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Volume 40

Public Law 65–68

Defining the status of citizens of the United States who have entered the military or naval services of certain countries during the existing war in Europe.

Approved October 5, 1917

Statutory text

An Act

Defining the status of citizens of the United States who have entered the military or naval services of certain countries during the existing war in Europe.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of América in Congress assembled,

That any person, formerly an American citizen, who may be deemed to have expatriated himself under the provisions of the first paragraph of section two of the Act approved March second, nineteen hundred and seven, entitled “An Act in reference to the expatriation of citizens and their protection abroad,” by taking, since August first, nineteen hundred and fourteen, an oath of allegiance to any foreign State engaged in war with a country with which the United States is at war, and who took such oath in order to be enabled to enlist in the armed forces of such foreign State, and who actually enlisted in such armed forces, and who has been or may be duly and honorably discharged from such armed forces, may, upon complying with the provisions of this Act, reassume and acquire the character and privileges of a citizen of the United

Proviso.

No pension, etc., obligations for foreign service.

States: Provided, however, That no obligation in the way of pensions or other grants because of service in the army or navy of any other country, or disabilities incident thereto, shall accrue to the United States.

Application for resumption of status, etc.

Any such person who desires so to reacquire and reassume the character and privileges of a citizen of the United States shall, if abroad, present himself before a consular officer of the United States, or, if in the United States, before any court authorized by law to confer American citizenship upon aliens, shall offer satisfactory evidence that he comes within the terms of this Act, and shall take an oath declaring his allegiance to the United States and agreeing to support the Constitution thereof and abjuring and disclaiming allegiance to such foreign State and to every foreign prince, potentate, State, or

Issue of certificates.

sovereignty. The consular officer or court officer having jurisdiction shall thereupon issue in triplicate a certificate of American citizenship, giving one copy to the applicant, retaining one copy for his

Rights restored.

files, and forwarding one copy to the Secretary of Labor. Thereafter such person shall m all respects be deemed to have acquired the

Regulations, etc., to be made.

character and privileges of a citizen of the United States. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor shall jointly issue regulations for the proper administration of this Act.

Approved, October 5, 1917.

Parsed from the official Statutes at Large USLM XML in 40.xml