Talk:Honorary Citizen of the United States

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Six people, yes, not five. Thanks. :-) Chris Roy 22:32, 16 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Is the immigration category appropriate? Only two of these people lived in the States. Pcb21| Pete 09:15, 30 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Since citizenship is gained through a naturalization process, which is under immigration, this article fits into the cateogry. I suppose that an "honors" category might be a closer fit. BTW, the article should make some distinction between these rare honorary citizenship, and the common "private bills" granting citizenship to individuals, which are also acts of congress. Willmcw 09:56, 30 Nov 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Sakharov

I came here from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Sakharov where is mentioned that he got this degree, but he isn't mentioned here Tbc2 04:20, 22 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for catching that. As far as I can tell, a bill to make Sakharov an honorary citizn was introduced with a measly 8 co-sponsors in 2002 and died in committee. [1] I can't find any evidence that the bill was ever voted on in the House, much less the Senate, much less signed by the president. [Winnie and Nelson Mandela didn't make it either]. I've commented-out the item in the Sakhoarov article, pending a reference. Cheers, -Willmcw 05:31, 22 Jan 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Is it a "Real" Citizenship?

Is honorary U.S. citizenship a "real" U.S. citizenship - does it carry the right to a U.S. passport or a right of abode in the United States? JAJ 01:17, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

Yes, so far as I can tell. However since it has only been awarded to living people twice, and neither recipient was likely to change nationality, it hasn't come up, I'm sure. -Will Beback 02:15, 2 April 2006 (UTC)
Our article doesn't make this clear. There must be somewhere to find info on the question. --Hyphen5 16:41, 8 October 2006 (UTC)
[2] This file contains the original resolution, which says that it posthumously grants "full rights of citizenship" in the case of the Penns. I'm not sure what those rights would be posthumously.-Will Beback 21:31, 9 October 2006 (UTC)
This link from the State Dept says there's no eligibility for a U.S. passport. So the strong evidence is that "honorary" U.S. citizenship is not a form of United States nationality Details (pdf) JAJ 00:59, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
It would make sense that this is an honorarium, not an immigration status change. Of course there could be an interesting case on this if it every came to litigation.Mneumisi 17:20, 23 October 2006 (UTC)


[edit] 2002?

This article says that the Marquis de la Fayette was given honorary citizenship in 2002. Yet Jules Verne's novel From Earth to the Moon mentions la Fayette receiving citizenship, and that book was published in like 1870. Someone should verify that fact.

Verne's novel is obviously a piece of fiction. [3] is clear evidence of the actual date of the honor. However it's possible that some early president made an unofficial statement, before that law was passed, calling LaFayette a "citizen". -Will Beback · † · 23:28, 7 March 2007 (UTC)
He was made an honorary citizen when he visited the U.S. in 1824 by a proclamation of Congress, here http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0104/lafayette_legacy.html confirmed on the Library of Congress website. It was again bestowed on him in 2002. It's really symbolic in both cases. Lafayette was entitled to full U.S. citizenship because of his military service, just as it was granted to Tadeusz Kościuszko and Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben shortly after the war. Jsc1973 (talk) 06:23, 9 January 2008 (UTC)