote in state and local elections to United States citizens.

The right to vote is the mechanism giving naturalised citizens a direct voice in shaping foreign, economic, immigration, health and education policy and the other matters affecting daily life. With a Vietnamese American community of more than 2.3 million people, rising turnout has created considerable political influence in states with large Vietnamese-origin populations such as California, Texas, Washington and Virginia.

United States citizens also have the right to stand for public office. Most positions at local level (mayor, city councillor, school board), state level (governor, state legislator) and federal level (Representative, Senator) require citizenship. The offices of President and Vice President carry a higher requirement still: the holder must be a natural-born citizen.

Besides voting and standing for office, United States citizens also have the duty of jury service when summoned. This is both a duty and a right — only citizens may serve on a federal jury. It ensures the United States justice system operates on the principle of “trial by one’s own community”.

The United States passport and international travel rights

The United States passport is one of the most powerful travel documents in the world. United States citizens are issued a U.S. Passport administered by theUnited States Department of State, allowing visa-free travel or visa on arrival to more than 180 destinations worldwide (counting countries and dependent territories).

The United States passport is visa-free for the major strategic partners: the whole Schengen area (27 European countries, up to 90 days in 180), the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, most of Latin America and the Caribbean, and many African countries. Some other destinations require only an e-visa or a simple visa on arrival.

The major difference between citizens and permanent residents: a green card is not an international travel document, and green card holders still need their original country’s passport and must obtain visas on that original nationality. For Vietnamese people, the Vietnamese passport ranks around 90th–95th in the world by visa-free access (around 50–55 destinations). Holding a United States passport considerably shortens the time and cost of preparing for international business, leisure and study travel.

An important right that comes with the United States passport is support from United States Embassies and Consulates in any country. When trouble arises abroad (a lost passport, a natural disaster, political upheaval, a legal problem), United States citizens may contact a United States diplomatic mission for urgent assistance, including evacuation in an emergency.

Family sponsorship and protection for children and grandchildren

The right to sponsor family members is one of the most practical rights of United States citizens for immigrants. United States citizens have priority whensponsoring a spouse to the United Statesand other family members, compared with permanent residents.

United States citizens may sponsor a spouse and unmarried children under 21 (Immediate Relatives — the IR category) with the fastest processing and no annual visa limit. These categories are unaffected by the Visa Bulletin and permit a permanent residence application to be filed alongside the sponsorship petition (Adjustment of Status).

Besides the IR category, United States citizens may also sponsor other family members through the Family Preference categories: unmarried children over 21 (F1), the spouse and children of permanent residents (F2 — for LPRs only, and not needed by citizens), married children (F3), and siblings (F4). Citizens have a particular advantage in the F3 and F4 categories, because permanent residents cannot sponsor in either.

A special benefit for citizens’ families is the mechanism of automatic transmission of citizenship to children. A child under 18 holding a green card and living with a naturalised parent automatically becomes a United States citizen under the Child Citizenship Act 2000. A child born abroad to a United States citizen may also be granted citizenship by descent where the parent meets the United States residence requirement before the child’s birth.

Social security and federal benefits

United States citizens have full access to the federal social security system. Social Security is the United States government’s retirement and disability insurance programme, requiring a minimum contribution of 40 quarters (10 years) of work with SSA tax paid. Citizens qualify for an SSA pension from age 62 (at a reduced rate) or 67 (the full rate for those born after 1960).

A particular benefit for citizens is the ability to receive a Social Security pension even while living abroad long-term (apart from certain restricted countries such as Cuba and North Korea). Permanent residents have broadly the same right, but payments stop where they are abroad for more than 6 months. This matters for many Vietnamese Americans retiring to Vietnam — only citizens continue to receive the pension in full.

Medicare (health insurance for those over 65 and certain other groups) is likewise open to citizens as it is to permanent residents who have paid enough quarters. However, certain other public benefit programmes such as SSI (Supplemental Security Income for low-income people), SNAP (Food Stamps) and long-term Medicaid carry particular restrictions for permanent residents in the first 5 years, which do not apply to citizens. Citizens are also not subject to the “Public Charge Rule” — a rule that can affect a permanent resident’s immigration record.

Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for higher education is available to both citizens and permanent residents, but many specific awards (the Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, certain research funds) give higher priority to citizens. Scholarship programmes run by the federal government, the states and some public universities usually require United States citizenship.

Federal employment and career opportunities

Many federal government positions require United States citizenship. The list comprises: every position in the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the FBI, CIA, NSA, Secret Service, DEA, ICE, Border Patrol, the Department of Energy (nuclear security roles), NASA (classified roles), and a great many other agencies concerned with national security.

Even positions not directly concerned with security but requiring a security clearance — Confidential, Secret or Top Secret — mostly require United States citizenship. This opens up hundreds of thousands of job opportunities with very good pay, benefits and pensions that permanent residents cannot access.

