Naturalization Act of 1795
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The United States Naturalization Act of January 29, 1795 (1 Stat. 414) repealed and replaced the Naturalization Act of 1790.
The 1795 Act differed from the 1790 Act in two areas: The period of required residence increased from two to five years in the United States and from one to two years in the state of residence. One change introduced by the 1795 Act was the Declaration of Intention requirement, or "first papers", which created a two-step naturalization process. The act specified that naturalized citizenship was reserved only for "whites."
Immigrants intending to naturalize had to go to their local court and declare their intention at least three years prior to their formal application. In the declaration, the immigrant would also indicate his understanding that upon naturalization, he would take an oath not only of allegiance to the United States but also of renunciation of his former sovereign. In addition to the declaration of intention and oath of renunciation, the 1795 Act required all naturalized persons to be "attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States" and be "well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same."
