Chapter VIII: Section 4: of the Naturalization Law62 provides that an alien may

be admitted to become a citizen of the United States in the following manner “and not otherwise.”

First. He shall declare on oath before the clerk of any court
authorized by this Act to naturalize aliens, or his authorized
deputy, in the district in which such alien resides, two years
at least prior to his admission, and after he has reached the
age of eighteen years, that it is his bona fide intention to
become a citizen of the United States and to renounce forever
all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate,
state, or sovereignty, and particularly, by name, to the prince,
potentate, state, or sovereignty of which the alien may be at the
time a citizen or subject. And such declaration shall set forth the
name, age, occupation, personal description, place of birth, last
foreign residence and allegiance, the date of arrival, the name
of the vessel, if any, in which he came to the United States, and
the present place of residence in the United States of said alien:
_Provided_, however, that no alien who, in conformity with the law
in force at the date of his declaration, has declared his intention
to become a citizen of the United States, shall be required to
renew such declaration.

Second. Not less than two years, nor more than seven years, after
he has made such declaration of intention he shall make and file,
in duplicate, a petition in writing, signed by the applicant in his
own handwriting and duly verified, in which petition such applicant
shall state his full name, his place of residence (by street and
number, if possible), his occupation, and, if possible, the date
and place of his birth; the place from which he emigrated, and the
date and place of his arrival in the United States, and, if he
entered through a port, the name of the vessel on which he arrived;
the time when, and the place and name of the court where he
declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States; if
he is married he shall state the name of his wife and, if possible,
the country of her nativity and her place of residence at the time
of filing his petition; and if he has children, the name, date,
and place of birth and place of residence of each child living at
the time of the filing of his petition: _Provided_, That if he has
filed his declaration before the passage of this Act he shall not
be required to sign the petition in his own handwriting.

The petition shall set forth that he is not a disbeliever in, or
opposed to, organized government, or a member of or affiliated
with any organization or body of persons teaching disbelief in,
or opposed to, organized government; a polygamist or believer
in the practice of polygamy; and that it is his intention to
become a citizen of the United States and to renounce absolutely
and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince,
potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly by name to the
prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of which he at the time
of filing of his petition may be a citizen or subject; and that it
is his intention to reside permanently within the United States;
and whether or not he has been denied admission as a citizen of
the United States, and, if denied, the ground or grounds of such
denial, the court or courts in which such decision was rendered,
and that the cause for such denial has since been cured or removed;
and every fact material to his naturalization and required to be
proved upon the final hearing of his application.

The petition shall also be verified by the affidavits of at least
two credible witnesses, who are citizens of the United States, and
who shall state in their affidavits that they have personally known
the applicant to be a resident of the United States for a period of
at least five years continuously, and of the State, Territory, or
the District of Columbia, in which the application is made, for a
period of at least one year immediately preceding the date of the
filing of his petition, and that they each have personal knowledge
that the petitioner is a person of good moral character, and that
he is in every way qualified, in their opinion, to be admitted as
a citizen of the United States.

At the time of filing his petition there shall be filed with the
clerk of the court a certificate from the Department of Labor,
if the petitioner arrives in the United States after the passage
of this Act, stating the date, place, and manner of his arrival
in the United States, and the declaration of intention of such
petitioner, which certificate and declaration shall be attached to
and be made a part of said petition.

Third. He shall, before he is admitted to citizenship, declare
on oath in open court that he will support the Constitution of
the United States, and that he absolutely and entirely renounces
and abjures all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince,
potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly by name to
the prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of which he was
before a citizen or subject; that he will support and defend the
Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic, and bear true faith and allegiance to the
same.[63]

Fourth. It shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the court
admitting any alien to citizenship that immediately preceding
the date of his application he has resided continuously within
the United States five years at least, and within the State or
Territory where such court is at the time held one year at least,
and that during that time he has behaved as a man of good moral
character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the
United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of
the same. In addition to the oath of the applicant, the testimony
of at least two witnesses, citizens of the United States, as to
the facts of residence, moral character, and attachment to the
principles of the Constitution shall be required, and the name,
place of residence, and occupation of each witness shall be set
forth in the record.

Fifth. In case the alien applying to be admitted to citizenship
has borne any hereditary title, or has been of any of the orders
of nobility in the kingdom or state from which he came, he shall,
in addition to the above requisite, make an express renunciation
of his title or order of nobility in the court to which his
application is made, and his renunciation shall be recorded in the
court.

Sixth. When any alien who has declared his intention to become a
citizen of the United States dies before he is actually naturalized
the widow and minor children of such alien may, by complying with
the other provisions of this Act, be naturalized without making any
declaration of intention.