Beyond the federal government, many large defence contractors (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics) and companies providing services to the government also require staff to be citizens in many roles. For the Vietnamese-origin community, this opens considerable opportunities in the defence industry clusters such as Silicon Valley, the Washington D.C. metro area, Orange County and Houston.

The ability to serve in the United States military with full rights is likewise reserved to citizens. Permanent residents may serve but are limited to positions not requiring a high clearance. Citizens may pursue a commissioned career, join the special forces, and rise to senior command positions.

Lifelong protection and legal stability

A fundamental difference between citizens and permanent residents is legal stability. United States citizens, whether naturalised or born in the United States, have the right to live permanently in the United States and cannot be removed in almost any circumstances. This is protected by the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Permanent residents, by contrast, may lose their green card in many situations: absence from the United States for too long (usually 6 months or more without a re-entry permit), conviction of certain criminal offences (particularly aggravated felonies or crimes involving moral turpitude), immigration fraud, failure to meet tax obligations, or a sham marriage to obtain a green card. Deportation is one of the greatest risks for permanent residents who do not naturalise.

Citizens also have no immigration documents to renew. A green card must be renewed every 10 years, with a fee (currently around USD 540). A conditional green card (for recent marriage cases and new EB-5 investments) is more complicated still, with the requirement to “remove conditions” before the first 2 years expire. Citizens have no renewal requirement of any kind — citizenship is permanent (apart from voluntary renunciation or revocation for fraud in the naturalisation process).

A practical benefit rarely mentioned: citizens need not notify USCIS of a change of address within 10 days as permanent residents must. Citizens also need not carry a green card everywhere — only ordinary ID, or a passport when travelling internationally. Daily life is considerably simpler.

Multiple nationality and the position with Vietnam

The United States accepts dual citizenship. United States citizens may keep their original citizenship where their country of origin permits it. However, this is a complex matter for Vietnamese people because the Vietnamese Nationality Law of 2008 (amended 2014) in principle still maintains a “single nationality” policy with certain exceptions.

In practice, there is currently no Vietnamese legal rule requiring Vietnamese citizens to renounce Vietnamese nationality on acquiring another. However, the Law also does not formally recognise dual nationality for Vietnamese citizens. Many Vietnamese people who have naturalised in the United States hold dual nationality in practice: a United States passport for international travel, and a Vietnamese passport for domestic dealings. When returning to Vietnam they need the Vietnamese passport to enter.

From 01/07/2024, Vietnam’s amended Land Law widened property purchase rights for Vietnamese people settled abroad (Việt Kiều), including those who have acquired another citizenship but have not lost Vietnamese nationality. Vietnamese Americans may now buy, own and transfer homes and residential land in Vietnam on the same terms as Vietnamese citizens resident in the country.

On tax obligations, the United States is one of only two countries in the world (with Eritrea) applying citizenship-based taxation rather than residence-based. United States citizens must declare and pay United States federal tax on their worldwide income, even while living abroad. However, double taxation treaties and the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE), which excluded USD 126,500 in 2024 (rising each year) of foreign earned income, help reduce the tax burden.

The responsibilities that come with the rights

Alongside the rights, United States citizens have responsibilities to meet in full. The first is allegiance to the United States — pledged in the Oath of Allegiance at the naturalisation ceremony. This oath comprises: renouncing allegiance to the former country, supporting the Constitution and laws of the United States, and being ready to defend the country when needed.

The second is complying with federal, state and local law. Citizens also have a duty to pay their taxes in full and on time. All United States citizens, wherever they are in the world, must file a federal tax return each year where their income exceeds the threshold, even where they do not live in the United States.

The third is serving on a jury when summoned. Failing to respond or to attend may lead to a civil penalty. This is both a right and a duty in maintaining the United States justice system. Men aged 18 to 25, whether citizens or permanent residents, must register for Selective Service — the standby mechanism for conscription in the event of a large-scale war (there has been no standing conscription since 1973).

The last is taking an active part in the democratic community: keeping up with political information, voting, taking part in local civic activities, and contributing to the society where one lives. This is not a mandatory legal duty but a cultural expectation of an active citizen.

Summary

The rights of United States citizens are among the most comprehensive and valuable sets of privileges of any citizenship in the world. From the right to vote, a powerful passport giving visa-free travel to more than 180 destinations, priority family sponsorship, full access to social security and federal employment, through to lifelong protection from removal — United States citizenship brings a level of security and opportunity far above a green card.

For Vietnamese people who already hold a green card, the decision to file for naturalisation after 5 years (or 3 years where married to a United States citizen) is an important step in making the most of the opportunities in the United States. Although it brings worldwide tax obligations and civic responsibilities, the benefits usually far outweigh the cost, particularly for families planning to live in the United States long-term or hoping to reunite further family members from Vietnam in future.