U.S. citizenship gives a person as many rights as the U.S. has to offer; for example, the right to vote in U.S. state and federal elections, petition for family members to immigrate to the U.S., and to live abroad without losing the right to return. For these reasons, citizenship is not easy to obtain.
Unless you are among the lucky few who qualify automatically for U.S. Citizenship by Birth or Through Parents, you will need to apply to become a U.S. citizen, through a process known as naturalization. Before applying, however, you must first have had a green card (lawful permanent residence) for a number of years and meet other eligibility requirements, listed below.
Basic Eligibility Criteria for U.S. Citizenship
If you are interested in applying for U.S. citizenship, first make sure that all of the following apply to you:
- You have had lawful permanent resident status for at least five years (with exceptions for refugees, people who get their green card through asylum, spouses of U.S. citizens, and U.S. military personnel).
- You have lived in the U.S. continuously for the five years preceding your application, and during that you have not spent more than one continuous year outside the United States.
- You have been physically present in the U.S. for at least half of the five years before filing your application.
- You have lived in the district or state where you are filing your application for at least three months.
- You are at least 18 years old.
- You have good moral character, for example haven’t committed crimes, failed to pay taxes or child support, and so on.
- You are willing to swear an oath of allegiance saying that you believe in the principles of the U.S. Constitution and will be loyal to the United States (with modifications and exceptions in certain circumstances).
Tests You’ll Need to Pass to Become a U.S. Citizen
After submitting your application (as described below), you’ll also need to be ready to pass two exams. These will be held during your citizenship interview, at a USCIS office. They are meant to test whether:
- You are able to speak, read, and write in English (with exceptions for certain long-term residents over a certain age, and persons with certain medical disabilities).
- You are able to pass a test covering U.S. history and government (with exceptions for persons with certain medical disabilities).
If you don’t pass one or both of these tests the first time, you’ll normally get one more chance, typically within 60 to 90 days of the first interview.
Application Process for U.S. Citizenship
In order to apply, you will need to complete a citizenship application on USCIS Form N-400 (see Filling Out USCIS Form N-400) and send it in with a copy of your green card, the required photos, and the appropriate fee. After filing your application, you will probably wait many months, depending on backlogs at your local USCIS office. First, you will be called in for a fingerprint (biometrics) appointment, and later an interview appointment.
At the interview, a USCIS officer will test your English language ability (unless you fit within an exception) and your knowledge of U.S. history and government (though with a shorter list of possible question if you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident of the U.S. for at least 20 years).
Applicants who are disabled can ask for accommodations at the interview, such as a sign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility.
If all goes well at the interview, you’ll receive an appointment for your swearing-in (oath) ceremony. At that time, you actually become a citizen, and receive a certificate of naturalization to prove it.
For more information, Green card holders who have been married to a U.S. citizen are entitled to apply for U.S. citizenship earlier. This is a very significant benefit because normally immigrants can only apply for citizenship after 5 years of lawful permanent residence. Many green card holders who enjoy this benefit obtained their green card on the basis of marriage to a U.S. citizen. By getting informed about how to best prepare an application for citizenship through marriage, you can increase your chances of being approved and eventually naturalized.
