Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for U.S. citizenship, you have held a green card for the past 5 years. If you are married to a U.S. citizen or were in the military, the requirement is only 3 years. Other requirements include:

• Continuous Residency -- making your residence in the United States for the past 5 years (if you are married to a U.S. citizen, then 3 years). Please note that an absence of 6 months or more will interrupt residency. If the break is for 6 months to one year, it may be excused for a reason such as overseas employment.
• Physical Presence -- actually living in the U.S. for half of the required residency period. You can leave and come back to the United States as much as you wish, as long as the absence is for less than 6 months at a time, and as long as the total time spent in the United States adds up to 30 months (18 months if you are married to a US Citizen or were in the military).
• Residing in the state where you are submitting the citizenship application for at least 3 months.
• Not breaking any immigration laws.
• Not having been a member of the Communist Party during the past 10 years, unless your membership was involuntary.
• Being able to show at least 5 years of good moral character. Generally, an application may be rejected if you have had any drug, gambling, or prostitution convictions, practiced polygamy, smuggled illegal aliens into the U.S. , or purposefully failed to support dependents. If you have ever been convicted of murder or an aggravated felony, you will permanently be ineligible for citizenship.
• Being able to speak, understand, read, and write simple English during the citizenship interview, unless you have a physical or mental impairment that prevents you from learning English. You may be exempt from this requirement if you are over the age of 50 and have been a permanent resident for over 20 years.
• Passing a test on U.S. History and Government. You may be given special consideration if you are over the age of 65 and have been a permanent resident for more than 20 years.
• Taking an oath of allegiance to the United States .

Understanding the Naturalization Process - An Overview

1. Submitting your application
   • Complete the Application for Naturalization, Form N-400.
   • Get two photographs taken.
   • Send your application, required documents, and fee, to the appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Center
     
2. Getting fingerprinted
   Once you have filed your application with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), they will send you a letter advising you of where and when to have your fingerprints taken. This can take between several days to several months.
   
   When you go to your appointment, be sure to take your fingerprinting notice letter from the USCIS, your Permanent Resident Card, and another form of identification (driver's license, passport, state identification card) with you. Your second form of identification should have your photograph on it.
   
   Note: If you are 75 years or older at the time you file your application, you do not need to be fingerprinted. In addition, if you are living overseas, you will need to be fingerprinted at a U.S. consular office
   
   .Once everything is ready, the USCIS will schedule you for an interview. You will receive an interview notice in the mail advising you of the date, time, and place of your interview.
   
   
3. Being interviewed

   Preparing for the Interview
   
   The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will send you only one notice in the mail advising you when and where you must appear for your interview. Be sure to notify the USCIS of any address changes, to make sure you receive your interview notice. If you are unable to appear on the specified date, you should write to the office where your interview is scheduled, as soon as possible, explaining your situation and asking to have your interview rescheduled. If you do not go to your interview and do not contact the USCIS beforehand, your case will be "administratively closed". If the USCIS "administratively closes" your case and you do not contact them within one (1) year to reopen it, they will deny your application.
   
   You should bring the following identification to your interview:
   •Your Permanent Resident or Alien Registration Card
   •Your passport (even if it has expired)
   •Any Re-entry Permits you have
   In some cases, your USCIS appointment letter will list additional documents to bring to the interview. If you don't bring the necessary documents, your case may be delayed or denied.
   
   The Interview Process
   
   At your interview, you will be placed under oath and asked questions about your background, your case, your character, your attachment to the U.S. constitution and your willingness to take an Oath of Allegiance to the United States .
   In addition, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer may ask you some other questions to make sure that you meet all the eligibility requirements. Be prepared to explain any differences between your application and the other documents you have provided to USCIS.
   During your interview, you will also be tested on your ability to read, write, understand, and speak English, and you will be given a civics test (unless you are exempt from these requirements).
   After your interview, the USCIS will grant, continue, or deny your naturalization application.
   Sometimes the USCIS can tell you if you will be granted citizenship at the end of your interview, in which case, you may be able to take an oath ceremony the same day as your interview. Otherwise, you will receive a notice telling you when and where your oath ceremony will be.
   The USCIS officer may also "continue" your case, which means it is put on hold. This will add time to your naturalization process, and you will be asked to either come back for a second interview or provide additional documents.
   The USCIS may also deny your application for naturalization through a written notice informing you of the reason. If you feel that the USCIS has wrongly denied you citizenship, you may request a hearing with a USCIS officer. Your denial letter will explain how to request a hearing and will include the form you need to appeal the decision.

4. Taking the oath
   
   If the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approve your application for naturalization, you must attend a ceremony and take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States . If you cannot communicate an understanding of the meaning of the Oath because of a physical or mental disability, the USCIS may excuse you from this requirement.
   
   You will no longer need your Permanent Resident Card (since you will receive your Certificate of U.S. citizenship), and must return it to the USCIS when you check in for your oath ceremony.
   Once you have taken the Oath, you will receive your Certificate of Naturalization, which you may use as proof of your U.S. citizenship.
   
   It is strongly recommended that you apply for a U.S. passport soon after your naturalization ceremony. A passport serves as evidence of citizenship and is easier to carry around than a Certificate of U.S. citizenship. In addition, if you lose your Certificate of U.S. citizenship, it can take up to one (1) year to receive a new certificate. If you do not have a passport, you will not have evidence of citizenship during the time you are waiting for a new certificate. You can often get an application for a passport at your oath ceremony or at most post offices.

 

Documents Required Preparing your U.S. Citizenship Application

Your Information / Documents :

• Birth Certificate or Passport
• List of all the names that you may have ever used
• Citizenship of your parents
• Details of any physical or mental disabilities
• Details of residences for the past 5 years
• Details of all employment for the last 5 years, if any
• Details of all education for the last 5 years
• Details of all your trips outside the U.S since the day you became a Green Card Holder (Permanent Resident): dates of travel and places visited.
• If currently married, details about this marriage
• If you were previously married, the details of each of these marriages: dates the marriage began and ended, reason for termination of the marriage, details of each prior spouse such as full name, country of citizenship and if applicable, his or her current immigration status in the U.S.
• Details of any federal, state or local taxes that you have failed to submit or that are overdue
• Details of involvement in any criminal activities. If you have ever been arrested, cited, detained or charged, you will need the details of each incident such as date, place and outcome or disposition.
• If you have ever been subjected to any immigration proceedings, details of each of these proceedings such as date, place and outcome or disposition.
• Details of your service in the U.S armed forces, if any
• Details of Selective Service Registration: Selective Service Number and date of registration. If exempted from Selective Service, reason exemption was granted.
• If not willing to perform military or civilian service, your reason
• The U.S Immigration and Naturalization filing fees of $400. This includes the fingerprinting fee of $70. (Fingerprinting is not required for applicants who are over 75 years of age, this filing fee is subject to change.)

Your Spouse's Information/Documents (if you are currently married):

• A copy of his or her passport
• Spouse's name, date of birth, Social Security Number, home address, citizenship, and if applicable, his or her immigration status in the U.S.
•  If your spouse was previously married, the details of each of these marriages: dates the marriage began and ended, reason for termination of this marriage, details of each prior spouse such as full name, country of citizenship and if applicable, his or her current immigration status in the U.S.

Your Children's (if any) Information/Documents:

• Details for ALL your children (regardless of whether a child is alive, missing or deceased): full name, date and country of birth, present address and if applicable, his or her Alien registration number.