Codification
Prior to the enactment of the Nationality Act of 1940, [act Oct. 14, 1940, ch. 876], [54 Stat. 1137], this section, [act Mar. 2, 1917, ch. 145, § 5b], as added [June 27, 1934, ch. 845], [48 Stat. 1245], provided as follows: “All persons born in Puerto Rico on or after April 11, 1899 (whether before or after June 27, 1934) and not citizens, subjects, or nationals of any foreign power, are hereby declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided, That this section shall not be construed as depriving any person, native of Puerto Rico, of his or her American citizenship heretofore otherwise lawfully acquired by such person; or to extend such citizenship to persons who shall have renounced or lost it under the treaties and/or laws of the United States or who are now residing permanently abroad and are citizens or subjects of a foreign country: And provided further, That any woman, native of Puerto Rico and permanently residing therein, who, prior to March 2, 1917, had lost her American nationality by reason of her marriage to an alien eligible to citizenship, or by reason of the loss of the United States citizenship by her husband, may be naturalized under the provisions of [section 369 of title 8].”
The second proviso thereof was repealed by section 504 of the Nationality Act of 1940. Provisions relating to citizenship of persons born in Puerto Rico, are contained in [section 1402 of Title 8], Aliens and Nationality.
